Deere, UAW reach new contract

John Deere has agreed to a tentative labor contract with United Auto Workers (UAW).

The company and UAW, which represents about 10,000 Deere manufacturing employees at 12 factories in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas, have been in negotiations since late August.

A new agreement would replace the previous six-year deal that expired yesterday at midnight and runs until 2021.

The ratification vote for the tentative agreement is likely to be held on Sunday where a big meeting will be held, multiple workers told the World Socialist Web Site. The master agreement covers manufacturing employees at John Deere facilities in Davenport, Ankeny, Dubuque, Ottumwa and Waterloo; East Moline, Moline and Milan, Ill.; and Coffeyville, Kan. Ralston declined to disclose contract details until the ratification vote.

“We’ve got a tentative agreement”. “I’m thinking Deere is thinking the same thing – how do we cut costs here?”

Both sides announced then that they had agreed to remain silent during negotiations. At the same time, however, we also find weaknesses including feeble growth in the company’s earnings per share, deteriorating net income and generally higher debt management risk.