Hundreds of workers at a JBS beef processing plant in Greeley, Colorado, voted overwhelmingly to strike on February 4, 2026, despite facing the threat of deportation. Many of these workers are Haitian migrants, currently under a temporary protected status that is at risk of being revoked. The strike vote comes after months of difficult contract negotiations over working conditions and pay.
The situation at the plant has been tense as the union, represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, has sought better conditions for its members. Workers allege that they were recruited with misleading promises, including assurances of free housing, only to find themselves living in overcrowded and unsuitable conditions. The workers also claim they are subjected to dangerous speeds on the production line, processing as many as 440 head of cattle per hour compared to a typical 300 head on the A shift.
On the eve of the strike vote, Tchelly Moise, a representative of Local 7, distributed information about the vote in various languages, including Haitian Creole, Somali, and Spanish. The union had been preparing for this moment, as a growing number of workers had expressed their frustration over poor labor practices.
The strike vote was scheduled just one day after many Haitian workers were set to lose their temporary protected status. However, on February 2, US District Judge Ana C. Reyes issued a ruling to pause the termination of this status, citing a “hostility to nonwhite immigrants” in the rationale behind the decision. This legal reprieve provided a temporary sense of relief to the workers, allowing them to participate in the strike vote without immediate fear of deportation.
Despite the positive developments, apprehension lingered among workers. Many feared that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) could target them during the voting process. Concerns were raised about unmarked vans being spotted near the polling location, which fueled anxiety about potential detentions.
The vote itself was conducted in secret, with workers casting their ballots in an atmosphere filled with both hope and fear. Moise noted that many workers were eager to express their discontent, stating, “People at the plant, they’re pissed off.”
As the ballot counting began, the union representatives were optimistic. The results revealed a striking consensus, with approximately 99% of the votes cast in favor of a strike. Following the announcement, Kim Cordova, president of Local 7, emphasized that the workers were prepared to take serious action if negotiations with JBS did not improve.
In response to the strike vote, JBS released a statement asserting their commitment to the collective bargaining process. However, the company also implied that the union had not allowed workers to vote on its final contract offer, creating further tension between the two parties.
As the situation develops, the union has indicated that they will give JBS a week to return to the bargaining table and address the workers’ concerns. If a strike occurs, it will mark the first sanctioned walkout at a major meatpacking plant in decades and signal a significant moment in labor history.
The outcome of this conflict between workers and management at JBS could have broader implications for labor practices in the meatpacking industry and the treatment of migrant workers in the United States.
