John Deere seeks to lengthen contract as UAW prepares vote amid leadership race
John Deere has offered to extend its current collective bargaining agreement, prompting the United Auto Workers to schedule a membership vote on the proposal for late August.
John Deere approached the United Auto Workers this summer with a request to lengthen its current agreement from six to eight years, maintaining the annual 4 percent wage increase, a $3,000 signing bonus and unchanged health benefits. Union leaders labeled the unilateral proposal unacceptable and, through the Deere Council, put forward a richer counteroffer featuring 5 percent raises, additional lump-sum payments, a retirement contribution and a clause barring outsourcing.
The dispute comes as the union heads into a leadership election and prepares a vote on Deere’s original terms for August 23, shortly after the company’s upcoming earnings announcement. Workers at plants in Des Moines, East Moline, Waterloo and Davenport have voiced skepticism, citing past layoffs and recent stock buybacks. The outcome will shape labor relations at one of America’s largest agricultural machinery producers and could influence upcoming contract negotiations with other UAW-affiliated employers.
Why it matters
The vote will determine whether Deere’s workforce accepts a modest contract extension or pushes for stronger wages and job-security guarantees.
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