10,000 John Deere workers strike

Deere's strike impacts 90% of workers spanning 14 plants

Deere & Co. and union representatives for as many as 10,000 of the company's employees represented by the United Auto Workers are on strike as of Thursday. 

Last night contacts at Deere told FOX Business Wednesday evening that the talks are still ongoing and that they hoped to reach an agreement. The United Auto Workers told FOX Business that there was no update, and reiterated the strike deadline of 11:59 p.m.

John Deere

The John Deere logo is displayed on a tractor at Belkorp Ag on May 20, 2016 in Santa Rosa, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) (Justin Sullivan)

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
DE DEERE & CO. 393.97 -0.73 -0.18%

RETURN TO OFFICE FOR WORKERS REACHES PANDEMIC HIGH AS EMPLOYEES TRICKLE IN

On Monday, more than 90% of the workers spanning 14 plants across the U.S. rejected Deere's offer, which would have boosted pay 5% for some workers and 6% for others along with bolstering retirement benefits for existing employees.

Several Deere & Co. employees out of Iowa told the Des Moines Register that their managers told them not to report for their shifts on Wednesday.

John Deere

John Deere tractors. (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group)

The agricultural equipment manufacturer based out of Moline, Illinois, hasn't seen a workers' strike for 35 years. But with labor shortages across the country and Deere raking in record profits, workers feel now is the time to hold their ground and ask for more.

John Deere

A Deere & Co. tractor and round baler for sale at a John Deere dealership in Shelbyville, Kentucky (Photographer: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images) (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg)

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"The whole nation’s going to be watching us," Deere employee Chris Laursen told the newspaper. "If we take a stand here for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity, it’s going to make a difference for the whole manufacturing industry. Let’s do it. Let’s not be intimidated."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.