Workers Return to Colorado Meat Plant After New Talks Begin

The Greeley plant in Colorado had a three‑week strike that stopped workers from getting paid fairly. The company, the biggest meat producer in the world, said it will talk with the union again on April 9 and 10. The workers will come back to their jobs as soon as the talks start. The strike happened because beef prices are very high. The price of cattle is at its lowest in 75 years, so the company has to pay a lot for each animal. Even though it makes money from high prices, the workers want wages that match inflation and no extra fees for safety gear.The union leader said the fight is not over. They will keep demanding a contract that shows respect, gives a living wage and stops unfair practices. The union has about 3, 800 members at the plant. The company said it is happy to welcome workers back and will increase production next week. No new contract has been signed yet, but the company is ready to resume operations. The strike hurt U. S. meat processing. Other plants have closed or cut back because of similar disputes. Meat companies normally try to run at full capacity to cover high costs, which is why workers push for better terms.