Whirlpool, after taking $19 million in economic recovery money, sends 1100 Indiana jobs to Mexico

[Amerigo Vespucci]

An American Brand Name Heads to Mexico - After Taking Economic Recovery Funds

By Susie Madrak Monday May 03, 2010 4:00pm

There was a time when American businesses actually took pride in being American businesses, employing Americans. Now that The World Is Flat, companies are in a constant game of musical chairs, seeking out the cheapest possible foreign locations to bump the price of stocks.

Even if a federal subsidy helped them bump up their first quarter profits:

NEW YORK (AP) -- Federal rebates for energy-efficient appliances pulled shoppers back into stores, helping Whirlpool Corp.'s revenue rise and its first-quarter profit more than double, the company said.

Guess how Whirlpool is repaying American taxpayers for their support:

Whirlpool Corporation is shutting down a refrigerator plant in Evansville, Indiana that will put 1100 people out of work. Are they having trouble selling refrigerators in these bad economic times? No. Whirlpool is profitable and still selling plenty of refrigerators here. But they want to ship these jobs to Mexico where they can produce them cheaper and without having to respect U.S. labor and environmental regulations.

Whirlpool took $19 million in economic recovery money and now instead of helping our economy recover, it’s destroying 1100 good American jobs. The AFL-CIO has started an online petition drive telling Whirlpool to “Keep It Made In America” to save our jobs. You can find it at unionvoice.org/campaign/Evansville.

The AFL-CIO says Whirlpool should reverse its decision to keep these 1100 jobs in the U.S. and help our economic recovery. The labor federation says taxpayer economic recovery money should be used to create jobs in America, not ship them to cheap labor markets in other countries.

I know if I ever buy another refrigerator, it won't be a Whirlpool.

http://crooksandliars.com/susie-madrak/american-brand-name-heads-mexico-afte

[sakabatou]

1. *facepalm*

[TK421]

2. shitheads n/t

[katandmoon]

3. Privatized profit, socialized risk.

[flvegan]

4. I bought two Whirlpool appliances in the last year.

Did so largely for the fact they were made here.

Never again.

[CurtEastPoint]

5. I wrote to their 'customer care' people about this and never even got a response.

They don't fucking care.

[dmallind]

6. Their two big OH plants too? NT

[lonestarnot]

7. And don't forget they now make Maytag shit.

[avaistheone1]

11. They now make Kitchenaid as well.

[eqfan592]

8. As a soon-to-be resident of Evansville...

..I was really distressed to learn of this. I hope somebody is able to convince Whirlpool to do differently.

[chill_wind]

9. "Guess how Whirlpool is repaying American taxpayers for their support."

The same way the banksters and our Wall Street Senate is repaying us.
With a big F*^K You, America.

[Captain Hilts]

10. Don't let them export the stuff to the states. nt

[Tailormyst]

12. Anyone know what appliances are still made here?

[dflprincess]

14. This hasn't been updated because it still includes Whirlpool, but it's a start

http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/appliances.html

[SouthernLiberal]

13. We should get our money back!

The US should demand that this company return the $19 million dollars immediately. If they can't, or won't, we should start seizing company assets.

[Bluebear]

15. Ban their exporting their crap into the US until their $19 mill is paid back with interest

[moondust]

16. Or tax the crap permanently as a matter of policy.

Along with all the other crap that U.S. companies are manufacturing offshore in cheap labor markets and "importing" into the U.S. Make it much less profitable or not profitable to offshore jobs.

[Wilms]

17. .

[amborin]

18. K&R

[harry_pothead]

19. Charge em with treason.

[girl gone mad]

20. I guess I'll be buying a Miele.

The money goes to Germany, but at least it is supporting a fair wage and reasonable environmental standards.

[LeftyMom]

26. They make nice stuff.

I have a Miele vacuum, it's crazy light and very very quiet, and it picks up well. My only complaint is that the bags are expensive and hard to find, but I just get around that by ordering big batches of them on ebay once a year or so.

[SpiralHawk]

21. Whirlpool is following Republicon strategery

Why do Republicon whirlpoolers HATE America?

[MilesColtrane]

22. I will be washer shopping shortly.

I guess I can cross Whirlpool/Maytag off the list.

The hexagonal-tub, made-in-America Staber™ washing machine looks intriguing.

[CrispyQ]

23. I'm sure they'll pass the cost savings on to US consumers!

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

How is this even allowed that they took a taxpayer bailout & then ship jobs overseas? What the fuck?

[Duppers]

24. Boo! I'll not buy Whirlpool.

Or any of their subsidiaries.


We can vote with our dollars.

[B Calm]

25. My thoughts too!