The Whirlpool plant in Middle Amana will be shut down next week to “manage production,” a Whirlpool spokesperson confirmed Thursday, May 14.
“Whirlpool Corporation continually aligns its production schedule to meet current demand,” the spokesperson wrote in response to an email inquiry from the CBJ. “As a result, the company has scheduled down days at its Amana, Iowa facility from May 18-22. The plant is also closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.”
The spokesperson didn’t address other questions, including whether workers would be paid during the shutdown, whether other Whirlpool plants are also facing a shutdown, and whether further shutdowns are anticipated.
The move comes after Whirlpool announced plans in February to lay off 341 workers at the Middle Amana plant. The layoffs were effective March 9.
A Whirlpool spokesperson said at the time that the layoffs represented “the continuation of a broader multi-year transformation that will help diversify the operations of the Amana plant and better position it for the future.”
The spokesperson also said Whirlpool planned to invest in the Amana plant to expand operations and upgrade the types of products produced.
Whirlpool said in February the company was anticipating “additional job reductions in the second quarter” as operational needs are assessed. “We have committed to sharing more information with employees as soon as possible,” the spokesperson said.
No additional layoffs at the Amana plant have been announced to date.
The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers condemned the Whirlpool layoffs in Amana, calling the move part of “a pattern of corporate abandonment.”
Workers at the facility produce refrigerators under the Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag and Amana brands. The plant once employed more than 3,000 workers, but reports have indicated employment is now around 1,000.
