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Tell Whirlpool: ‘Keep It Made In America—Save Our Jobs’
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The Whirlpool Corp. makes a big deal of its concern for the environment and the poor. But now, the company is about to throw 1,100 workers at its Evansville, Ind., refrigerator plant onto the streets and move their jobs to Mexico, where labor and environmental laws are weaker.
You can show solidarity with the Whirlpool workers, most of whom are members of IUE-CWA, by signing an online petition urging Whirlpool to reverse its decision and Keep It Made in America: Save Our Jobs. Click here to sign the petition.
AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will join Whirlpool workers at the Evansville plant Feb. 26 to deliver the petitions. The workers will then march from the plant to the IUE-CWA Local 808 union hall for a rally where Trumka, workers and union and community leaders will speak.
Whirlpool’s actions are “outrageous and unacceptable,” Trumka says. He points out that Whirlpool recently received $19 million as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:
Those are our economic recovery funds, not Mexico’s.
Too many people have lost their jobs. Too many jobs have been sent overseas. Enough is enough. Whirlpool’s management can’t take our money, shut down our factories and lay off our workers.
While workers worry about their futures, Whirlpool continues to make huge profits, with revenues of more than $4.8 billion in the past quarter alone. The company is spending $110 million to build the new plant in Mexico.
Whirlpool workers are ramping up their “Shame on Whirlpool” campaign, urging the company not to move the jobs to Mexico. The union is keeping a spotlight on Whirlpool, putting up billboards with the “shame” message and leafleting local stores, including Lowe’s and Sears, that buy Whirlpool products and planning other community events. Check out the “Shame” campaign here.
Says IUE-CWA President James Clark:
Whirlpool’s decision to shut down and move our work to Mexico is greed-driven and an atrocity. We know companies need to make money, but moving jobs out of the country during this economic crisis is shameful.
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7 Comments
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Looks like this is the week for the big push on health care reform with the public option.. Lets hit them like a title wave from all the union folks.. If your rep hasn’t signed the Bennet ltr to Harry Reid advocating a reconcilliation vote call him ASAP If you think there is still a chance for bi-partisam support, as apparently Obama does, then think again—- it will not happen.
You can’t blame Whirlpool for trying to make a profit when the laws permit it. You can blame the politicians who crafted and passed NAFTA- the North Amewrican Free TRAde Act. Written by Al Gore and Passed By Bll Clinton, NAFTA Resulted in the Loss of More Than a Million U.S. Jobs. From 1993 through 2004, the United States lost 1,015,290 jobs due to NAFTA. (“NAFTA’s Cautionary Tale,” Economic Policy Institute, 7/20/05)
BUY AMERICAN and PROTECT AMERICAN JOBS!
I completely disagree with the previous comment – remember, it is the working class of the entire world that is under attack, not just that of the U.S.! Workers of the World Unite! You have nothing to lose but your chains! It’s never been more timely to remember that workers worldwide are trying to survive and provide and we need international solidarity with our Sisters and Brothers who like us are Workers. The Workers United will Never Be Divided! Let’s get past the senseless chauvinism of ‘Buy American’ and start building the fightback uniting with workers everywhere.
Could you please amend my comment: I want to emphasize that I am against HAFTA, CAFTA, and all such agreements that are not in the interest of workers here, there, and everywhere. Thank you.
Heck, tell the White House! Tell the WH that our tax dollars should not be being used to eliminate 1,100 US jobs or fund the moving of a US factory to Mexico.
Speak Up America:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact
These companies that want to move our jobs out of the USA is just do to corporate greed and it is anti American I don’t care what anyone says. They can just sale there products over there as well as far as I’m concerned.
We are our worst enemys if we demanded American made and only bought American made there would be more American made to choose from.
I personally choose american made if it’s available even if it costs a few cents more and I found that often it’s the same price or less exspensive but you may have to look a little harder to find it.
Many people look for the lowest price because they do not have enough to buy what is needed for their family. The only way that things will change in our country is for the have’s(Senate and Reps & the ultra rich) to have nothing and we know that is not going to happen. I just worked a job for 1 week & 3 days that removed parts of the assembly line for Chrysler. They are shipping out of state and possibly out of the country. It was so disheartening to work the job, but I still needed to pay bills and place food on the table. As of last night they laid me and 10 others off. 10 more today and who know how many by the end of the week. Not only did Chrysler take the jobs from their own employees, they took the jobs that were to be in the coming years for many tradesman. With out INDUSTRY in this country, we will have no middle class. Fiixing it has snowballed way out of control. Good luck to everyone, I think we will need it.