Union members at a JBS meatpacking plant in the US are set to begin strike action next week.
In a statement issued yesterday (9 March), the UFCW union said workers at the JBS-owned Swift Beef site in Greeley, Colorado will walk out on 16 March.
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Staff at the plant voted in favour of strike action at the start of this month.
At the time, UFCW said it had been negotiating with JBS for more than eight months over a new contract.
The union said its bargaining committee has met the company more than “two dozen times” to reach a “mutually agreeable” deal.
UFCW said workers had hoped the latest bargaining session would deliver a “breakthrough in negotiations”. Instead, the union claimed, JBS sent a “clear message” that it is “putting profits ahead of its people”.
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By GlobalDataKim Cordova, the president of UFCW Local 7, which represents food-processing workers in the state, said: “The goal of negotiations is never to go on strike but when the company violates workers’ rights and ignores workers’ concerns about safety and health, the company give workers no choice but to stand together in solidarity and show the company that they cannot be silenced.”
UFCW said workers want an offer that addresses safety equipment, pay and benefits.
The union alleged JBS has committed “numerous” unfair labour practices that are “preventing” an agreement.
It said the company has threatened to withhold both a proposed bonus and a lump-sum pension payment if workers strike. The union also alleged retaliation against employees who have raised concerns.
According to the union, JBS is continuing to propose average wage rises of less than 2% a year.
The meat giant has also been charging many workers $1,100 or more to “offset” costs for life-saving equipment needed for worker safety, the union added.
The union also linked its allegations on pay to a $55m settlement paid by JBS in a lawsuit accusing the company and other meat producers of conspiring to keep wages low, describing it as part of a wider effort to “suppress wages”.
In response, JBS said in a statement to Just Food the offer it had put forward was “strong” and “fair.
The Brazil-based meat giant, the world’s largest beef processor, also said the offer was “consistent” with a national contract the company had reached last year with UFCW International.
“UFCW Local 7 has refused to let team members vote on this offer,” JBS said.
“We do not believe a strike is in the best interest of our team members or their families. For any Greeley beef team members who do not wish to strike and want to continue working, we will ensure they have work available and are paid.”
The company added: “We are also committed to our customers during this period and will prioritise continuity to help prevent disruptions. To protect the long‑term stability of the beef supply chain, we will temporarily shift production to other JBS facilities where we currently have excess processing capacity. This approach ensures we can continue meeting customer needs and maintain the availability of beef for American consumers.”
