The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM Union) has called on Whirlpool Corporation Chairman and CEO Marc Bitzer to meet with union leadership following recent layoffs at the company’s Amana, Iowa, manufacturing facility, according to a letter sent by the union on March 16.
The request comes after Whirlpool laid off 341 workers at the Amana plant on March 9. The IAM Union said these cuts are part of a series of reductions that have brought the workforce down from about 3,000 employees to what could ultimately be between 500 and 600 jobs. The union is seeking clarity on future plans for the facility and job security for its members who remain employed there.
In their letter, IAM International President Brian Bryant and another union leader wrote: “A modernization plan that displaces hundreds of skilled, long-tenured workers without a concrete roadmap for retained or restored employment is not a workforce strategy; it is a workforce reduction.”
The IAM Union’s research indicates that Whirlpool has invested more than $1 billion in Mexico over the past two decades, tripling its workforce there while reducing jobs in Iowa. The union’s letter demands accountability for these investments abroad and asks for direct engagement between company executives and union representatives.
The IAM is formally requesting that any meeting with Whirlpool include discussions about the timeline and scope of the Amana modernization plan, projected employment levels after completion, opportunities to bring new production to Amana, transition support for laid-off workers beyond general assistance already referenced by Whirlpool, and support for Trade Adjustment Assistance certification for affected employees.
The union has also been active locally, holding a solidarity rally in Amana on March 6 that included labor leaders, elected officials, and community members. The IAM says it will continue advocating for its members as it seeks answers from company leadership.
