JBS Ends 3-Week Strike: Meatpacking Workers Win Concessions

The Cost of Protection: Ending the PPE Tax

Beyond a $1.50 per hour wage increase over a two-year term, the most significant victory was the elimination of a “PPE tax.” Previously, JBS garnished wages to replace personal protective equipment (PPE) that was lost, stolen, or worn out.

For many, this was not just a financial burden but a safety hazard. Some workers were charged up to $1,100 for essential gear, including mesh vests, arm guards, and knife sharpeners.

“My mesh apron had a hole in it. I had to go two months wearing the same apron,” said Chris Ready, a slaughter department employee. Ready described the frustration of borrowing knives or spending hundreds of dollars of his own money on mesh gloves just to maintain basic safety.

Another worker, Noah, noted that the financial barrier to new equipment made the job inherently more dangerous. Under the new agreement, JBS will reimburse workers for all out-of-pocket PPE expenses from the past year and implement a fair tracking system for replacements.

Strategic Sabotage: How the Strike Actually Worked

Many industry insiders believed the timing was wrong. They argued that a national cattle shortage and excess plant capacity would allow JBS to simply shift production elsewhere and wait out the workers.

They were wrong. Moving thousands of live animals across the Great Plains is not a seamless process. According to USDA regulations, cattle must be slaughtered quickly once transported.

JBS could only divert about 40% of its cattle to other facilities in Texas, Nebraska, and Utah, which necessitated expensive overtime pay for other workers. The remaining 60% of the livestock were sent to competitors. With the Greeley plant essentially idle, JBS lost an estimated $20 million to $30 million in daily revenue.

Management attempted to run the plant with corporate staff, but they could only process a fraction of the livestock. The fabrication department—the heart of the operation where beef is cut into sellable pieces—remained completely stagnant. Without the specialized skills of hundreds of workers, the production chain simply snapped.

The Battle Over Pensions and Public Image

The victory in Greeley also highlights a complex tension between local and national union strategies. Local 7 broke away from national negotiations last year to pursue priorities specific to the Colorado cost of living and safety equipment.

A point of contention remains the retirement structure. While national negotiations established a Variable Annuity Pension Plan (VAPP), Local 7 chose to retain its 401(k) plan with a 50% match. This decision led JBS to claim in a press release that the local “chose to eliminate” a pension, despite the fact that Local 7 never had one to begin with.

Critics argue that 401(k) plans are generally inferior to defined benefit plans. However, the VAPP offered by JBS also features low contributions, sparking ongoing debates about long-term security for meatpackers.

The union’s leverage coincided with JBS’s struggle to debut on the New York Stock Exchange. Observers suggested that public scrutiny of labor practices pushed the company toward concessions. This occurred amid controversy regarding JBS’s financial contributions to the Trump inauguration fund, which some believe helped clear the way for SEC approval of their IPO.

The Fight for Human Dignity

The struggle continues beyond the picket line. Local 7 is currently lobbying Colorado lawmakers to pass a law guaranteeing reasonable bathroom breaks for large-scale employers.

Workers describe a “race against the clock,” where a 15-minute break is reduced to seven or eight minutes after the time spent removing and donning heavy protective gear. “They don’t like sending people to the bathrooms,” Ready explained, noting that workers are often kept on the line until their scheduled break begins.

On a national level, the UFCW has launched a campaign against deregulation, submitting 42,000 public comments to the USDA to stop the increase of line speeds in pork and poultry processing—a move that would increase injury rates.

This victory in Greeley was not just about wages; it was about proving that a diverse, immigrant workforce can dismantle the perceived invincibility of the world’s largest meatpacker. As more locals return to the bargaining table through 2028, the “Greeley Model” of strategic, short-term disruption may become the new blueprint for labor power.

Does the success of this strike suggest that the “Big Four” are more vulnerable than they appear? Or will the industry find new ways to automate and eliminate the human bottleneck?

Could the elimination of PPE charges in Colorado trigger a national standard for safety in all American meatpacking plants?

Frequently Asked Questions

What were the primary wins of the JBS meatpacking strike in Greeley?
Workers won a $1.50 per hour wage increase, a groundbreaking policy eliminating charges for personal protective equipment (PPE), and reimbursement for out-of-pocket PPE expenses paid over the previous year.

Why was the JBS meatpacking strike considered historic?
It was the first major strike in the meatpacking industry in 40 years and the first time workers ever struck the JBS Greeley beef packing plant, one of the world’s largest.

How did the JBS meatpacking strike impact the company’s revenue?
The strike left the Greeley plant largely idle, costing JBS substantial revenue. The plant typically earns $20-$30 million daily, and the company struggled to divert cattle or recruit scab labor.

What is the ‘Big Four’ mentioned in the context of the JBS meatpacking strike?
The ‘Big Four’ refers to the oligopoly of meat processors—JBS, Tyson, Cargill, and National Beef—who are accused of colluding to suppress wages and depress cattle prices.

What safety issues were addressed during the JBS meatpacking strike?
Workers fought against a system where JBS garnished wages for lost or damaged PPE, which forced some employees to work with dangerous, damaged equipment they couldn’t afford to replace.