John Deere has announced a round of layoffs impacting 2 of its Iowa facilities. Citing decreased demand and lower order volumes, the company has confirmed to multiple media sources that the workforce reductions will see 101 employees in Waterloo and 40 in Des Moines facing their last day of work on October 17 and October 31 respectively.
A previously announced layoff of 71 workers at Deere’s foundry in Waterloo, Iowa goes into effect Sept. 19. When it announced those job cuts in August, it also announced the layoff of 167 workers from Quad City facilities located in Illinois.
In a statement shared with Farm Equipment, published news reports, Deere noted that the Waterloo layoffs will impact Tractor Operations, Drive Train Operations, Drive Train West and Engine Works, all of which are separate from the foundry.
“As is common in manufacturing, production schedules at each John Deere factory vary to align with seasonal farming needs. When fewer orders come in, each factory adjusts accordingly,” the company said in a statement. “Throughout this process we remain focused on providing customers the high-quality equipment they depend on, while investing to strengthen the foundations of U.S. manufacturing.”
The report adds that Deere’s statement said affected employees will receive aid including supplemental unemployment benefits that vary based on years of service and health care benefits for at least six months. Affected employees also are eligible for recall to their home factory for a period equal to their length of service. In addition, employees are eligible for life insurance, legal assistance, tuition reimbursement and job-placement assistance.
The company’s statement also reaffirmed Deere’s commitment to keeping its “U.S. manufacturing footprint strong, viable and competitive” by investing nearly $20 billion over the next decade to upgrade manufacturing facilities across the country on top of recent investments to expand and modernize plants.
Source : Farm Equipment