Guidi says govt committed to Whirlpool jobs

(ANSA) - Rome, April 16 - Industry Minister Federica Guidi said Thursday that the Italian government "will do everything to safeguard the jobs of Whirlpool in Italy" until 2018.
    She said it is pressing the United States giant on earlier commitments to that effect made when it took over Italy's Indesit.
    Earlier, her industry ministry said it had "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," it said.
    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.