Contract Between UAW and John Deere About To Expire

A contract between the United Auto Workers union and John Deere Dubuque Works is on the verge of expiring without a new deal in place, raising the possibility of a strike.  A handful of employees of John Deere Dubuque Works who also are members of United Auto Workers say that a strike is likely. John Deere employees last went on strike in 1986. That strike lasted about six months. The current, six-year contract agreement between the UAW and Deere & Co. expires on Friday. The contract covers more than 10,000 production and maintenance employees at 12 Deere facilities, including John Deere Dubuque Works, as well as other facilities in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. There are 2,800 full-time employees at the Dubuque plant, though not all are union members.