One of the largest meat plants in the United States in Colorado was closed after about 3,800 workers went on strike on March 16 (Monday), the AP reported. According to union representatives, this is the first such walkout at U.S. beef slaughterhouses since the 1980s, the report added.
Claire Poundstone, an attorney representing United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, told the news agency that workers would be on site “all day.”
“Our workers perform some of the most difficult and dangerous jobs in the country. They deserve wage increases that keep pace with inflation, ensure they receive health care commensurate with the costs this work takes on their bodies, and allow them to live with dignity and respect,” the union said in a statement.
The AP said it has reached out to JBS USA representatives for comment.
- Kim Cordova, president of Local 7, said 99% of employees voted to approve the strike, the release added.
- Shechter said there were no formal talks over the weekend before the walkout after the company rejected the union’s request for negotiations on Saturday (March 14).
How did the company respond?
In a statement, JBS USA said that any employee who does not want to strike will have a job and will be paid. The company said it will work two shifts at the plant on Monday and temporarily shift production to other JBS facilities as needed.
The statement said the company operates in full compliance with federal and state labor and employment laws. “Our goal is to minimize the impact on our customers, our partners and the broader market while we work toward a fair resolution in Greeley,” he added.
Why is this strike significant?
According to Cordova, this is the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since workers walked out of a Hormel factory in Minnesota in 1985. Records from the Minnesota Historical Society showed the Hormel strike lasted more than a year and included violent confrontations between police and protesters.
This comes after a meatpacking plant in Lexington (Nebraska, USA) was closed in January due to concerns about a domino effect on the community and local economy.
According to the report, the strike also comes at a crucial time when President Donald Trump, led by the US administration, has turned to Argentina for a trade deal that could lower food prices, including beef.
This year, the U.S. saw a 75-year low in the cattle population, with inventories as of Jan. 1 at 86.2 million head — down 1% from 2025, she added.
