(Ankeny, Iowa/KCCI) —More than 10,000 Deere & Co. workers went on strike after negotiators couldn’t deliver a new agreement. KCCI says in a statement, The United Auto Workers said “members struck at midnight October 14, after the company failed to present an agreement that met our members’ demands and needs.” The vast majority of the union rejected a contract offer earlier this week that would have delivered 5% raises to some workers and 6% raises to others. Thirty-five years have passed since the last major Deere strike, but workers are emboldened to demand more this year after working long hours throughout the pandemic and because companies are facing worker shortages.

UNION DEMANDS:

The workers at the Ankeny, Iowa, plant are asking John Deere for a raise and better retirement benefits. John Deere is expected to post record profits this year. The average production worker at Deere made about $60,000 last year but could see up to $72,000 by the end of negotiations.

HARVEST IMPACT

Farmers say their future is uncertain as those John Deere workers go on strike. One Linn County farmer told KCRG the impact goes beyond workers, stockholders and the company. If they don’t have a part that’s usually in stock, the harvest season could come to a halt.