John Deere Union Members Approve Third Contract Offer

(Moline, IL)  —  Ten-thousand John Deere union workers have voted to return to the job after a strike lasting five weeks.  After they had rejected two previous offers from the company, John Deere made what it called its final, best offer.  Sixty-one percent of the union members voted in favor of the proposal.  At Deere’s Waterloo plant a major of union members continue to oppose the agreement, but enough voted to approve at other locations to end the strike.  Operations resumed with the third shift last night just hours after the votes were totaled.  The six-year deal includes an immediate 10-percent raise and cost-of-living adjustments.  It also continues pension benefits for new workers and increases performance payments.