Hundreds of UAW members lined the streets outside of United Township High School Sunday morning. Workers waited patiently to get their hands on a copy of the now-ratified UAW-Deere & Company contract.
Union representatives have no comment at this time, but Dr. Bill Lynn, a finance and economics professor at St. Ambrose University took a look at the agreement for himself.
On the first of the 17-page document is a list of some highlights, one being substantial wage increases.
"I don't see those as being substantial but reasonable," says Dr. Lynn.
Wages are guaranteed to go up but not at the rate some would have liked to see. Overall, workers aren't surprised.
"I think probably the members knew it was a weak market, and they knew they weren't going to get huge increases. But the fact they're going to get steady increases, especially in a low inflation market, looks like their real spending power is going to continue to rise," says Dr. Lynn.
The contract emphasizes that employees' health care will be protected, but on the same hand, workers will now have t pay more money as a copay when they go to the doctor.
"If you have a lot of younger workers, they're less concerned about that copay than the older ones simply because they don't go to the doctor as often," says Dr. Lynn.
And finally, the agreement promises there will be absolutely no plant closures.
"I think that's really important. It's saying, you may be laid off, but that's telling you you're temporarily laid off not permanently," says Dr. Lynn.
While there's definitely some give and take, overall, Dr. Lynn and Deere employees say the contract is fair.
You can read the contract by clicking this link: 2015 UAW John Deere Agreement