Italy's industry ministry said
Thursday it has "strong opposition to aspects" of
Whirlpool-Indesit's plans that one union said may involve 1,350
job cuts.
The ministry said in a statement after a meeting with the
US giant about its plans to integrate with Italy's Indesit, that
it wants commitments the company will avoid "unilateral
layoffs".
Whirlpool said after the meeting that it plans to invest
500 million euros in Italian operations over four years. "Italy
will be the focus of long-term strategies".
Union UILM said earlier that Whirlpool has warned of 1,350
job cuts to come, including 1,200 factory jobs and 150 in
research centres.
National union spokesman Gianluca Ficco said he was told of
the cuts in the meeting with the industry ministry.
The company is closing its Indesit plant in Caserta, he
said.
Last July, Whirlpool bought control of the Italian
home-appliance maker Indesit, which has been based in Marche, in
a deal permitting layoffs and a move from Caserta.
A deal signed at that time by UILM, FIM and UGL as well as
Italian local and central governments was aimed at avoiding
1,425 lay-offs and ensuring 83 million euros worth of
investments.
But trade federation FIOM-CGIL warned then that the deal
would compromise jobs in future.
FIOM-CGIL objected in particular to a part of that July
agreement allowing Indesit to move clothes-washing machine
production away from its current location at the southern
Italian city of Caserta, and replace it with stove production
taken from another Italian plant located in Melano, east of
Ancona.
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