Employees at a massive Colorado meat processing facility have successfully concluded their labor dispute with JBS USA, with both sides announcing a resolution on Sunday following a prolonged work stoppage.
Operations at the Swift Beef Co. facility in Greeley, Colorado, are set to resume immediately after experiencing weeks of disruption, according to a company announcement.
The resolution follows a three-week work stoppage led by thousands of employees represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 Union, who demanded improved compensation and enhanced healthcare benefits. The labor action concluded on April 4 when JBS USA committed to returning to the bargaining table.
The final deal includes pay raises spanning two years plus a one-time $750 payment for workers. Union representatives described the tentative contract as containing “all gains, countless improvements, and not a single concession.”
Under the new terms, the company will cover costs for personal protective equipment and shield employees from rising healthcare expenses, the union stated.
Union president Kim Cordova noted that employees maintained their picket lines despite harsh weather conditions “because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded.”
“This is what union power looks like,” Cordova stated.
Union officials did not immediately provide additional details to The Associated Press.
While JBS USA expressed satisfaction with reaching an accord, the company voiced concerns that union leadership decided to eliminate retirement benefits that had been negotiated previously. The company maintained that the pension plan was intended to bolster long-term retirement security and criticized the union’s decision to redirect those funds toward immediate wage increases instead of workers’ future financial stability.
As part of the settlement, the union will drop seven unfair labor practice complaints, JBS USA confirmed.
“With the agreement now finalized, JBS USA looks forward to restoring stability, supporting its workforce, and continuing to invest in the Greeley facility for the future,” the company stated.
This labor action represented the first slaughterhouse strike in America since employees walked off the job at a Hormel facility in Minnesota in 1985. That earlier strike extended for more than a year and featured violent clashes between law enforcement and demonstrators.
JBS operates as the globe’s largest meat processing corporation with a market value of $17 billion. The company serves as the primary employer in Greeley, a community located 50 miles northeast of Denver with approximately 114,000 residents.
