Iowa Worker’s Almanac news briefs for Feb. 26, 2026:
Whirlpool cuts continue to reverberate around Iowa: News that the company will cut 341 workers in Amana by March 9 prompted a protest at the Iowa Capitol this week. (Sign a petition supporting the workers here.)
Whirlpool already laid off 651 workers in Amana last June.
Several candidates and elected officials asked the company to reverse its decision, including the full membership of both the Iowa Senate Democrats and Iowa House Democrats:
- “I am respectfully asking for Whirlpool to cancel its intended layoffs of Iowa workers at its manufacturing facility in Amana, and to reverse course on its recent offshoring of American jobs to Mexico,” said Christina Bohannan, running for US House District 1, in a letter to Whirlpool’s CEO shared with media. “I urge all Iowa elected representatives, including US House Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, to join me in calling on Whirlpool to do the same.”
- “Iowans have spent generations working at that facility, providing Whirlpool dependable, reliable, and stable employment for decades,” said state Rep. Lindsay James, running for US House District 2, in a letter to Whirlpool’s CEO shared with media. “In a time when working families need a stable paycheck more than ever, Whirlpool is abandoning them for corporate profits.”
- “When corporations that benefit from public infrastructure, tax incentives, and the skills of Iowa workers don’t uphold their commitment to our communities, there needs to be accountability,” said Clint Twedt-Ball, running for US House District 2, in a statement. “The workers in Amana deserve more than sympathy — they deserve leadership that stands with them and fights for policies that help protect good-paying jobs here in Iowa.”
- “These layoffs—the second round in under a year—will devastate a community directly responsible for Whirlpool’s skyrocketing profits,” Sen. Janice Weiner (D-Iowa City) said. “My heart breaks for the workers and their families whose lives will be upended.”
- “Whirlpool is sending good, Iowa jobs to Mexico while accepting tens of millions of dollars in investment and tax credits from the state,” Sen. Tom Townsend (D-Dubuque). “Amana’s workers have had Whirlpool’s back for decades. They deserve the same support in return.”
- “Just last year, Gov. Kim Reynolds and legislative Republicans approved tax breaks for corporations that ship jobs overseas. Now Iowa is facing massive layoffs that are hurting workers, families, and our state’s economy,” House Democratic Leader state Rep. Brian Meyer (D-Des Moines) said.
- “Working Iowans are the backbone of our economy. When layoffs hit, it’s not just jobs that disappear; it’s stability for families and our local communities. If we want a strong Iowa economy, we have to stand up for the workers who power it every day,” added Ranking Member of the House Labor Committee, state Rep. Jeff Cooling (D-Cedar Rapids).
Union endorsements:
- The Central Iowa Building and Construction Trades Council and the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 28 this week endorsed state Sen. Zach Wahls for US Senate. Central Iowa Building said he was “labor’s strongest candidate in this race and the best choice to fight for our members and our families in Washington.” IUEC said Wahls “has shown he’ll fight for good union jobs, strong apprenticeship programs, and a retirement you can count on, not the rigged system that rewards the biggest corporations and the politicians they buy.”
- The statewide Iowa Teamsters this week endorsed state Rep. Lindsay James for US House District 2. “Lindsay James has consistently stood with the Iowa Teamsters, pushing back against corporate greed and special interests, and showing up when it mattered most,” said Jesse Case, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 238. “If we want Congress to put everyday people first again, it starts with electing Lindsay James.”
Voting on a union: Forty-five full- and part-time workers at River Hills Community Health Center in Ottumwa voted, 23-19, to be represented by Teamsters Local 90. Five ballots are being challenged.
Upcoming layoffs:
All information taken from Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN Act website. Read WARN Act and Iowa WARN Act criteria here.
- MercyOne is closing and laying off 40 workers in Ottumwa by Friday, laying off 67 workers at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center by Mar. 17, and laying off 34 workers at MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center in Mason City by Mar. 17. Read more here.
- Whirlpool in Amana is laying off 341 workers by Mar. 9. Read more here.
- Cedar Valley Corp in Waterloo is closing and laying off 89 workers by Mar. 17. Read more here.
- Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off 33 workers by Mar. 20, 49 workers by Apr. 4, and 2 workers by Apr. 18. Read more here.
- CNH Industrial in Burlington is closing and laying off 7 workers by Mar. 23, 4 workers by Apr. 1, 52 workers by Apr. 2, 18 workers by Apr. 8, 9 workers by Apr. 9, 21 workers by Apr. 10, 16 workers by Apr. 13, 16 workers by Apr. 30, 42 workers by May 1, and 24 workers by May 29. Read more here.
- Collis in Clinton is laying off 51 workers by Mar. 23. Read more here.
