John Deere Continues Layoffs in Illinois & Iowa with 600 Job Cuts

Another round of John Deere layoffs is coming this year following several months of job cuts.

Around 600 manufacturing employees will be laid off effective August 30 in East Moline, Illinois, and Davenport and Dubuque, Iowa, according to a company statement.

About 280 jobs will be cut at the Harvester Works facility in East Moline, 230 at the Davenport Works plant, and 100 will be cut at the Dubuque Works facility.

Harvester Works currently has about 2,220 total employees (1,700 working in production and maintenance jobs). Davenport Works has about 1,390 employees (1,045 in production and maintenance), and Dubuque Works has about 2,700 employees (1,430 working in production and maintenance). 

"These changes are being made due to reduced demand for the products produced at these facilities,” Deere said. “As stated in our second quarter earnings call, industry sales are expected to further decline in the back half of FY2024. To better position Deere to meet future demand, we continue to take proactive steps to reduce production and inventory."

Deere also said employees are eligible to be recalled to their home factory for a period equal to their length of service and are automatically placed in seniority order for openings they are qualified to perform.

Laid-off employees will also receive supplemental unemployment pay, which covers about 95% of their weekly net pay for up to 26 weeks, depending on their years of service; transitional assistance pay, which covers 50% of their average weekly earnings for up to 52 weeks after SUB pay runs out; and profit sharing, calculated based on their hours worked, average earnings and the company's profit margin, if they have at least one year of service by the end of the plan year. Laid-off employees will also receive various healthcare benefits.

Other 2024 John Deere Layoffs

Between March and June, John Deere had already announced layoffs of over 1,200 jobs cut in Iowa and Illinois. The company also recently announced plans to move production of midsize skid steers and compact track loaders to Mexico from Dubuque.

Other recent layoffs from John Deere include:

• March 12: 150 laid off in Ankeny, Iowa.
• March 26: 308 laid off in Waterloo, Iowa.
• May 3: 34 laid off in Moline, Illinois.
• May 20: 192 laid off in Waterloo, Iowa.
• May 31: A John Deere SEC filing reported a reduction in salaried workforce was anticipated “during the third quarter of fiscal year 2024.”
• June 3: 58 laid off in Urbandale, Iowa; 49 laid off in Waterloo, Iowa; 16 laid off in Des Moines, Iowa.
• June 5: 120 laid off in Moline, Illinois.
• June 28: 211 laid off in Davenport, Iowa; 99 laid off in Davenport, Iowa.

In Deere’s latest financial report, it showed a 12% decline in global net sales and revenue in the second quarter. The company forecasts a drop in sales across its agricultural, construction and forestry divisions for fiscal 2024 globally and in the U.S. Its U.S. construction equipment market is expected to be flat or down 5% this year.