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JBS reaches tentative deal with union, vote to be held Sunday

After months of negotiations and a multi-week strike at a JBS-owned meatpacking plant in Greeley, union members are finally set to vote on a new contract.

Workers at the plant went on strike on March 16 in an effort to get higher wages and safer working conditions. The strike came after months of negotiations over a new contract broke down, with both the union and JBS accusing the other side of walking away from the bargaining table. Employees returned to work on Tuesday without a deal in place.

The details of the tentative agreement were not disclosed. The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union is holding a ratification vote meeting Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., where members of the union can come to the DoubleTree Greeley at Lincoln Park hotel to vote on the new contract.

Roughly 3,800 workers went on strike at the plant, which is considered the flagship plant for JBS USA, the largest beef producer in the United States. JBS USA is based in Greeley.

Representatives for JBS said several hundred employees continued to work through the strike, allowing the plant to remain operational. JBS also said it planned to move some production to other locations to avoid a disruption in the beef supply chain.

Workers went on strike over issues relating to pay and safety equipment, the union said. Union members sought better pay raises, with the currently offered ones by JBS representing less than 2% per year, and also asked for replacement safety equipment to be provided by the company at no cost with current replacements being taken from employee wages.


Matt Kyle

Reporter


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