“Whirlpool plants all at a standstill” in Italy due to an 8-hour strike announced for today, October 4 by unions of metalworkers. Fim-Cisl, Fiom-Cgil and Uilm-Uil claim the results of the protest called for the purpose of demonstrate against the sale of the factory in via Argine in Naples which today employs 400 people.
Parallel to the strike, the trade unions organized a demonstration in Rome. "Over two thousand workers from all Whirlpool sites in Italy demonstrated in the streets of Rome against the closure of the Naples site, announced by the American multinational of white people", explained the secretary of Fim Cisl, Marco Bentivogli who then did the point on the meeting held at the Ministry of Economic Development with Minister Patuanelli.
“The condition is that Whirlpool sits at the table without preconditions,” Bentivogli said. Patuanelli "also let it be known that next week, Wednesday 9 October, the Prime Minister wants to meet the general secretaries of Fim, Fiom, and Uilm as a signal of attention for this dispute and for workers", continues Bentivogli, specifying that the minister has let the unions know that the company intends to agree on ways to reopen the negotiating table.
“In this dispute the management groups have changed but the style and methods are still the same, even in 2015 we had built an agreement that included some sacrifices but safeguarded the industrial commitment in our country. The company has therefore been using social safety nets for years we could have worked more seriously in managing this crisis. Like Fim, Fiom and Uilm we have never looked the other way on conversions, but it must be done seriously and with a solid industrial plan. Whirlpool has already shown little seriousness with the Embraco dispute. For this reason, the discussion on reconversion is also absolutely distorted. Today, however, we need to give an answer to the workers, in particular on article 47 they need to take a step back ", concludes the trade unionist.
The general secretary of the CISL, Annamaria Furlan he stated that “the Government at the highest levels must intervene to reopen the negotiations and enforce the company's commitments. Naples cannot lose that industrial production and jobs". According to the general secretary of Uilm, Rocco Palombella, “the strike is going well, the workers are supportive as always. The closure of the Naples plant is unacceptable and we will oppose it".
