Friend,
As you may have heard, 10,000 workers at John Deere went on strike last night after voting down a proposed contract last Sunday by a whopping 90%.
This is the largest strike in the US in the last two years.
I currently serve as state representative for Waterloo, home of the United Auto Workers Local 838, the largest local of Deere workers in the country. This is also personal to me.
My father, LC Smith, was a Deere line worker for more than 40 years.
My father was active in the UAW and participated in the 1986 Deere strike. Because of his influence, I witnessed the importance of workers coming together to negotiate fair wages and benefits with their employer and the cost of corporate greed.
For too long, politicians including my opponent Kim Reynolds have sided with big corporations at the expense of workers and their families. That's why I'm running for governor, and it's why we're so focused on lifting up issues facing working people every step of the way.
Later this month, we'll be rolling out a Workers Bill of Rights -- a package that will expand rights for workers across Iowa. It changes the game for workers, but in the meantime, will you add your name next to mine supporting the workers on strike at John Deere? They need to know that we stand with them.
Your grassroots support enables me to keep fighting the good fight as we work to bring Iowans together to fight for solutions to our collective issues. Thanks in advance for your continued support.
In solidarity,
Ras Smith
