The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, a private-sector union representing 1.2 million workers in meatpacking, food processing, grocery, retail and other essential industries across North America, is announcing the ratification of a first-ever national contract that will bring wage increases, a newly created paid sick leave program, and with the support of JBS, the establishment of a pension retirement plan for 26,000 JBS workers at 14 facilities across the country, among other contract gains.  

This contract establishes 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.

Under the contract, workers will now be able to participate in a paid sick time program at JBS. The newly ratified agreement also increases paid vacation and leave.

By creating 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 will be present during all shifts at each facility to enforce contract provisions, including safety measures, such as line speed, to further protect workers on the job.

The contract also includes wage increases for UFCW members, including retroactive pay and a ratification bonus. With the average weighted compensation for meatpacking workers being $23-24 an hour, this will bring more financial security for these workers. 

The union and JBS will also establish a National Joint Labor Management Committee to improve communications and review the impact of any new technologies before they are introduced in the workplace.

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, Wisc.; 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.

Mark Lauritsen, director of the food processing, packing and manufacturing division and international vice president at UFCW International, released the following statement: 

“We applaud UFCW members for ratifying this historic contract. 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.

“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.”

Ivan Luna Guerrero, a refrigeration mechanic at the JBS Fed Beef Grand Island, Neb., facility, and member of UFCW Local 222IN, said, “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. 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.”

Thelma Cruz, a union steward at the JBS Pork Marshalltown, Iowa, facility and member of UFCW Local 1846, said, “I’ve been working at JBS for 10 years, and when I got the news about the pension, I was excited. 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.”

Source: United Food and Commercial Workers International Union