Whirlpool Corp. laying off 651 Iowa workers
Whirlpool Corp. will lay off 651 workers at its Amana, Iowa, manufacturing plant this summer.
According to , the move will be effective June 1.
A statement from the company said the layoffs are "necessary adjustments ... to align with current market conditions driven by consumer demand."
It's Iowa's largest mass layoff so far this year according to the WARN website, and the biggest in the state since Tyson Foods laid off almost 1,300 people when it closed its pork plant in Perry last summer.
Read Whirlpool's full statement:
“Whirlpool Corporation has made necessary adjustments to production at its Amana operations to align with current market conditions driven by consumer demand. This has resulted in the announcement of a workforce reduction of approximately 650 employees within specific production teams at the facility. We are committed to supporting affected employees through this transition by providing access to onsite HR support and a dedicated employee support line, an employee assistance program, and guidance on unemployment benefits through Iowa Workforce Development.”
The that the layoffs are not related to tariffs, but were driven by demand for the types of appliances manufactured at the Amana facility.
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Whirlpool reported approximately $17 billion in annual sales in 2024 and about $19 billion in 2023, according to public annual reports. The company's 2025 outlook reported an expected $15.8 billion in sales.
In a statement released following the announcement of the layoffs, Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO President Charlie Wishman called the layoffs "outrageous":
“Today Whirlpool announced the layoffs of approximately 650 workers in Amana, IA. This is outrageous for a company that made 17 billion dollars in sales last year. Again, the working class is suffering at the hands of billionaires, who don’t seem to care, let alone understand the struggles of the American people.
"To make matters worse, the state legislature and the governor of the State of Iowa championed and passed a law that actually cut the number of weeks of unemployment available to workers and communities affected by plant layoffs and closings. These weeks are essential for giving families and the areas they live in a chance to recover.
"Governor Reynolds and this majority in the legislature continue to let rural Iowa die."
A representative from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers released the following statement regarding the layoffs:
“Our hearts go out to every member and family affected by Whirlpool management’s announcement that they will lay off approximately 650 workers at its Amana facility. This is a community that relies heavily on good IAM Union jobs that help sustain thousands of families in the Amana area. We are working together with our members to ensure that the company respects our membership’s rights throughout this process. We are also reaching out to local stakeholders and elected officials to secure any support possible for our membership. The IAM Union will continue to work to mitigate the impacts of this announcement and maintain the job security of all our members at Whirlpool.”