Deere warns striking workers not to expect better offer

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By JOSH FUNK

Deere executives said Wednesday that the company wouldn’t return to the bargaining table with striking workers because it wouldn’t offer a better contract than one they rejected that included immediate 10% raises.

Marc Howze, the chief administrative officer of Deere & Co., said the deal the United Auto Workers union rejected on Tuesday represented the most it could offer and still keep its costs competitive.

Howze declined to discuss how much the ongoing strike is costing Deere, which will release its next earnings report later this month. The disputed contract would cover more than 10,000 Deere workers at 12 facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas, who make the company’s iconic John Deere green tractors and other equipment.

The company plans to reach out to employees directly now to stress the virtues of its offer while it tries to keep its plants running with salaried employees and other workers to meet customer commitments. Other Deere plants globally are also working to pick up the slack.



Members of the United Auto Workers strike outside of a John Deere plant, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, in Ankeny, Iowa. About 10,000 UAW workers have gone on strike against John Deere since last Thursday at plants in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-united-auto-workers-4cb8e7fca37836ee7eb4482392615c35

[DanieRains]

1. They Billionaires And Hedge Funds That Own Deere Stock Need Huuuuuge Returns

The workers, get lost.

Again.

Same old song an dance.

Thanks Reagan (asshole).

[turbinetree]

2. Every John Deere plant globally should be striking to help the workers in this country....

[Sherman A1]

3. This sentence struck me....

"The company plans to reach out to employees directly now to stress the virtues of its offer while it tries to keep its plants running with salaried employees and other workers to meet customer commitments."

I don't believe that direct negotiations with the employees is allowed. That is what the Union Contract Negotiating Committee is there to do.

[cstanleytech]

4. They are allowed to contact them for some things such as providing the employees information about

bargaining proposals.

[James48]

5. It's the pension cuts.

No one will agree to eliminating pensions for future employees. That’s what the company is offering, and the Union officials can’t get the company to just keep the limited pension they have now.

No one will agree to screw the next generation of employees for a few cents raise today. Pensions MUST be supported for all employees no matter when they were hired.

[mountain grammy]

6. Interesting.. I wondered what the sticking point was

Solidarity with future workers. I like that.