DENVER Thousands of workers at Greeleys JBS meatpacking plant will go on strike starting next Monday amid stalled contract negotiations and allegations of unfair labor practices.United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7, which represents 22,000 union workers across Colorado and Wyoming, announced through social media Monday that union leaders had issued formal notice of the strike to JBS. The strike will begin Monday, March 16 at 5:30 a.m.Around 3,800 employees work at the Greeley plant, though it was not immediately clear if all would be participating.The announcement comes nearly a month after the union announced that practically all union workers voted in favor of the strike.A representative for the union told Denver7 last month that workers are prepared to strike until JBS ceases unfair labor practices.The union alleges that over the course of an eight-month bargaining process, JBS intimidated and retaliated against workers and threatened to "withhold a proposed bonus and lump sum pension payment if workers exercise their democratic right to strike."The union's labor and employment litigator, Matt Shechter, previously told Denver7 JBS is charging workers for lost or damaged personal protective equipment that is required by law.He also claims there is a "wage theft problem" and JBS is endangering the lives of those who work at the plant by making "chain speeds" on the line of work faster while also cutting back on workers' hours.But a representative for JBS said the company has presented a comprehensive offer that reflects the national agreement reached with UFCW International that was accepted by other large JBS facilities in the country.This agreement includes meaningful wage increases and a pension plan, providing both near-term and long-term financial security for team members, in addition to other strong benefits," JBS Spokesperson Nikki Richardson wrote in an email. "Workers at our other locations have already agreed to these terms and are benefiting from these improvements today."Shechter said those wage increases are $0.90 over the next two years, which he says represents a 4% increase and claims is below the rise in inflation.JBS has history of issues with employeesDenver7 has previously reported on other issues at JBS.JBS had one of the largest COVID outbreaks in the state in 2020, which led to the closure of the plant for two weeks, and Denver7 reported on claims that the company was failing to follow local and state regulations to protect workers' safety and health at the height of the pandemic.In 2021, OSHA cited the company for safety failures  related to an unsafe lifting process as well as hazardous chemical and training violations after the death of a worker, Denver7 reported. The same year, the company was fined $175,000 after a worker lost an arm in machinery at the Greeley plant.In 2024, Denver7 reported that the company settled in a lawsuit on behalf of workers who accused the company of price fixing and illegally suppressing wages and benefits. In the same year, union representatives also alleged that the company had lured hundreds of Haitian immigrants to the company under false promises, Denver7 reported, with workers claiming they faced abuse in the plant and poor living conditions upon their arrival.The company also has a history of relying on the labor of migrant children, the U.S. Department of Labor found in January. ...read more read less