WATERLOO, Iowa — More than 300 employees at John Deere's Waterloo location will be without jobs by late April, the company confirmed with Local 5 on Tuesday.
A John Deere spokesperson said 308 production employees will be put on indefinite layoff on April 29, 2024. The employees were allegedly told about the layoffs in meetings with factory leaders on Tuesday.
Originally, the company claimed it was 317 workers impacted. They corrected themselves just before 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
In total, the Waterloo operation employs 5,500 people, with 3,600 of those workers in production and maintenance jobs.
The city of Waterloo, known for its diverse population, entrepreneurial attitude and tech campus, has over 70,000 residents, according to the city's website.
Though not the city's largest employer, John Deere is recognized as one of the major brands operating out of Waterloo, which includes other names like Tyson Foods, ConAgra Grocer Products, Ryder Integrated Logistics, Bertch Cabinets and Omega – MasterBrand Cabinets.
Waterloo Mayor Quentin Hart shared the following statement with Local 5:
"I was surprised to learn about some 300 layoffs for John Deere workers in Waterloo. This is tough news for our community. It is always difficult when one of our largest employers cuts its workforce. We have reached out to the company to get further clarification about what's happening, and determine what accommodations will be made for these employees."
The announcement comes two weeks after the company laid off 150 workers at the Ankeny location.
The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN) requires companies with 100 or more employees to give a 60-day notice of layoffs.
Local 5 will update this story as more information becomes available. Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter for the latest.