10,000 striking John Deere workers demand ‘equitable’ pay & benefits as company sees record profits

We go to the picket line in Iowa, where thousands of workers are on strike at John Deere after the United Auto Workers failed to reach an agreement with the company to improve wages. Despite reporting record profits in 2021, John Deere forced employees to work overtime and announced significant cuts to raises and benefits. Chris Laursen, 19-year John Deere worker on strike in Ottumwa, Iowa, says profit margins went to shareholders and a 160% salary increase for the CEO. “We came into work every day. We worked overtime, not only exposing ourselves, but our family, our friends,” says Laursen. “At the end of the day, we feel that the offer brought up is very arrogant and … is not going to cut it.”