"The meeting was interlocutory and disappointing, while concrete solutions are urgently needed to guarantee industrial continuity and work, since unfortunately Whirlpool has not changed its intention to close the Naples plant at the end of October. Up to now, the Government has not managed to influence the multinational or find alternatives, thus showing a dangerous weakness, especially since the company decision violates an agreement signed at the institutional level in October 2018".
This was stated by Rocco Palombella, general secretary of Uilm, and Gianluca Ficco, national secretary of Uilm responsible for the household appliances sector, at the end of the meeting held today with Whirlpool and the Ministry of Economic Development via videoconference.
"The Government - insist Palombella and Ficco - has never accepted our suggestions to pass regulations that penalize the multinational if it persists in its plans to close and instead incentivize it if it changes them by deciding to relaunch the Naples site. And yet we had offered the example of what had been successfully done in 2015 to win the tough Electrolux dispute, but we were unheard. The only thing that has emerged is Invitalia's search for possible investors to convert the Naples site, with the intent to present a plan from those currently under consideration by July 31".
“We are also waiting for precise news – Palombella and Ficco conclude – on the prospects of all the other sites, since the company management has committed to illustrating the updates of the industrial plan after July 23. We hope that the signs of recovery of some plants will be confirmed, that the delocalization of clerical functions will stop and that our growing fears about the future of Carinaro, a warehouse located in the province of Caserta, will be dispelled”.
Article published on 2 July 2020 - 13:31
