Nearly 400 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 1526 are set to lose their jobs at Whirlpool Corporation’s manufacturing facility in Amana, Iowa. The layoffs, which will take effect on March 9, 2026, were announced by the company and have drawn strong criticism from the union.
In a statement, IAM Union leaders expressed concern for the affected workers and their families: “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 union noted that this announcement follows a previous round of layoffs less than a year ago when approximately 250 IAM members at the same facility were let go. The statement continued: “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.”
Union officials also pointed to Whirlpool’s recent investments in Mexico as evidence of shifting priorities away from American workers. “At the same time, Whirlpool has been aggressively expanding its manufacturing footprint in Mexico, recently completing a major refrigerator plant expansion in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, in 2024, investing $65 million into its Celaya, Guanajuato facility, and designating Mexico as the sole producer of its French Door refrigerator line, a product exported almost entirely back to American and Canadian consumers.”
IAM criticized what it described as offshoring practices detrimental to local communities: “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.
“The math is not complicated. When Whirlpool cuts jobs in Amana and expands refrigerator production in Mexico for export back to the United States, working families in Iowa pay the price for decisions made in corporate boardrooms. This is precisely the kind of offshoring that hollows out American manufacturing communities and leaves workers who have given years and decades of their lives to this company. Whirlpool cannot claim to be committed to the United States while it trades American jobs for cheaper labor across the border.”
The union called on elected officials at all levels to intervene: “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 concluded with an appeal for greater commitment from Whirlpool: “The workers of Amana deserve far better than broken promises and a shrinking future. We challenge Whirlpool to demonstrate a real and lasting commitment to the United States. If the company is serious about investing in America, it must bring its manufacturing back home, not continue expanding in Mexico while leaving Iowa families behind.
“The IAM is actively working to ensure the rights of every affected member are fully protected. We will continue engaging local leaders and elected officials to mobilize the community and connect displaced workers with every available resource.”
Workers at Amana produce refrigerators under several brands including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, and Amana.
IAM represents about 600,000 active and retired members across various industries throughout North America.
