John Deere Recalls Over 60 Workers Amid Gradual Workforce Recovery

John Deere is recalling more than 60 workers to its Waterloo, Iowa facility this fall as part of a broader recall that has brought approximately 900 employees back to Iowa and Illinois operations since January. The recalls aim to address workforce attrition, meet customer demand, and build dealer inventory, though production volumes remain below 50 percent of pre-2021 levels and hundreds of workers remain laid off. Labor tensions persist following the United Auto Workers' recent rejection of a contract extension proposal, with job security remaining a central concern for members heading into 2027 negotiations.

John Deere's latest workforce recall represents a modest step in a lengthy recovery process. Since January 2026, the company has brought back roughly 900 workers across its Iowa and Illinois operations, with the Waterloo addition following a major September recall of over 375 employees at its Quad Cities facility. However, current production levels remain substantially constrained—operating at less than 50 percent of pre-2021 capacity—while several hundred workers remain permanently laid off following mass reductions between late 2023 and mid-2025.

Labor relations remain strained as negotiations approach. The United Auto Workers union recently rejected a two-year contract extension that would have delayed renegotiations until 2029, choosing instead to return to the bargaining table in October 2027. Union leadership emphasized that job security concerns and ongoing outsourcing of positions made the company's proposal inadequate for membership approval.