United Auto Workers Union on Strike Against John Deere

This morning about 10,000 members of the United Auto Workers union went on strike against farm and construction equipment maker John Deere. The UAW reached a tentative agreement on a six-year contract with the company two weeks ago but 90% of the members of the union rejected it in a ratification vote that concluded Sunday. Union and management negotiators talked into the night last night trying to reach a deal but were unable to do so.

This marks the nation’s largest private- sector strike since the UAW waged a costly six-weeks strike against General Motors two years ago. Last week 1,400 members of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union went on strike against Kellogg and yesterday the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees which represents technicians, artisans and craft persons in the industry announced they will strike if they couldn’t reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for 60,000 film and tv workers. 98.6% of that union voted to authorize a strike.