USA: Around 3,800 JBS meatpacking workers, incl. migrants, strike for better working conditions amid alleged labour rights abuses & intimidation; incl., co. comment
The industry hasn’t had a labor dispute for a very long time and it’s because they hire a very vulnerable workforce and the expectations are they keep their head down. They’re doing the work frankly no one in this country wants to do.President of UFCW Local 7, Kim Cordova
In March 2026, it was reported that around 3,800 workers at a JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley, Colorado, have gone on strike, following accusations of labour rights abuse. According to reporting, the workforce is made up largely of migrants, including refugees. It will allegedly be the first labour strike in meatpacking in 'decades' in the country.
The strike follows reporting in December 2025 that over 1,000 Haitian workers at the plant filed a lawsuit alleging JBS subjected them to discriminatory working conditions, poor accommodation and occupational health and safety violations - see more here. Workers say conditions remain largely unchanged despite the lawsuit, according to reporting by Food & Environment Reporting Network.
According to reporting, the company has retaliated against workers, including intimidating workers to quit the union in one-on-one meetings. JBS also allegedly charged workers USD1,100 or more for personal protective equipment needed to ensure worker safety. The union has called for healthcare 'commensurate with the toll this work takes on their bodies'. Workers are also calling for wages to keep pace with inflation.
According the The Guardian, migrant workers at the plant have been discriminated against. The union also alleges the company has failed to address systemic wage theft at the plant, among other allegations.
In its response to journalists, JBS said it complies with labour laws, sought to reach a fair agreement, and charges employees for 'maliciously damaged' or lost protective equipment.
The company allegedly refused a union request to negotiate over the weekend, according to reporting by AP News.
In April, it was reported that the strike entered it's third week and the company is allegedly unwilling to negotiate. An interview in Democracy Now with representatives of UFCW Local 7 and Essential Workers for Democracy highlights some of the workers at the plant are Haitian. A company spokesperson told journalists that the union rejected a contract that offered "higher wages, a secure retirement, and long-term financial stability."