Whirlpool Fridge Plant Layoff Widens

twice.com ^ | 8/24/2010 | Alan Wolf

[MamaDearest]

Fort Smith, Ark. - Whirlpool has expanded its planned layoff of refrigerator factory workers here this fall.


According to an email sent last week by Whirlpool spokesperson Jill Saletta to The City Wire, a local community paper, the first round of layoffs, announced late last year, will begin in October following the shutdown of counter-depth refrigerator production at the plant.



A second, previously unannounced round of layoffs is expected in November "due to softening of demand, which is typical at this time of year," Saletta wrote.



Whirlpool didn't say how many workers would be affected by the actions, but local TV station KFSM-TV projected the number of pink slips at between 600 and 1,000.



Whirlpool, the world's largest appliance maker, has been consolidating its manufacturing base in an aggressive effort to cut costs and boost profitability amid a deep majap industry downturn. Most recently, the company announced plans in June to close a laundry component machining facility at corporate headquarters in Benton Harbor, Mich., resulting in the loss of 216 jobs late this year or early in 2011.

[MamaDearest]

Emphasis mine.

[eyedigress]

Obviously due to the Obama stimulus package.

[Kartographer]

OBAMAVILLE Gett’n a head fake,
watchin' msn’s take;
All of their pundits oozing foul oil.
Clean’n my six gun on my front porch swing.
Felling my blood--
It’s beginnin' to boil.

Wasted away again in Obamaville,
Searchin' for a job so I can earn my salt.
Some people claim that Bush is to blame,
But I know it's Obama’s fault.

There’s no rhyme or reason,
They are all commitin’ treason
With nothing to show but a brand new tax or two.
But they are real beauties,
Despotic duties, how they got passed
I haven't a clue.

Wasted away again in Obamaville,
Searchin' for a job so I can earn my salt.
Some people claim that it’s Bush we should blame,
Now I think,-- hell with them it’s Obama’s fault.

I blew out my flip flop,
Stepped on a pop top;
Cut my heel, but I just cruise on back home.
Because no medical care will the doctors render
They say there’s little service I can tender And there’s no need for me to hang on.

Wasted away again in Obamaville
Searchin' for a job so I can earn my salt.
Some people claim that Bush is to blame,
But I know, it's my own damn fault.
Yes, and some people claim that Bush is to blame,
And I know because of my vote it's my own damn fault damn fault.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

“The Foreman says those jobs are gone and ain’t coming back!”

[Frantzie]

Sad. I like Whirlpool. I have one of their fridges. I bought American.

I will never buy anything from General Electric because they are an Obama sh*t company.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

an aggressive effort to cut costs and boost profitability amid a deep majap industry downturn.

I've had mahjhongg mishaps but no one lost their job. Can you send the rules to play majap?

[fatnotlazy]

Had a Whirlpool refrigerator for about 20 years till it finally gave up the ghost last year. I loved it because the freezer was on the bottom instead of the top. I’m short and didn’t appreciate having to climb a ladder to get to the frozen food.

I have a Sears now — freezer on the bottom too — but it’s a piece of krap. My parents always had Sears appliances. They were great. Now they’re cheap junk.

[sushiman]

Japan makes the best refrigerators now .

[NormsRevenge]

Looks like we can look forward to an extended Recovery Summer.

[television is just wrong]

whirlpool is carried at costco, this surprises me. people usually keep buying items like this because they are a necessity. sad.

[LIBERTARIAN JOE]

Japan makes the best refrigerators now

Yea, japanese companies can build extra quality into "their" refrigerator design because their research and development costs are limited to the cost of one Whirlpool fridge - what are they going to do when the US innovators are all ran out of business? Design their own stuff? Haha.

[longtermmemmory]

Walt Disney World has a unionization vote in the comming weeks at their call centers.

I expect a positive vote will result in a shut down of one or both. (each will be voting seperatly)

I expect more layoffs ala whirlpool.

[sushiman]

Agree that the Japanese are not as innovative as their US counterparts , but they are much more so nowadays .

QC is # 1 and they take great pride in their work . Very meticulous .