“They can afford to settle this thing on much more agreeable terms to the union and still maintain really strong profitability,” Swenson said. Advances are helping the unhoused so they’re not left behind Iowa State University economist Dave Swenson said those profits give Deere the means to come to terms with workers. The company has been reporting strong sales of its agricultural and construction equipment this year. The contract talks at the Moline, Illinois-based company were unfolding as Deere is expecting to report record profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion this year. The contracts under negotiation cover 14 Deere plants, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia. “Right now across the US, labor is in a very good strong position to bargain, so now is a good time to strike,” Goss said.Įarlier this year, another group of UAW-represented workers went on strike at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia and wound up with better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers. Under the agreement that the workers rejected, a top scale Deere production worker would make just over $30 per hour, rising to $31.84 after five years, according to summary of the proposal.Ĭreighton University economist Ernie Goss said workers have a lot of leverage to bargain with right now because of the ongoing worker shortages. “If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. “The whole nation’s going to be watching us,” Laursen said to the newspaper. Workers began picketing at several other Deere plants - including at its large operation in Waterloo, Iowa - Thursday morning around when the first shift would normally arrive.Ĭhris Laursen, who works as a painter at Deere, told the Des Moines Register before the strike that it could make a significant difference. The union dropped off a metal barrel and firewood to keep workers warm in preparation for a demonstration that is expected to continues for 24 hours a day, the Quad-City Times reported. Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers were emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages. “We will keep working day and night to understand our employees’ priorities and resolve this strike, while also keeping our operations running for the benefit of all those we serve,” Morris said. “The almost one million UAW retirees and active members stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere,” UAW President Ray Curry said.īrad Morris, vice president of labor relations for Deere, said the company is “committed to a favorable outcome for our employees, our communities and everyone involved.” He said Deere wants an agreement that would improve the economic position of all employees. The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others at the Illinois company known for its green tractors. The union had said its members would walk off the job if no deal has been reached Wednesday. workers went on strike Thursday, the first major walkout at the agricultural machinery giant in more than three decades. Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.īut on Friday, Jonah Furman of Labor Notes flagged an incident report on a plant floor, in which a non-union salaried employee crashed a tractor into a utility post and severely damaged an electrical box.Digital Replica Edition Home Page Close Menu "Our immediate concern is meeting the needs of our customers, who work in time-sensitive and critical industries such as agriculture and construction," Hartmann said. "The company has activated a continuity plan that will bring in nonunion employees to keep operations running. "The strike includes more than 10,000 workers at 14 Deere plants, including seven in Iowa, four in Illinois and one each in Kansas, Colorado and Georgia," reported the Washington Post's Aaron Gregg. On Thursday, The Washington Post reported that agricultural equipment maker John Deere, facing a massive labor strike by the United Auto Workers union over a contract dispute, has brought in nonunion workers to keep their plants running - but according to a new report Friday, they almost immediately suffered a workplace accident in one of their plants. This article originally appeared on Raw Story
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