She said the number of workers at the plant has declined from nearly 3,000 just a few years ago to close to 1,300, and that she believed more cuts are likely. Whirlpool has around 20,000 employees in the US, with 14,000 in manufacturing at 10 factories.
“We’re not seeing a ton of parts or new opportunities or changes in their platforms that might support all of us staying in the factory or even staying open long term,” she added. “Whirlpool is the only big facility around this area. So they’re about seven small towns that it’s going to devastate when those people lose their jobs, and if we lose any more, I don’t know that we’ll have small towns left in that area.”
During Trump’s first term, Whirlpool sought and received tariffs on imported washing machines, their competitors, calling it a win “for American workers and consumers alike.” In 2020 Trump gave a speech at a Whirlpool plant in Ohio, calling the companyy a “shining example” of the “buy American and hire American” policies his administration was pursuing.
it is happening in iowa
Workers at Whirlpool, the US’s largest appliance manufacturer and a champion of Donald Trump’s tariff policies, are criticizing the company for cutting jobs at an Iowa plant while bolstering production in Mexico.
The job cuts at Whirlpool come as the company has continued to support the Trump administration’s trade policies and claimed they will help bolster US manufacturing. Trump’s trade policies appear to have done little for US manufacturing so far. The US has lost 83,000 factory jobs since Trump took office in January 2025.
Back some years ago, almost every appliance I bought was sold by Sears; they were high-quality products that lasted forever. Lawn mowers, Sears. Tools, I still have all my Craftsman tools. Refrigerators, Sears. The good old days, when American companies made things to last and were of the highest quality.
At one time, I sold cars, used cars to be specific. We used to make fun of the Toyotas. While I still stick to companies that used to be American, I prefer Jeeps and Rams; sometimes it is tempting to buy a Japanese car.
I recall being lured back to Walmart when it advertised that it would sell primarily American-made products. That didn’t last long. I don’t visit Walmart very often. Prefer to spend my money at places that pay and treat their workers better, such as Cotso and HEB in my area.
