Nearly 400 members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Local 1526 will lose their jobs at Whirlpool Corporation’s manufacturing facility in Amana, Iowa, following a new round of layoffs set to take effect on March 9, 2026. The IAM Union issued a statement criticizing the company’s decision and describing it as part of an ongoing pattern of job cuts.
“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 said.
The union noted that this latest action follows previous layoffs less than a year ago, when approximately 250 IAM members were let go from the same plant. According to the statement, “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 leadership also pointed out that while reducing its workforce in Iowa, Whirlpool has increased investment in its operations in Mexico. In recent years, Whirlpool completed an expansion at its refrigerator plant in Ramos Arizpe, Coahuila, invested $65 million into its Celaya facility in Guanajuato, and designated Mexico as the exclusive producer of its French Door refrigerator line for export mainly to U.S. and Canadian markets.
The union stated: “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.”
They added: “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.”
IAM called on local officials and 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.”
The statement concluded: “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.”
IAM Local 1526 employees manufacture refrigerators under several brands including Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, and Amana.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers represents around 600,000 active and retired members across multiple industries throughout North America.
