JBS employees to strike in Northern Colorado, accuse company of unsafe work conditions

Workers at the JBS meat processing facility in Greeley are preparing to strike Monday after failing to reach a labor agreement with the company. JBS, one of the biggest meat processing companies in the world, is headquartered in-part in Northern Colorado.

Employees who CBS Colorado spoke with accuse the company of creating a hostile and unsafe working environment, noting their strike is not rooted in a desire for higher wages.

"We wait until the cattle starts coming down. Once it starts to hit our table we grab our piece. Everybody grabs their piece and we start cutting," said Deborah Rodarte, a JBS employee who is striking.

Rodarte works at a table along the JBS processing line, where each day she helps cut pieces from cattle that are later sold at retail.

"It is really hard," Rodarte said. "It is physically hard, and sometimes it can be mentally hard."

She is among the members with UFCW Local 7 who are planning to strike on Monday after negotiations with JBS fell flat. She said the union is concerned and alleges the company does not provide workers with safe conditions and gear.

"The chain is fast. We are shorthanded, or our knives don't work because they don't want to give us new knives," Rodarte said.. "It is a lot of different things that can cause emotional stress, and it's our safety."

Rodarte said one concern among staff is that the company allegedly denies to provide them protective gear (PPE) that helps keep them from injury or illness. She said they ask for better or sufficient PPE and are allegedly told by the company they don't have it or won't provide it.

"Sometimes we get neglected to receive new equipment when our equipment is ripped. That is one of our biggest safety issues there. We have to have the right PPE on to protect ourselves," Rodarte said. "We have to have the proper PPE so we don't hurt ourselves, and sometimes we don't get that proper PPE because they are out of stock. And we can work like that for months. And they will leave us on the table like that for months."

JBS did not provide CBS Colorado with opportunity to interview its management despite filing multiple requests. CBS Colorado also requested the company address the allegations of unsafe working conditions made by staff like Rodarte. 

JBS responded on March 17 with this statement: Today, hundreds of JBS Greeley team members reported to work, and we successfully operated the facility. We are grateful to our team members who continue to support our operations, and we will pay all employees who choose to come to work during this time. Our focus remains on running the facility as effectively as possible throughout the week and supporting team members who want stability, want to provide for their families, and want the chance to vote on the company's historic offer — a vote union leadership has not allowed.

Regarding PPE, the union's claim is inaccurate. We provide PPE to all team members at no cost to them. Our policy is—and has long been—that team members are only responsible for paying for personal protective equipment if the equipment is lost or maliciously damaged. When PPE wears out through normal use, the company replaces it at no cost to our team members. This policy has been in place, and part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement in Greeley, for nearly 25 years.

However, the company did issue a written statement. "For eight months, JBS USA engaged in negotiations with UFCW Local 7 in Greeley. Despite our continued efforts to reach a fair and responsible agreement, Local 7 chose to end negotiations and cancel the contract we had in place," the company shared. 

"We stand by the offer we presented. It is strong, fair, and consistent with the historic national contract reached in 2025 in partnership with UFCW International—an agreement that has already delivered higher wages, a secure pension, and long‑term financial stability for team members at our other major facilities. UFCW Local 7 has refused to let team members vote on this offer."

"We do not believe a strike is in the best interest of our team members or their families. For any Greeley beef team members who do not wish to strike and want to continue working, we will ensure they have work available and are paid."

"We are also committed to our customers during this period and will prioritize continuity to help prevent disruptions. To protect the long‑term stability of the beef supply chain, we will temporarily shift production to other JBS facilities where we currently have excess processing capacity. This approach ensures we can continue meeting customer needs and maintain the availability of beef for American consumers. Our goal is to minimize impact to our customers, our partners, and the broader marketplace while we work toward a fair resolution in Greeley."

"JBS Greeley operates in full compliance with all applicable federal and state labor and employment laws, and we remain committed to maintaining open lines of communication. Our focus continues to be supporting our workforce, protecting the long‑term stability of the facility, and ensuring we can continue serving our customers and community."

Ultimately, Rodarte expressed her desire to feel that she and her colleagues are valued by the company they work for. 

"We should be treated better than the cattle, because the cattle is the one that is treated better," Rodarte said.