Whirlpool, a glimmer of hope for Caserta

There is a glimmer of hope that closure of the factory in Carinaro, near Caserta, can be avoided, by bringing back to Italy part of the production that is carried out in Poland by Whirlpool-Indesit. This is the only news to emerge from the last meeting, at the Ministry for Economic Development (MED), between the top managers of the American multinational and the unions.

Over the last few years, Poland, which produces all of the Group’s low range of electrical appliances, has proven not to be efficient, in terms of delivery times and quality, two elements that may benefit Carinaro in a hypothetical transfer of part of the production volumes.

The top managers at Whirlpool-EMEA, represented by the CEO David Castiglioni, Francesca Morichini and Carmine Trerotola, continued to demonstrate their business plan in detail, and were willing to think of different solutions that they do not currently have.

At the MED, there were also the joint union representatives from Cassinetta, Chiara Cola (UILM), Tiziano Franceschetti (FIM), Matteo Berardi (FIOM) and the national secretaries, Michele Zanocco, of FIM CISL, Michela Spera, of FIOM CGIL, and Rocco Palombella and Gianluca Ficco, of UILM.

In the meantime, the protest by workers at Caserta reached the roof of the factory, where six employees protested against the factory’s closure.

The next meeting at the Ministry is scheduled for Friday 8 May.