JobsFriday, November 6
John Deere plans to recall 275 laid-off workers and hire 400 more, including at Davenport Works
The Daily Davenport team
If you've been waiting on a callback, here's some good news. John Deere announced it plans to recall more than 275 laid-off workers at its Waterloo operations and hire more than 400 more across its factories. That brings callbacks since 2024 to about 1,000, the company says.
Deere's callbacks and hiring, by the numbers
- 275+
- laid-off Waterloo workers to be recalled
- 400+
- workers Deere plans to hire across its factories
- 1,000
- approximate callbacks since 2024
Sources: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, KGAN
Deere says every laid-off worker in Waterloo, the Quad Cities, Ottumwa and Dubuque has been asked back. That follows a stretch when the company cut 3,814 jobs in Iowa and western Illinois between October 2023 and October 2025. No more Deere layoffs have been reported in 2026.
Deere cut 3,814 jobs in Iowa and western Illinois and has called back about 1,000
Source: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier
View as table
| Value | |
|---|---|
| Jobs cut, Oct. 2023 to Oct. 2025 | 3,814 |
| Callbacks since 2024, about | 1,000 |
- Iowa hiring: Davenport Works, Dubuque Works, Ottumwa Works
- Illinois hiring: Harvester Works, Seeding Works, Cylinder Works, Milan parts
- Kansas hiring: Coffeyville Works
- Still on layoff: about 125 in the Des Moines area
KDAT reports, citing the Des Moines Register, that Deere sees the hiring as a way to position itself for customer needs and future labor negotiations. In August, the UAW said members rejected Deere's offer to extend their contract two years.
Sources: Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, KGAN, KDAT