Nearly one hundred members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Union, along with community leaders and elected officials, gathered on March 9 to call for accountability from Whirlpool Corporation as the company prepares to lay off about 341 workers at its Amana, Iowa facility.
The event, organized by IAM Union District 6 and the Hawkeye Area Labor Council, brought together supporters from across Iowa in solidarity with IAM Local 1526 members who are affected by the layoffs. The rally aimed to highlight concerns over job losses and corporate responsibility when public funds are involved.
Terry Kimmell, IAM Midwest Territory Chief of Staff, said, “We will stand with the Whirlpool workers until they get what they deserve. The layoffs are a failure to hold corporations accountable and a signal that Iowa must strengthen worker protections in economic development agreements. Our union will continue to fight for the 341 men and women who have given years of their lives to make this company successful.”
According to IAM Union research, Whirlpool has invested more than $1 billion in Mexico over two decades, tripling its workforce there while reducing jobs at the Amana plant. The facility once employed over 3,000 people but could drop to between 500 and 600 workers after these layoffs and further cuts expected later in the year.
Rick Moyle, President of the Iowa IAM State Council and Executive Director of the Hawkeye Area Labor Council, said, “These workers built Whirlpool’s reputation for quality American manufacturing. Whirlpool took $21.5 million in Iowa taxpayer money with no requirement to protect a single job, and now they’re shipping that work to Mexico. Iowa workers and Iowa taxpayers deserve better.”
Other speakers at the rally urged Whirlpool to reconsider its decision and called on elected officials to ensure companies receiving public funds are held responsible for protecting jobs. Several political figures attended or responded following letters sent by IAM International President Brian Bryant—including responses from Governor Kim Reynolds; congressional candidate Christina Bohannan; joint letters from House and Senate Democrats; as well as Republican U.S. Representatives Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Ashley Hinson.
The broader implications of these layoffs extend beyond individual families impacted—they raise questions about economic development policies tied to public funding and corporate commitments within local communities.
