Whirlpool, the agreement is: 495 layoffs

After the long night, also the agreement on the restructuring of Whirlpool has passed: laid off workers, between workers and employees, will be 495, not 600. Eventually, the count of "submerged" and "saved" says that 105 workers will thank the postponement of the manoeuvre  made by Monti’s Government. There was, in fact, a sudden acceleration just when the negotiations on the issue of layoffs, seemed destined to never conclude. Tuesday afternoon, the metalworkers’ unions (Fim, Fiom and Uilm), seeing an opening, played the card of the early retirement (perhaps for the last time) according to the old rules. At that point, the leadership of Whirlpool, taking the opportunity to tighten the timing of the negotiations that have been going on for about a month, asked to define the agreement on everything, including even the cuts of those who were not near to the retirement.

In addition to early retirement, workers who will be fired, will be offered voluntary mobility promoted by the company, which provides one hundred percent of salary for one year. The program of "streamlining" employment will be made within two years, from 2012 to 2013, with a review after 18 months period within which the department will close the side by side.

It will make use of defensive solidarity contracts, a tool never used until now  by the  Whirlpool  of Cassinetta – but only in the factories of Naples and Siena – that will allow, with a reduction in working hours for all, to maintain employment at 90 percent of pay. An important decision, the last one, because the application of contracts of solidarity in a large multinational company, will inspire other local companies.

In the next weeks, additional meetings will added, to continue the comparison of the management reorganisation plan presented by Whirlpool 10th November last year.