The Great John Deere Strike: Iowa Time Machine August 23, 1986

Iowa Time Machine ⏰: On August 23, 1986, the longest-ever John Deere strike started in Waterloo and Dubuque. Also, initially involving the Deere facility in Milan, Illinois, the 163-day strike and lockout shut down fourteen facilities throughout the country.

As the Farm Crisis gripped the agricultural sector of the American economy during the early 1980s, Deere & Company experienced consistent losses. After the 3rd Quarter losses reached $39.6 million ($97,900,000 in modern dollars), negotiations between the United Auto Workers representation of employees and the company struggled to reach a new contract.

Negotiations began in early April 1986, and after 138 days, the two sides still could not reach an agreement. On Saturday, August 23, at 12:01 a.m., roughly 4,300 started striking at the John Deere Foundry in Waterloo and the Industrial Equipment Production facility in Dubuque. The following Monday, Deere shut down production at 11 facilities covered by the union contract, bringing the total to 14 and prompting union officials to declare the action a lockout.

For 163 days, the strike and lockout raged as employees struggled. Court-ordered mediation resulted in a tentative agreement in early 1987. On February 1, 1987, 84% of UAW members voted to ratify a new 20-month contract featuring improvements in job security for most positions, health and life insurance, retirement pension, profit sharing, and cost-of-living adjustments. #Iowa #OTD #History #JohnDeere #Labor