Negotiations are down to the wire between Deere Co. and union representatives as 10,000 of the company's employees represented by United Auto Workers appear ready to strike at midnight on Wednesday.
Contacts at Deere told FOX Business Wednesday evening that talks are still ongoing and that they hope to reach an agreement. The United Auto Workers told FOX Business that there was no update and reiterated that the strike deadline is 11:59 p.m.
On Monday, over 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.
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.
The whole nation s going to be watching us, Deere employee Chris Laursen told the newspaper. If we take a stand for ourselves, our families, for basic human prosperity then it will really make a difference to the whole manufacturing industry. Let s not be intimidated!