Course of the strike
As the deadline passed with no new contract proposal, the workers went on strike on October 14, 2021.[9] At the plant in Milan, Illinois, strikers almost immediately began picketing,[9] and UAW President Ray Curry voiced his support for the strike, saying, "The almost one million UAW retirees and active members stand in solidarity with the striking UAW members at John Deere."[13] For the duration of the strike, the union members received a weekly strike pay of $275 from the UAW.[3] At the Ottumwa, Iowa, plant, picketers convinced a semi-trailer truck delivery driver to turn around, with reports of similar events at the Davenport and Dubuque, Iowa, plants.[14] A company spokesperson said that they were looking to resolve the strike and stated, "Our immediate concern is meeting the needs of our customers, who work in time-sensitive and critical industries such as agriculture and construction".[15] The company also stated that they would continue operations for the duration of the strike.[7][16] Speaking about the strike, economist Dave Swenson of Iowa State University stated that John Deere's increased sales in 2021 could allow them to meet some of the union members' demands, saying, "They can afford to settle this thing on much more agreeable terms to the union and still maintain really strong profitability."[13] Other economists predicted that the strike may not last long, given the high demand for agricultural equipment and a well-performing agricultural sector.[17] Shortly after the strike began, many elected officials and candidates in the Iowa Democratic Party voiced their support for the strikers.[18] Additionally, Kim Reynolds, Governor of Iowa, stated she hoped that John Deere and the UAW could come to an agreement soon.[19] On October 16, KWQC-TV reported that many small businesses in the Quad Cities area (where several of the John Deere plants are located)[20] were offering discounts, and in some cases, free food for strikers.[21]
On October 17, the Associated Press reported that some agricultural groups and businesses associated with John Deere were concerned about the effects of a lengthy strike, with the president of the Iowa Corn Growers Association stating that a shortage of John Deere parts could significantly impact the farmers' harvests.[22] Several days later, on October 22, ABC News reported that a GoFundMe campaign organized to help the strikers had accumulated more than $80,000 in donations from over 2,000 donors over a four-day period.[23] On the morning of October 27, a striking worker who was reporting to the picket line outside the Milan plant was killed in a traffic accident outside the facility.[24] Following the incident, Curry stated that the striker had "made the ultimate sacrifice in reporting to picket for a better life for his family and coworkers" and ordered the UAW flag to fly at half-staff for the day.[24]
On November 2, strikers rejected a new contract.[25] The vote was split with 45% in favor of the contract and 55% against.[26]
