topic Re: john deere in Community Chat

john deere

Luvsmyfam — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 22:15:26 GMT

well,the john deere strike has started in the quadcities.i have family members including my father,who has been retired from deere for 30 yrs,walking the picket lines.so darn typical of a company making huge profits,but not willing to give the employees a decent living wage.

Re: john deere

BExplorer — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 22:46:58 GMT

Just curious--what was the wage proposal that was not decent?

Re: john deere

kitcat51 — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 22:42:47 GMT

It's my understanding they make $30.00 an hour currently, the rejected offer offer was a 5 to 6% immediate raise.There are plently of workers arriving that would be thrilled with those wages.

Re: john deere

QVCkitty1 — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 22:45:12 GMT

Their job, their business. Experienced workers are worth a wage increase.

Re: john deere

nana59 — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 22:56:01 GMT

@kitcat51 wrote:
It's my understanding they make $30.00 an hour currently, the rejected offer offer was a 5 to 6% immediate raise.There are plently of workers arriving that would be thrilled with those wages.

arriving......with experience?

Re: john deere

Mom2Dogs — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:14:14 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
@kitcat51 wrote:
It's my understanding they make $30.00 an hour currently, the rejected offer offer was a 5 to 6% immediate raise.There are plently of workers arriving that would be thrilled with those wages.
arriving......with experience?

My thoughts exactly! I think $30.00 an hour with benefits would be a decent salary. Trying being self employed, finding and paying your own insurance.

Re: john deere

Sweetbay magnolia — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:31:01 GMT

So go work for John Deere.

Re: john deere

aroc3435 — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:46:16 GMT

@Luvsmyfam Not just an unsatisfactory wage offer is in play. John Deere wants to set up a two tier system where the new hires will not have a traditional defined benefit pension plan which those already employed in the bargaining unit have.

Management's negotiators were also refusing to improve an incentive program currently in place.

When a union swallows that kind of pension proposal it inevitably leads to an "us versus them" scenario that eventualy results in younger, new hires after the contract is settled, to feel disposable in terms of being as valued as older members are by the union. So . . . the Union gets blamed.

That chasm is an old corporate union busting tactic and is often employed by businesses.

The plants were up and running seven days a week during the pandemic. JD is publicly traded and has nearly $6 Billion in profits currently.

I think corporate needs to sharpen their pencils, open their minds, and to realize the rank and file voted to reject the offer and come up with ideas that don't eliminate the pension plan when they go back to the negotiating table. They need to bargain in good faith.

The profits they have to disclose by law demonstrate that they have the means to share some of the wealth with their union employees by conntinuing to offer a deecent living wage, health benefits, and a secure, dignified retirement.

I think your father, and other family members, are splendid for walking the line. This kind of solidarity always helps to win the day when negotiating with an inflexible employer.

I am sure many other retirees are doing the same if physically able. The more members on the line and actively bringing it to the surrounding communities the better the chances for an equitable, excellent settlement for all--company included.

aroc3435

Washington, DC

Re: john deere

CrazyDaisy — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 23:59:06 GMT

@aroc3435 wrote:
@Luvsmyfam Not just an unsatisfactory wage offer is in play. John Deere wants to set up a two tier system where the new hires will not have a traditional defined benefit pension plan which those already employed in the bargaining unit have.

Management's negotiators were also refusing to improve an incentive program currently in place.

When a union swallows that kind of pension proposal it inevitably leads to an "us versus them" scenario that eventualy results in younger, new hires after the contract is settled, to feel disposable in terms of being as valued as older members are by the union. So . . . the Union gets blamed.

That chasm is an old corporate union busting tactic and is often employed by businesses.

The plants were up and running seven days a week during the pandemic. JD is publicly traded and has nearly $6 Billion in profits currently.

I think corporate needs to sharpen their pencils, open their minds, and to realize the rank and file voted to reject the offer and come up with ideas that don't eliminate the pension plan when they go back to the negotiating table. They need to bargain in good faith.

The profits they have to disclose by law demonstrate that they have the means to share some of the wealth with their union employees by conntinuing to offer a deecent living wage, health benefits, and a secure, dignified retirement.

I think your father, and other family members, are splendid for walking the line. This kind of solidarity always helps to win the day when negotiating with an inflexible employer.

I am sure many other retirees are doing the same if physically able. The more members on the line and actively bringing it to the surrounding communities the better the chances for an equitable, excellent settlement for all--company included.

aroc3435
Washington, DC

Pension plans are a thing of the past. Companies have been cashing out and closing down pension plans for decades. Most are severely underfunded and cannot possibly pay the projected benefits promised for current employees. By setting up the two tiered system, they are stopping the bleeding. Hopfully those that have been promised benefits will get what they are expecting. Many trade unions have been accepting reduced benefits in their current contracts in order to keep pensions solvent.

Re: john deere

spiderw — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:00:09 GMT

I walked many a picket line when I worked and for more reasons than wages. Good luck to the workers, I'm with them in spirit!

Re: john deere

FiddleDeeDee — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:04:29 GMT

Sad thing is, just because you are promised a pension when you retire from the company does NOT make it so.

Ask those who worked for the Washington Post for 20 plus years. Ask those who worked for the Baltimore Sun for 20 plus years. They'll tell you...

Promises are worthless. Contracts are worthless. It's just to get you to toe the line.

Re: john deere

kitcat51 — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 00:39:53 GMT

@nana59 wrote:
@kitcat51 wrote:
It's my understanding they make $30.00 an hour currently, the rejected offer offer was a 5 to 6% immediate raise.There are plently of workers arriving that would be thrilled with those wages.
arriving......with experience?

Of course there are. Do you think those coming here never had a job before? Many simply had their lives destroyed by a socialist fantasy. I'm not saying JD employees don't deserve a raise but be careful what you ask for...I've lived it in another industry so sadly I know what can happen.

Re: john deere

aroc3435 — Fri, 15 Oct 2021 01:46:23 GMT

@FiddleDeeDee What union(s) was/were representing the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun bargaining units. Was it the United Media Guild--I think years ago it was the St. Louis Newspaper Guild. Were the employees who were denied their pensions members of the union(s)?

Had either paper started a two tier system well before the incidents you reference occurred so that 20 plus year bargaining unit veterans wound up without pensions?

There is a gray area, or there used to be, in newspaper union contracts where journalists who THOUGHT they were represented by the Guild WERE, IN FACT, NOT. There was a gray area which ill defined who was, indeed, covered. That was used by management to its advantage.

I know this from living through it first hand with a family member in 1965-66 who had FORTY years of continuous service and was going to be denied a pension.

Gutsy spouse (who had also been an employee but had wisely left fiteen years earlier) of said family member, phoned THE EDITOR of the newspaper in question and informed him that the places of burial for all of its secrets were known and if the person in question was NOT granted the pension that had been earned, all of the dirty little secrets about the hostile takeover many years before, and its dirty political play AFTER the takeover rather than unbiased straight reporting, would be exposed. Said retiree had never been engaged in the dirty doings for the miserable fifteen final years of the forty so was considered "expendable" by the powers that be.

Suddenly the paper's decision was reversed and the retired employee was "granted" the pension.

aroc3435

Washington, DC

Re: john deere

Luvsmyfam — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 03:13:11 GMT

@aroc3435 very well said.yes,I am very proud my family members are walking the picket line.they are standing up to this company,saying we,the union,stand together

Re: john deere

Luvsmyfam — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 03:15:25 GMT

@spiderw I'm high fighing you right now!

Re: john deere

Snowpuppy — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 04:25:42 GMT

@kitcat51 wrote:
It's my understanding they make $30.00 an hour currently, the rejected offer offer was a 5 to 6% immediate raise.There are plently of workers arriving that would be thrilled with those wages.

Maybe Southwest can hire them?

There is a reason some folk prefer working in the underground economy. Namely taxes. Taking home 1/2 of what you earn.

Most large employers also require direct deposit. Some folk don't want to deal with a bank. There's also driver's license and insurance people avoid.

$30/hr isn't much anymore. It's median income in the US.

Re: john deere

spiderw — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 04:40:13 GMT

sherrikay

Please forgive me but I am not sure I understand your comment about you being high fighting me now. Please clarify, thanks!!!!!

Re: john deere

CalminHeart — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 11:07:32 GMT

@aroc3435 wrote:
@Luvsmyfam Not just an unsatisfactory wage offer is in play. John Deere wants to set up a two tier system where the new hires will not have a traditional defined benefit pension plan which those already employed in the bargaining unit have.

Management's negotiators were also refusing to improve an incentive program currently in place.

When a union swallows that kind of pension proposal it inevitably leads to an "us versus them" scenario that eventualy results in younger, new hires after the contract is settled, to feel disposable in terms of being as valued as older members are by the union. So . . . the Union gets blamed.

That chasm is an old corporate union busting tactic and is often employed by businesses.

The plants were up and running seven days a week during the pandemic. JD is publicly traded and has nearly $6 Billion in profits currently.

I think corporate needs to sharpen their pencils, open their minds, and to realize the rank and file voted to reject the offer and come up with ideas that don't eliminate the pension plan when they go back to the negotiating table. They need to bargain in good faith.

The profits they have to disclose by law demonstrate that they have the means to share some of the wealth with their union employees by conntinuing to offer a deecent living wage, health benefits, and a secure, dignified retirement.

I think your father, and other family members, are splendid for walking the line. This kind of solidarity always helps to win the day when negotiating with an inflexible employer.

I am sure many other retirees are doing the same if physically able. The more members on the line and actively bringing it to the surrounding communities the better the chances for an equitable, excellent settlement for all--company included.

aroc3435
Washington, DC

I worked for a huge international corporation for nearly 40 years. They did all these things to employees but there wasn't a union to help protect us. Luckily, I was old enough to retire with my full pension and benefits before the change took place.

Re: john deere

Luvsmyfam — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 12:26:48 GMT

@spiderw forgive my spelling,what I ment was slapping high......high fie! Get it?

Re: john deere

KCDiva — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 13:29:42 GMT

I worked for John Deere in the 80s. I get a small pension from them but it's better than nothing. It was the best company I ever worked for. The benefits and salary were outstanding. I was laid off during one of the many layoffs in the 80s. I cried for many months and had to take a huge cut in pay when finding another job. My ex recently retired from there after 40 years. My sister as well. I'm surprised they only make $30 an hour. Maybe that is the new hires. I'm sure a lot has changed since the good ol' years. I wish them well.