Article

2010-10-19 Economy

Remembering Whirlpool and it's many contributions as it leaves for Mexico.

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Posted by Besoeker 2010-10-19 07:27|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 I'm just replacing all my appliances. This will be one less choice.

Posted by armyguy 2010-10-19 08:10|| 2010-10-19 08:10|| Front Page Top

#2 This seems more speculation at this point. A quick google of the company shows they have plants in Fort Smith, Arkansas; Evansville, Indiana; Iowa (Newton and Amana); Tulsa, Oklahoma; Ohio (Clyde, Findlay, Greenville, Marion and Ottawa); and Cleveland, Tennessee.

They also market many brands such as, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Gladiator Garage Works, Inglis, Estate, Brastemp, Bauknecht and Consul.

Even in the comments there is mention of a plant moving to Tennessee instead of Mexico, so I'll take this with salt. Even if only one plant goes to Mexico, this company is so huge that it might make sense to move a plant there for that market.

Posted by DarthVader 2010-10-19 08:21|| 2010-10-19 08:21|| Front Page Top

#3 Even if only one plant goes to Mexico, this company is so huge that it might make sense to move a plant there for that market.
Posted by DarthVader

Not if you live in Evansville, Indiana.

Posted by Besoeker 2010-10-19 08:38|| 2010-10-19 08:38|| Front Page Top

#4 It's getting impossible to find anything made here anymore.

Posted by Glenmore 2010-10-19 08:42|| 2010-10-19 08:42|| Front Page Top

#5 Not if you live in Evansville, Indiana.

If a comment posted is correct (all unconfirmed speculation as well), it was the unions digging in their heels and not willing to negotiate. IF true, I hold very little sympathy for the workers that should have ditched the unions years ago. Again, I don't know enough of the story from one little blurb and comments, but it once again sounds like the unions are cutting off their nose to spite their face.

Posted by DarthVader 2010-10-19 08:44|| 2010-10-19 08:44|| Front Page Top

#6 I'm no fan of labor unions, never have been. Evansville is a working man's town. A factory job at Whirlpool was hardly a status symbol. Difficult to compete at any hourly rate against Chinese slave labor, or $2.00 - $3.00 per hour rates of Mexico, not to mention the benefits and Workman's Compensation piece. Labor unions have been and remain a part of the problem, but not the entire problem I assure you.

Posted by Besoeker 2010-10-19 08:59|| 2010-10-19 08:59|| Front Page Top

#7 I'm just replacing all my appliances. This will be one less choice

I replaced mine a year ago, determined to not buy GE since they were selling to Iran--but found they were all under the same umbrella--Jenn-Air, Whirlpool, Maytag, etc

Posted by Lumpy Elmoluck5091 2010-10-19 10:44|| 2010-10-19 10:44|| Front Page Top

#8 A union just voted themselves out of a job at Beechcraft in Wichita.

Posted by bman 2010-10-19 11:38|| 2010-10-19 11:38|| Front Page Top

#9 I know a few factories who closed up shop and moved lock, stock, and barrel to China. In every case, the unions involved displayed nothing but bullet-headed stubbornness. Not saying that was the only reason they moved, but it certainly didn't help.

Posted by gromky 2010-10-19 16:02|| 2010-10-19 16:02|| Front Page Top

#10 The unions aren't serving their workers very well, IMHO. They're more about the damn magic beans business than actual improving the lot of workers. They take the money out of the salary, one way or another, and the worker gets magic beans that may be worth pension payments... or may not.

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2010-10-19 16:57|| 2010-10-19 16:57|| Front Page Top

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