John Deere Lays Off Over 100 Iowa Salaried Employees
The old slogan that John Deere used for years was, 'Nothing runs like a Deere.' Unfortunately, nothing at Deere and Company is running like it used to. The tractor manufacturer on Wednesday announced another round of layoffs, this time affecting salaried workers in Iowa and other states.
The Des Moines Register reports that the Moline company notified Iowa Workforce Development yesterday that 103 workers, 34 in Dubuque and 69 in Waterloo, were being laid off immediately. Company officials wouldn't comment on the total number of employees that would be losing their jobs in Iowa or elsewhere. The Register reports that Deere and Co. stated that an agricultural downturn was the reason for the layoffs. Large farm equipment sales are expected to fall 20% to 25% below last year's totals.
It has been a brutal year of layoffs at the company. The Register reports that so far this year Deere and Co. have cut 1,830 workers in Ankeny, Dubuque, Ottumwa, Urbandale, Waterloo, Davenport, and East Moline, Illinois. At the beginning of the year, John Deere employed 22,600 salaried and production workers in Iowa and the Quad Cities.
The Register reports that the company is offering up to 12 months of severance pay for laid-off workers, based on years of service. They will also receive payment for unused vacation days, continued access to health benefits, and one year of professional job placement services.
While Deere and Co. tout additions they have made to facilities in Iowa, the Register reports that many have been critical of the company for moving some production to Mexico, including cab tractor and forage windrow production.
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