Deere & Co. Reaches Tentative Contract With Union Workers

A contract between Deere and Company and United Auto Workers is set to expire at midnight.

Ken Golden, Director of Global Public Relations with Deere & Company, says there won’t be any public statements during negotiations except in news releases.

Deere & Company announced overnight that it has reached a new contract deal with its labor union.

The UAW represents about 10,000 manufacturing workers at a dozen plants, mostly in Iowa and Illinois.

Deere & Co.is hashing out a separate contract for 110 workers in parts factories in Atlanta and Denver. The union is expected to schedule a ratification vote for Sunday.

UAW leaders summoned local presidents and bargainers to a meeting in Detroit Thursday to determine the next move, which could include a strike or continued bargaining.

UAW workers voted down a contract with Fiat Chrysler this week.

No details about the provisions in the tentative agreement were disclosed. “I’m thinking Deere is thinking the same thing – how do we cut costs here?”

Declining sales have led Deere to lay off more workers in Iowa and Illinois this year.