Current Cattle Market Daily Headlines for Tuesday July 14, 2020
Mackenzie Johnston
Newspapers and Laptop. Different Concepts for News - Network or Traditional Tabloid Journals. Data Sources - Electronic Screen of Computer or Paper Pages of Magazines, Internet or Papers
JBS workers in Greeley walk out of work amid pay dispute
The JBS plant in Greeley, CO has confirmed 287 coronavirus cases and has had six employees die from Covid-19 since April, making it the deadliest work site in Colorado.
On Friday, workers walked out of the processing facility due to a pay dispute.
JBS corporate released a statement saying that workers at other facilities across the country have received an increase in base pay to $18/hr, with top rates of $25/hr. However, the local union that represents Greeley employees has not presented this pay increase to its members.
According to Kim Cordova, the president of the UFCW Local 7 union, JBS confiscated employee badges from hundreds of workers and sent them home, even those that did not participate in the walkout on Friday. Cordova stated that this action appears to be an attempt by JBS to strong-arm its employees into accepting a less competitive wage increase that would lock them into a five-year agreement, with little to no chance for any further wage increases.
Numerous worker advocacy organizations have filed a civil rights complaint with the USDA alleging that Tyson and JBS have engaged in racial discrimination throughout the pandemic.
The complaint claims that the meat processing companies adopted policies that violate a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which protects individuals from racial discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.
Tyson has received more than $109 million from USDA programs this year and JBS has received $45 million. Since they receive these taxpayer dollars, they are required to comply with federal laws.
Since the onset of coronavirus back in March, 291 processing plants have seen 32,151 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 122 workers have died, stated the complaint.
Tyson spokesman, Worth Sparkman said in an email that the company’s top priority is the health and safety of all workers, their families and the communities where plants are located.
JBS spokesman, Cameron Bruett claims the company has followed, and often exceeded, CDC guidance.
Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue will be the deciding factor on how this complaint will be resolved.
