JBS Greeley Workers Approve 2-Year Deal

April 13, 2026

Workers at the JBS beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, have ratified a new two-year collective bargaining agreement with JBS USA, according to United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7.

The agreement covers nearly 3,800 workers at JBS’s flagship beef processing facility in Greeley and follows a three-week unfair labor practice strike that left the plant idle. UFCW Local 7 said the strike brought JBS back to the bargaining table and demonstrated the unity and resolve of its members.

Local 7 described the new deal as a contract with gains and improvements and no concessions. Union officials said the agreement includes JBS-leading wage increases, protects workers from increases in healthcare costs, and ensures workers do not have to pay for personal protective equipment.

According to the union, workers secured wage increases over the next two years that are nearly 33% higher than what JBS had offered in its final pre-strike proposal.

“This tentative agreement is a testament to the incredible resolve of our members at the JBS Greeley plant,” said Kim Cordova, president of UFCW Local 7. “These workers stood together on the picket line for three weeks, through extreme weather, because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded. This is what union power looks like.”

JBS said it was pleased an agreement was reached, but also said it was disappointed that UFCW Local 7 leadership chose to eliminate what the company described as a historic pension benefit that had been part of the national agreement negotiated last year in partnership with UFCW International.

The company also said the union agreed to withdraw seven alleged unfair labor practice charges as part of the agreement.

UFCW Local 7 thanked union members, community allies, and elected officials in Colorado and across the country for supporting workers during the strike. The union said that support helped sustain members throughout the walkout.

The broader fight over conditions in the meatpacking industry is continuing beyond the contract talks. On Friday, April 10, 2026, Colorado Senator Robert Rodriguez introduced a worker safety bill in the state legislature. According to Local 7, the bill would protect workers from wage garnishment for personal protective equipment and hold meatpacking companies accountable for allowing workers access to restrooms.

The contract vote comes at a time when beef prices have reached record levels and the nation’s cattle supply has fallen to a 75-year low. The strike at JBS also added pressure to U.S. beef processing capacity after Tyson Foods closed a beef plant in Nebraska earlier this year and reduced operations at a facility in Texas.