Naples, Whirlpool starts layoffs for 350 workers. Workers go to Draghi: “We want answers”

“After a long reflection, we have decided to start the collective dismissal procedure” for the Naples plant. This was announced by the CEO. by Whirlpool, Luigi La Morgia, during the table at the Mise led by the Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Alessandra Todde. 350 workers from the Campania site are at risk of being unemployed.

The collective dismissal procedure “from our point of view should not be a prejudicial” for the identification of an alternative for the Whirlpool site in Naples, said La Morgia, during the table with the trade unions at the Mise. “In the event that the alternative is identified within 75 days – he continued – we are ready to discuss it.

Escorted by dozens of police men in riot gear, the workers of the Whirlpool site in Naples gathered outside the prison of Santa Maria Capua Vetere, Caserta, where Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Marta Cartabia were visiting. “Draghi told us that Whirlpool’s decision to initiate the dismissal procedure for the employees of the Naples plant represents a ‘serious and unacceptable institutional disgrace’”. This was reported by the secretary of Uilm Campania Antonello Accurso at the end of the meeting with the premier he had in prison together with the other two trade unionists Raffaele Apetino (secretary Fim-Cisl Campania) and Rosario Rappa (Fiom-Cgil Napoli). “The Prime Minister – added Accurso – has pledged to find an industrial solution to the dispute, assuring that he will undertake personally”.

“Due to the sharp drop in demand for washing machines produced in Naples, the plant has become unsustainable for Whirlpool”, the company specified at the end of the meeting convened online by Mise. “For this reason, more than two years ago the company began discussing potential transition scenarios and working with trade unions and institutional stakeholders – both national and local – in order to minimize the impact of Whirlpool’s exit. from the Naples plant. As no alternative emerged, production on the site was stopped on 31 October 2020 “.