Nearly 400 workers at Whirlpool Corporation’s Amana, Iowa, manufacturing facility will lose their jobs following the company’s latest layoff announcement. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union), which represents Local 1526 members at the plant, criticized the move as part of a larger trend affecting American manufacturing communities.
“Our hearts go out to every member and family impacted by Whirlpool’s decision to cut nearly 400 more jobs at its Amana facility. This is not an isolated incident. It is a pattern of corporate abandonment. Each round of layoffs delivers another devastating blow to a community that has depended on good, union jobs to sustain thousands of Iowa families for generations,” the IAM Union stated.
The union noted that this is not the first time Whirlpool has reduced its workforce in Amana. “Whirlpool has already proven it will not stand by its American workforce. Less than a year ago, the company issued pink slips to approximately 250 IAM members at this same facility. Now management is back with more layoffs and a warning that more cuts may be coming.”
IAM also pointed out Whirlpool’s recent investments in Mexico, including a major expansion of its refrigerator plant in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila in 2024 and $65 million invested into its Celaya, Guanajuato facility. The company designated Mexico as the sole producer of its French Door refrigerator line, most of which are exported back to North America.
“Iowa County’s largest employer is destroying the very community it claims to support while continuing to build up its operations south of the border,” according to the statement.
The union called on local elected officials and members of Iowa’s Congressional Delegation to oppose these layoffs: “We are calling on every local elected official and every member of the Iowa Congressional Delegation to stand up for the working families of Amana and push back against this latest round of layoffs. Our members sent their representatives to fight for them, and this is that moment. Silence in the face of this corporate betrayal is not an option.”
IAM emphasized that it will continue supporting affected workers by protecting their rights and connecting them with available resources.
The Amana facility produces refrigerators under several brands owned by Whirlpool, including KitchenAid, Maytag, and Amana itself.
The IAM Union represents about 600,000 active and retired members across various industries in North America.
