By: Julie Li
On March 16th, 2026, about 3,800 workers at the JBS’s meatpacking facility in Northern Colorado (Greenly) began a two-week strike over unfair practices.
Background Information
JBS is one of America’s biggest meat processing companies. Due to the recent droughts and smaller herds, there haven’t been enough cattle to meet the demand. Therefore, beef prices have increased due to inflation; in fact, these are the highest beef prices in the US. However, JBS had not increased the workers wages to keep up with this demand. This demand also increases competitions in meatpacking companies in the meat packing industry, though some companies like Tyson and Cargill have closed. Additionally, in December 2025, JBS was sued by Haitian workers for putting them in dangerous conditions because of the race.
What the People Want
The union leaders protest for higher wages, more safety in working conditions, and for JBS to stop charging for the protective gear needed to do their jobs. So far, JBS has not publicly agreed to the union’s demands.
Why This Matters
This has been, by far, one of the biggest protests against one of the biggest beef processing companies. This will slow down the production of meat packing, likely leading to meat prices to rise. However, there is no clear impact yet. While most people already struggle with meat prices, it does not look like things are going to get better in the near future.