The Spark

the Voice of
The Communist League of Revolutionary Workers–Internationalist

“The emancipation of the working class will only be achieved by the working class itself.”
— Karl Marx

John Deere Strikers’ Determination

Oct 25, 2021

Wall Street analysts toured John Deere picket lines and talked to workers across Iowa. To update “investors” regarding front line details, a report was sent back. An anonymous supporter who happened to see the report leaked parts of it to the media.

Wall Street analysts saw “The deep rooted anger these members have for what they perceive to be 25 years of granting concessions to Deere such that with Deere’s profits currently being so strong, they see it as time Deere workers share more in that success.”... Workers want to end “the 2-tier wage and benefits system instituted with the 1997 contract.” ... So when “Deere tried to add a 3rd tier with the tentative agreement the rank and file” rejected that. This “particularly angered members we spoke with at the union halls.”

The report saw the negotiations because “Rank and file want to hold their [UAW] leaders’ feet to the fire to achieve strong gains in this next agreement from Deere, showing their leaders they work for the rank and file, not ‘in concert with corporate management.’ ... Any agreement between the UAW leadership and Deere faces a higher hurdle for passage by the rank and file than one would normally expect.”

John Deere workers deserve the support of all workers!