John Deere and the UAW have not reached an agreement, UAW Local 838 announced Tuesday night.
Members gathered at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds on Tuesday for a ratification vote.
According to a post on Facebook from UAW Local 281 out of Davenport, the vote was yes, 64%; no, 36%.
According to the UAW Local 838 Facebook page post, Local 838 results were yes, 29%; no, 71%.
National results were yes, 45%; no, 55%.
“Please report to strike duty as scheduled,” another post says.
Deere’s response
With rejection of a second tentative agreement, Deere begins its next phase of business continuation, says a news release sent Tuesday night from Deere.
Jen Hartmann, director of public relations and enterprise social media for Deere & Company, commented to Local 4 News she could say only “that Deere will do what it takes to meet the needs of its customers who work in time-sensitive and critical industries and depend on John Deere for the parts and equipment they need to keep running.”
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America informed Deere & Company the production and maintenance employees at 12 facilities in Illinois, Iowa and Kansas have rejected a second tentative agreement. Employees at Deere parts facilities in Denver and Atlanta have voted in support of a separate agreement with identical economic terms.
“Through the agreements reached with the UAW, John Deere would have invested an additional $3.5 billion in our employees, and by extension, our communities, to significantly enhance wages and benefits that were already the best and most comprehensive in our industries,” said Marc A. Howze, group president, Lifecycle Solutions and chief administrative officer for Deere.
“This investment was the right one for Deere, our employees, and everyone we serve together,” he said. “Even though it would have created greater competitive challenges within our industries, we had faith in our employees’ ability to sharpen our competitive edge. With the rejection of the agreement covering our Midwest facilities, we will execute the next phase of our Customer Service Continuation Plan.”
An outline of the contract was posted Sunday afternoon via the UAW Local 281 Facebook page.
The best-in-industry agreements reached with the UAW would have provided an immediate 10% wage increase and 30% wage increases over the term of contract; healthcare with $0 premiums, $0 deductibles, $0 coinsurance; new paid parental leave, autism care, and other benefits; groundbreaking retirement benefits; and a ratification bonus of $8,500, the Deere release says.
