Jonah Furman, Jacobin
John Deere workers on Sunday overwhelmingly voted down the first tentative agreement negotiated by the United Auto Workers (UAW) and the company. Among the over 90 percent of members voting, 90 percent voted no.
The UAW has announced a new strike deadline of 11:59 PM on Wednesday, October 13. If no new agreement is reached with the company by then, 10,000 Deere workers in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas will walk out.
Members’ frustrations ranged from what they feel are inadequate wage increases to the decision to end the pension for new hires and switch to a “Choice Plus” plan that many felt was scant on details.
Deere is in the midst of its most profitable year ever. The farm equipment manufacturer expects to rake in $5.7 to $5.9 billion in net income this year, far exceeding its previous high of $3.5 billion in 2013.
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