About 3,800 UFCW Local 7 members in Greeley cite wage and safety costs, as JBS readies contingency operations and disputes union allegations
About 3,800 unionized meatpacking workers at JBS’s Greeley, Colorado, plant plan to strike on March 16 after eight months of negotiations reached an impasse, union officials said. United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 ended a contract extension from July, citing disputes over wages and reimbursement for protective gear, and said 99% of members authorized the walkout while alleging unfair labor practices. JBS proposed raises of 60 cents an hour in the first year and 30 cents in each of the next two, a package the company says is consistent with a national deal last year; it plans to keep operations running by shifting production to other facilities and allowing those who choose to work to do so.
In U.S. higher education, Portland Community College faculty and classified staff plan to strike Wednesday if talks with administrators do not yield agreements, and at Columbia University the Student Workers of Columbia union has asked about 3,500 student workers to authorize a strike, with results expected as soon as Tuesday. In Canada, a Montreal terminal operator reached a deal with striking clerical staff after a five-month walkout that began in September, while the port’s Cast and Racine terminals remained open to vessels. These actions span food processing, higher education, and port operations across North America.