Deere & Co. workers go on strike after rejecting contract

MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 Deere & Co. workers went on strike at midnight this morning after negotiators couldn’t deliver a new agreement. That includes the company’s Iowa plants in Waterloo, Ottumwa, Dubuque, Davenport and Ankeny. 

In a statement, The United Auto Workers said “members struck at midnight October 14, after the company failed to present an agreement that met our members’ demands and needs.”

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. 

Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers are emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.