Friends,

10,000 hard-working Iowans from the UAW Local 450 did something brave: They went on strike to secure a fair pay from their employer, John Deere.

I'm writing today to express my support with these workers, and I'm asking you to join me.

Will you add your name to our petition in support of striking workers across our state? It's well past time that hardworking Iowans get the good wages, health care, and benefits they deserve from their employers.

All around the country, workers are going on strike during this #Striketober. From nurses in California to refinery workers in Texas to coal miners in Alabama, these striking workers see an economy that functions exceedingly well for those at the top – and doesn't provide nearly enough for everyday people.

That's especially true in Iowa, where we know that the products made by John Deere are top-notch. As I already shared with you, growing up in rural Sioux County, my dad and I worked on just about every piece of Deere equipment there is. They're close to indestructible.

Why are those products exceptional, friends? Because the workers who build them are exceptional. The striking members of UAW Local 450 deserve their fair share, especially from a corporation that's worth about $105 billion.

The company will pose a formidable challenge. I visited some workers on the picket lines in Ankeny, and I'm pleased to tell you that they aren't backing down. They're staying strong and keeping up the good fight for the fair contract they have earned.

I should be clear. No one is under the illusion that this will be easy; it will not be. So these workers – and striking workers all across the country – need our support. Allow me to ask you again: Would you add your name to our petition in support of the striking UAW workers here in Iowa? Let's show these workers the solidarity I know they'd show us.

Thank you for standing with your fellow Iowans,

– AMF

Michael T. Franken, Vice Admiral, USN (ret.)
Proud Democrat and Candidate for U.S. Senate