John Deere Jobs

[KennyG]

Per this story, John Deere can't find enough workers, in spite of the fact that the jobs are so good they are taking workers from other industries.

Everybody wants a John Deere tractor. But not everybody wants a John Deere job. Why?

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

They're just getting their back story straight for when they close the plants and move production to either Mexico or China.

Plenty of cheap labor there.

 

[buck12]

I think the last part of the article is often over looked by large corporations. People value stability and manufacturing has not offered that. Hire like crazy then layoff the little guy to keep stock prices up. People get tired of that kind of lifestyle. I left manufacturing over 20 years ago and have never missed it.

 

[two_bit_score]

Maybe they couldn't or wouldn't pass the drug test.

Or, maybe they need to move a plant to Texas. Caterpillar dis a few years ago. Seem to be doing well.




PREVIEW

2:09
We are Caterpillar | Seguin, Texas Engine Manufacturing Facility
YouTube · Caterpillar Inc.
Sep 11, 2020

 

[Alan W.]

Maybe they couldn't or wouldn't pass the drug test.

Or, maybe they need to move a plant to Texas. Caterpillar dis a few years ago. Seem to be doing well.

View attachment 698327


PREVIEW

2:09
We are Caterpillar | Seguin, Texas Engine Manufacturing Facility
YouTube · Caterpillar Inc.
Sep 11, 2020

I vote for the drug test theory.
A friend of mine has a daughter that does drug testing for companies. Out of 68 applicants none passed the drug test.

 

[rjpotts]

I think the last part of the article is often over looked by large corporations. People value stability and manufacturing has not offered that. Hire like crazy then layoff the little guy to keep stock prices up. People get tired of that kind of lifestyle. I left manufacturing over 20 years ago and have never missed it.

I grew up in Waterloo (home of Deere's Tractor Works) and you are correct about peoples concern for employment stability. I also find it interesting that Deere is promoting $19/hr as a "premium wage", that's only $4 higher than minimum in some cities. Relatively speaking I believe wages were higher at Deere in the '70's but they've weakened the union through outsourcing and hiring of temps. When Deere boasts about being the employer of choice they're reflecting on a bygone era not the current state.

Additionally I suspect long lead times are (in part) the result of international sourcing. In the '60's and '70's there were many "feeder" businesses located in and around Waterloo, not so much anymore.

 

[PuffyC]

I grew up in Waterloo (home of Deere's Tractor Works) and you are correct about peoples concern for employment stability. I also find it interesting that Deere is promoting $19/hr as a "premium wage", that's only $4 higher than minimum in some cities. Relatively speaking I believe wages were higher at Deere in the '70's but they've weakened the union through outsourcing and hiring of temps. When Deere boasts about being the employer of choice they're reflecting on a bygone era not the current state.

Additionally I suspect long lead times are (in part) the result of international sourcing. In the '60's and '70's there were many "feeder" businesses located in and around Waterloo, not so much anymore.

Yeah, when you can make $15 working at Target, $19 is anything but premium. They’re UAW too, and without intending to be political, that would be a huge red flag for me. Start qualified people at $22 an hour and move to a low cost, business friendly state like Texas and you’ll have more workers than you could ever hire.

 

[cwbyeng1300]

Yea, but if you hire $22 an hour workers they need to be able to produce $44 an hour worth of product/service. Finding hands that will do that is hard!

 

[MoKelly]

I vote for the drug test theory.
A friend of mine has a daughter that does drug testing for companies. Out of 68 applicants none passed the drug test.

Holy cow!

And I thought nothing was 100% anymore.

Says a lot.

MoKelly

 

[PuffyC]

Holy cow!

And I thought nothing was 100% anymore.

Says a lot.

MoKelly

The only companies who don’t have this problem with drug testing are the ones that don’t do it (i.e. most white collar jobs). There’s a good conspiracy theory in there if one was so inclined.

 

[Cougsfan]

John Deere is not one of my favorite companies for numerous reasons, and I wouldn't work for them or buy their products, but that is probably besides the point.

All companies are having difficulties in hiring. Depending on your political inclination you will likely blame it on the causes that your favorite political party presents. I feel it is much more complicated. Jobs in general have slowly but progressively been getting worse over the decades. Real wages for lower tier worker are much lower, benefits have been reduced if not made non-existent, while upper management real wages are continually rising; job security is less, stock value is the driving force of all company decisions while care for the well being of the employee is a lower priority. When working for a living means that you can't earn enough to maintain a minimal, if not decent living standards, working for a living becomes somewhat less attractive.

You can throw contributing factors such as lack of work ethics passed on by the older generation (spoiled kids), lifetime non-forgiveness of committing an offense, drug use, feelings of entitlement (nothing gets my goat more than the many TV commercials that say "get the xxxx that you deserve.") and a host of other moral issues, and you have the situation we have today.

 

[bigtiller]

I grew up in Waterloo (home of Deere's Tractor Works) and you are correct about peoples concern for employment stability. I also find it interesting that Deere is promoting $19/hr as a "premium wage", that's only $4 higher than minimum in some cities. Relatively speaking I believe wages were higher at Deere in the '70's but they've weakened the union through outsourcing and hiring of temps. When Deere boasts about being the employer of choice they're reflecting on a bygone era not the current state.

Additionally I suspect long lead times are (in part) the result of international sourcing. In the '60's and '70's there were many "feeder" businesses located in and around Waterloo, not so much anymore.

Wages
In the mid 90's Deere changed the method of figuring wages. Along with that came a 2 tiered wage system. Anyone hired after Oct. 1, 1997 was paid in the lower tiered scale which was about 40% less pay than the guy hired before Oct. 1997.
It used to be a "premium wage job" 25 years ago but now it is just a little better than average.

 

[KennyG]

I just assumed that "premium wage" was a full time job with benefits and not a temporary position. $19 is probably entry level full time jobs. $19 with benefits might be pretty good in Iowa, not so good in New York City. It's all relative.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

Ha. Where I live entry level is 9 or $10/hr, average is 13-15, and 19 is started to get close to cream of the crop!

 

[rjpotts]

Ha. Where I live entry level is 9 or $10/hr, average is 13-15, and 19 is started to get close to cream of the crop!

Not sure where you live but you might want to consider relocating.

 

[mwemaxxowner]

I live in South Carolina.

It's all relative to the cost of living. If I had to bet housing costs wherever you are are increased by about the same factor as the wages vs here. As well as health care, etc.

I talk to friends from other places who make many times what we do, and we all live in a similar manner.