The strike at the JBS-owned meatpacking plant in Greeley will continue for a third week, the union said Thursday.

The strike first began on March 16 after months of negotiations between JBS USA and the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union stalled. It was originally scheduled to last for two weeks. The UFCW accused JBS of declining to meet with the union to continue bargaining, a news release said. 

UFCW Local 7 President Kim Cordova said that workers will continue to fight “until JBS rights these wrongs,” according to the release.

“It is long past the time for JBS to return to the negotiating table, resolve the unfair labor practices, give workers a contract that respects them, protects their health and safety and pays workers what they deserve,” she said.

JBS in response said the company’s original offer is still on the table and the company is ready to meet with the union “anytime the union would like to discuss it.”

Workers are on strike over issues relating to pay and safety equipment, the union said. The union accused JBS, one of the largest meat producers in the world, of walking away from the bargaining table and threatening employees should they strike. JBS has in turn accused the union of being the ones to walk away from bargaining and of threatening employees with fines for crossing the picket line.

Nearly 4,000 employees have joined the strike, while JBS said several hundred workers have continued to work at the plant. JBS USA is headquartered in Greeley and the plant there is considered the company flagship. 

JBS said to prevent a disruption to meat production, it would be shifting production to other plants. The company said with the employees still reporting to work, operations at the plant have been stable, though UFCW Local 7 said in the release that JBS has suffered a “meaningful loss in market share” due to the strike.

UFCW Local 7 said it is asking for better pay raises, with the currently offered ones by JBS representing less than 2% per year, and is also asking for replacement safety equipment to be provided by the company at no cost with current replacements being taken from employee’s wages.
The union also accused JBS of retaliating against employees who took part in union activities, which JBS denied in a statement to The Denver Gazette.