On May 22, JBS workers across the country made history by ratifying a first-ever national contract that includes significant wage increases, a newly created paid sick leave program, and with the support of JBS, the establishment of a pension retirement plan.
The contract will cover more than 26,000 workers at JBS Regional Beef, Fed Beef and Pork processing facilities in Hyrum, Utah; Tolleson, Ariz.; Grand Island, Neb.; Omaha, Neb.; Beardstown, Ill.; Cactus, Texas; Worthington, Minn.; Plainwell, Mich.; Lenoir, N.C.; Green Bay, Wis.; Souderton, Pa.; Marshalltown, Iowa; and Ottumwa, Iowa. Workers at these facilities are represented by UFCW Locals 99, 222IN, 431, 540, 663, 951, 1208, 1473, 1776KS and 1846 respectively, whose bargaining committees came together to create the largest nationally coordinated bargaining effort for meatpacking workers in UFCW history.
Key provisions of the national contract include:
• The creation of a new Taft-Hartley pension fund that will be jointly managed by the union and the employer on behalf of UFCW JBS members. The new pension fund established by this agreement is the first to be offered by a meatpacking employer since 1986.
• Significant wage increases for UFCW members, including retroactive pay and a ratification bonus. With the average weighted compensation for meatpacking workers being $23 to $24 an hour, this will bring even more financial security for these essential workers.
• The ability to participate in a paid sick time program at JBS – making it an industry standard that the overwhelming majority of meatpacking employers now offer.
• Increased paid vacation and leave, allowing workers more time to spend with their families and loved ones.
• The creation of a uniform policy to establish Safety and Ergonomic Committees in each plant. Proactive measures will be in place to address concerns with clear timelines so safety issues can be identified and resolved in real time.
• A designated walking steward that will be present during all shifts at each facility to enforce contract provisions, including safety measures such as line speeds, to further protect workers on the job.
• The creation of a National Joint Labor Management Committee to improve communication and review the impact of any new technologies before they are introduced in the workplace.
“We applaud UFCW members for ratifying this historic contract,” said International Vice President and Director of the Food Processing, Packing and Manufacturing Division Mark Lauritsen. “Through the collaboration of our local bargaining committees and the commitment of JBS to providing industry-leading benefits and protections, after nearly 40 years, JBS workers will have a pension retirement plan, giving them a path to a secure financial future. Every employer in the meatpacking industry should follow JBS’s leadership and reintroduce pension plans for the hard-working men and women who keep America fed.”
“This contract also establishes new ergonomic safety measures to reduce workplace injury and fatigue, allows for dedicated walking stewards, and strengthens safety committees to ensure that workers are consistently protected across JBS facilities,” Lauritsen added. “In addition to major wins on pensions and workplace safety, UFCW members secured the first-ever paid sick leave program at JBS, along with retroactive wage increases, and improved vacation and paid leave. Today’s contract ratification means better wages, safer working conditions, and a more stable future for workers in this industry. A new standard has just been set in meatpacking.”
“For the first time, JBS will have a paid sick time program that we can use to take care of ourselves and our families while keeping us healthy and safe on the job,” said Ivan Luna Guerrero, who is a refrigeration mechanic at the JBS Fed Beef facility in Grand Island, Neb., and a member of UFCW Local 222IN. “For too long, the meatpacking industry offered zero paid sick time for its workers. Now it’s become the standard thanks to the solidarity of UFCW members and our ability to stand together and achieve better working conditions for all of us.”
“I’ve been working at JBS for 10 years, and when I got the news about the pension, I was excited, “said Thelma Cruz, who is a union steward at the JBS Pork facility in Marshalltown, Iowa, and a member of UFCW Local 1846. “My husband also works here, and when we retire, we will both get pension checks every month. And the longer we’re with the company, the greater our checks will be. Everything right now is very expensive, and it’s hard to save money for retirement, so this gives us security. With pensions, raises, bonuses, earned sick pay, and improvements to paid funeral leave, this contract won’t just help my husband and me, but also a lot of families.”