JBS workers end strike without agreement in place – 9News
Thousands of workers at the JBS meatpacking facility in Greeley went on strike last month, seeking higher pay and safer working conditions.
GREELEY, Colo. — Thousands of striking workers at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley will return to work next week without a new agreement in place.
JBS said in a news release on Saturday that it has received formal notification from United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 7 that it is ending its strike and has made an unconditional offer for employees to return to work on Tuesday.
“This decision by the union comes without any new agreement or change to company’s original offer,” the release said. “Throughout this process, we have remained committed to good-faith negotiations and to operating our facility safely, responsibly, and in compliance with all regulatory standards.”
JBS said its “Last, Best and Final offer” remains on the table. The company said its proposal includes “meaningful” wage increases, a pension and other benefits designed to support employees and their families.
“We believe this is a strong and competitive package, and we hope employees will have the opportunity to review and vote on it soon,” the release said.
Roughly 3,800 employees of the facility began their strike on March 16, seeking higher pay and safer working conditions. The labor action has drawn national attention due to JBS’ significant role in the U.S. beef industry. JBS officials said they were shifting production to other facilities across the country in an effort to maintain normal operations.
In a separate news release, UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said JBS has agreed to meet on Thursday and Friday to resume contract negotiations.
“Workers remain united and will continue to fight until JBS fully ends its unfair labor practices and gives workers a contract offer that protects them, shows workers the respect they deserve, and pays them a livable wage,” Cordova said in a statement. “This fight will continue and workers can take strength from the community members, farmers and ranchers, and elected officials who have joined them in this battle. We will not stop until JBS rectifies the suffering it has brought on these workers and the American people as a whole.”
Jenifer Montes has been handing out water and food to strikers outside. Montes said she has a parent who works at JBS.
“I’m kind of confused,” she said. “It was just really a shock and everybody’s so confused. We were just prepared, as a community, to go back out there on Tuesday. They were preparing the crowd and striker to go back and keep fighting and don’t give up, and now it just kind of feels like they gave up.”
The union added in its email statement Saturday, “In February, after months of negotiations, workers voted overwhelmingly to authorize an unfair labor practice strike against JBS as a result of the Company’s refusal to negotiate fairly with workers and fix the company’s pattern of wage theft, provide raises to workers that keep pace with the rising cost of living in Colorado, and ensure stable health care costs for workers. Instead of shifting toward fair treatment, the Company has recently doubled down on its illegal tactics by threatening to discontinue their healthcare benefits, and by threatening workers with termination if they did not resign from the Union and refuse to strike.”
JBS has maintained that it is not violating labor laws.
