A six-year labor contract between Deere & Co. and the United Auto Worker that had been tentatively agreed upon was resoundingly defeated by union members this weekend.
According to a report in the Des Moines Register, nearly 90 percent of union members voted against the agreement, by a tally of 3,964 to 538.
UAW VP Chuck Browning said in a statement that negotiations would begin immediately, but set a strike deadline for 11:59 pm, Wednesday, October 13.
Negotiations are covering wages and employee benefits for about 10,000 employees across 14 facilities in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas.
“John Deere remains fully committed to continuing the collective bargaining process in an effort to better understand our employees’ viewpoints,” said Brad Morris, VP of labor relations for Deere. “In the meantime, our operations will continue as normal.”
