Some workers among the thousands striking at the JBS meatpacking plant in Greeley on Monday said they were doing so because they’re routinely exposed to on-the-job risk, including being forced to use dull knives that increase the odds of the blade slipping and cutting them, and wearing clothing on the line with holes in the protective steel mesh.
But “many” JBS employees chose to go to work instead of striking, said Nikki Richardson, a company spokesperson, because “they want stability, they want to support their families,” even as the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 7 union “denied them the opportunity” to vote on an “historic offer” of better pay and benefits. JBS did not say how many workers showed up to the two shifts the beef processor runs each day.
The JBS plant in Greeley employs 3,800 people and in early February, 99% of them authorized the union to strike. The strike on Monday started at 5:30 a.m. and around an hour later, 800 UFCW Local 7 members had checked in to join the picket line, according to union officials.
Among them was Deborah Rodarte, a JBS employee who works on the production line cutting skirt steaks from the estimated 420 head of cattle JBS processes every hour.
The knives used for her job are so sharp they can slice through bone. But when they’re dull, they can be even more dangerous. That’s because dull knives require 25% to 63% more force to cut, which increases the risk of the blade slipping and causing severe lacerations, according to Science Direct, an online tool for scientific, technical and medical research. “But when I’ve had issues with my knives, I couldn’t get them switched out,” Rodarte said, referring to her supervisors denying her requests.
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