Workers at major Colorado meatpacking plant win wage increases in deal with JBS USA

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Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. resume / rɪˈzum / (v.) – to start something again after stopping for a time
    Example:

    The company plans to resume operations next week.


  2. concession / kənˈsɛʃ ən / (n.) – something that one gives or accepts in order to reach an agreement, especially after a disagreement or negotiation
    Example:

    Both sides made a concession to reach a peaceful agreement, with one side agreeing to lower prices and the other agreeing to buy more goods.


  3. picket / ˈpɪk ɪt / (v.) – to stand or walk outside a place to show disagreement or protest, often with signs
    Example:

    Employees picketed outside the office building after they lost their jobs.


  4. alleged / əˈlɛdʒd / (adj.) – describing something that people say is true, but it has not been proven yet
    Example:

    The video reported on the alleged unfair labor practices at the company.


  5. confrontation / ˌkɒn frənˈteɪ ʃən / (n.) – a tense or direct meeting between people who disagree or are angry
    Example:

    The problem led to a serious confrontation between the two friends.


Article

Read the text below.

Workers at one of the nation’s largest meatpacking plants, who staged a multi-week strike, have reached an agreement with plant owner JBS USA, the company and labor union representatives announced.


The Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, will immediately return to normal operations after weeks of uncertainty, JBS USA said in a statement.


The agreement comes after thousands of workers at the meat processing plant led a three-week strike with the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 Union in a bid for higher wages and better healthcare. The strike ended on April 4 after JBS USA agreed to resume negotiations.


The workers and JBS USA agreed to wage increases over the next two years and a $750 one-time bonus. The tentative agreement represents a contract with “all gains, countless improvements, and not a single concession,” the union said.


The contract requires the company to pay for personal protective equipment and defends workers against increases in healthcare  costs, according to the union.


Local union president Kim Cordova said workers picketed through extreme weather “because they knew their worth and refused to be disrespected. Today, that sacrifice has been rewarded.” “This is what union power looks like,” Cordova said in the statement.


The union did not immediately respond to the Associated Press’ requests for further details.


JBS USA said it is pleased that an agreement has been reached, but expressed disappointment that union leadership chose to eliminate pension benefits that were negotiated last year. The company said the pension was designed to strengthen long-term retirement security and argued the union chose to shift those dollars into short-term wage increases rather than into the long-term financial future of workers.


The union will also withdraw seven alleged unfair labor practice charges, according to JBS USA.


“With the agreement now finalized, JBS USA looks forward to restoring stability, supporting its workforce, and continuing to invest in the Greeley facility for the future,” the company said in its statement.


The strike at Greeley was the first strike at a U.S. slaughterhouse since workers walked out at a Hormel plant in Minnesota in 1985. That strike lasted more than a year and was marked by violent confrontations between police and protesters.


This article was provided by The Associated Press.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • Thousands of workers at the meat processing plant led a strike with a union, which resulted in an agreement between the workers and the plant owner. In your opinion, do you think protests and pickets are helpful in dealing with problems between employees and employers? Why do you say so? Discuss.
  • If you were a company owner, would you make a concession if your employees protest? Why do you say so? What things would you consider to determine whether you would make a concession or not? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • Workers asked for higher wages and better healthcare, and the agreement included both. In your opinion, which is more important: a higher salary or better healthcare? Why? Besides salary and healthcare , what other benefits do you think all workers should always have? Discuss.
  • The strike in Greeley, Colorado, was the first major U.S. slaughterhouse strike since 1985, a gap of over 40 years. Do you think workers today are less likely to stage long-term strikes compared to previous generations? Why do you say so? Discuss.