The union representing workers at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley gave a required seven-day notice that it is cancelling its contract extension, effective midnight Sunday, March 15. Workers could go on strike against JBS as soon as Monday, March 16.
United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 President Kim Cordova said, “For months now, JBS has been insisting on poverty-level wages for workers at the plant, offering less than 2 percent in average annual wage increases, far below the level of inflation in Colorado, while at the same time putting all of the risks of rising health care costs on workers. Meanwhile, despite being the world’s largest protein producer, JBS has been stealing from workers’ paychecks to fund the company’s profits. JBS can afford to do better.”
The union’s contract with JBS expired last July. Last month, 99% of workers at the plant approved a vote to strike, and the union has been working for weeks on strike plans. Union negotiators continued to meet with JBS this week, with the talks ending Friday afternoon…