Deere & Co. has a tentative, six-year labor agreement with the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) that would cover approximately 10,100 production and maintenance employees at 12 Deere plants in Iowa, Illinois, and Kansas – including the group’s gray and ductile iron foundry in Waterloo, IA.
No date has been announced for a ratification vote.
The previous labor agreement expired on October 1. Production was not affected by the labor negotiations and will continue as workers review the tentative agreement prior to their vote to ratify.
A UAW representative reported the tentative agreement includes “economic gains” and continues to provide the high-quality healthcare benefits for Deere workers. “Substantial hard fought gains and protections were achieved due to the efforts of the UAW negotiators supported by the solidarity of our members,” according to Chuck Browning, UAW vice president and director of the union’s Agricultural Implement Dept.
"After six weeks of negotiations, John Deere and the UAW have reached a tentative agreement that honors the enormous contributions of John Deere's production and maintenance employees and builds a strong foundation for our shared success in the future," stated Brad Morris, vice president of labor relations for Deere & Co.
Deere and the union also tentatively agreed on a new six-year labor agreement covering nearly 100 production and maintenance employees at Deere parts plants in Denver and Atlanta.