3,800 Workers Plan Strike at Major U.S. Meatpacking Plant in Colorado

About 3,800 workers at one of the largest meat-processing facilities in the United States are set to begin a strike on Monday at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, marking what union leaders say could be the first walkout at a U.S. beef slaughterhouse in decades.

The strike is expected to start at 5:30 a.m. local time, according to Kim Cordova, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, the union representing workers at the plant.

Union officials accuse the plant’s owner, JBS USA, of retaliating against employees and engaging in unfair labour practices during ongoing contract negotiations. The previous labour agreement between the company and workers expired at midnight on Sunday.

According to the union’s general counsel, Matt Shechter, company managers attempted to pressure workers into leaving the union during individual meetings. He added that the company declined the union’s request to resume negotiations over the weekend.

Cordova said nearly all employees supported the move, with 99 percent voting to authorise the strike.

The labour dispute comes at a challenging time for the U.S. cattle industry. Government figures show the national cattle population has dropped to 86.2 million animals as of January 1, a 1 percent decline from the previous year and the lowest level in about 75 years. Rising beef prices have also contributed to economic concerns in the country.

The administration of Donald Trump has sought to address food price pressures through trade measures, including a deal with Argentina aimed partly at increasing beef supply.

The looming strike follows the closure of a meatpacking plant earlier this year in Lexington, Nebraska, which analysts say has already affected the local economy and meat supply chain.

In a statement, JBS USA said workers who choose not to participate in the strike would still have jobs available and would continue to receive pay.

The company said it plans to operate two shifts at the Greeley facility and may temporarily shift production to other JBS plants if necessary.

“Our goal is to minimise the impact on customers, partners and the broader marketplace while we work toward a fair resolution in Greeley,” the company said.

Union officials say the planned walkout would be the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since workers at a Hormel Foods plant in Minnesota went on strike in 1985.

That dispute lasted more than a year and was marked by violent confrontations between protesters and police, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.