JBS Greeley Plant Strike Enters Week 3 Amid Stalled Wage Talks

Key Details Thousands of workers at JBS's Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado are entering their third week of striking, demanding higher wages and improved health care benefits. The strike began March 16 with 99% support from the plant's 3,800 unionized workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7. Why It Matters JBS USA, the world's largest meatpacking company, is operating the facility at limited capacity while shifting beef production elsewhere. Industry analysts note the company faces minimal pressure to negotiate since reduced slaughter capacity industry-wide is actually improving profit margins for major processors. Negotiation Status Union President Kim Cordova rejected JBS's latest offer of 2% wage increases, arguing the proposal fails to keep pace with inflation. Company spokesperson Nikki Richardson stated JBS is maintaining supply chain stability and minimizing disruption for customers and consumers. Historical Context This marks the first major U.S. slaughterhouse strike since 1985, when workers walked out at a Hormel plant in Minnesota for over a year. JBS ranks as the 10th largest agriculture and food processing carrier in North America and employs thousands in Greeley, a city of 114,000 residents northeast of Denver.