JobsFriday, November 6
John Deere will recall more than 275 laid-off workers to Waterloo and hire more than 400 more
The Good Day Cedar Falls team
If you or someone in your house worked at Deere's Waterloo plant, here's some good news. John Deere said it will recall more than 275 laid-off employees to its Waterloo operations and hire more than 400 additional workers across several factories. Waterloo is Deere's largest tractor factory, according to khak.com.
More than 275laid-off workers Deere will recall to Waterloo
The company is also hiring more than 400 additional workers across several factories.
Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
Deere says all previously laid-off employees in Waterloo, the Quad Cities, Ottumwa and Dubuque have now been asked to return. That brings callbacks since 2024 to approximately 1,000. About 125 employees remain on layoff in the Des Moines area.
- Hiring in: Iowa, Illinois and Kansas factories
- Layoffs, Oct. 2023 to Oct. 2025: 3,814 jobs in Iowa and western Illinois
- New Deere layoffs reported in 2026: none
Deere cut 3,814 jobs and has called back about 1,000 workers
Sources: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, KGAN
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Jobs cut, Iowa and western Illinois | 3,814 |
| Callbacks since 2024, about | 1,000 |
The union wants more. khak.com, citing the Des Moines Register, reports that UAW members rejected Deere's offer in August to extend their contract two years, and UAW officials say they want every one of the 1,600 workers on layoff back at work, or negotiations in 2027 could prove to be difficult.
Sources: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, khak.com, KGAN