John Deere workers win a contract

Episode 48 with Katie Halper

Big news this week: John Deere workers have won a contract after a five-week strike. They said no to yet another tier that divides senior workers from new hires and sent back contracts that didn’t meet their demands for better pensions and raises. After last month’s images of scabs being driven into Deere facilities while wearing masks to avoid striking workers, white-collar office workers replacing unionized warehouse workers on the shop floor, and workers holding down the picket line day after day, this momentous strike has come to a close with a major victory for the working class. It’s a firm reminder to the bosses that the power of 10,000 workers rejecting executives’ austerity and greed is a real force to be reckoned with.

Jonah Furman @JonahFurman

There it is. The Deere contract is ratified, and the strike is over. 10,000 UAW members turned down two contracts, killed a new tier, doubled their raises, improved pensions, won back COLA, and showed the country that you can still strike and win big. What a righteous fight.