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Historic JBS Strike: 3,800 Workers Demand Fair Wages

3/18/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Approximately 3,800 workers at the JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado began a two-week strike on March 16, 2026.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 (UFCW Local 7) says wage increases below 2 percent do not keep pace with inflation.
The strike is the first in 40 years at a U.S. slaughterhouse.
JBS shifts production to other facilities to mitigate impacts, which could lead to higher beef prices for consumers.

History

Historical Context

The 1985 Hormel strike in Austin, Minnesota, involved 1,500 workers from Local P-9 of the UFCW demanding better wages and working conditions after Hormel proposed a 23% wage cut. This strike, lasting until September 1986, became one of the longest in Minnesota history and highlighted ongoing labor tensions in the meatpacking industry, echoing earlier disputes from the 1930s.

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Story summary

Approximately 3,800 workers at the JBS plant in Greeley, Colorado began a two-week strike on March 16, 2026.
The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 (UFCW Local 7) says wage increases below 2 percent do not keep pace with inflation.
The strike is the first in 40 years at a U.S. slaughterhouse.
JBS shifts production to other facilities to mitigate impacts, which could lead to higher beef prices for consumers.

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