Neighbors, family members and others in the community of Michigan’s Great Southwest have been watching closely, and with great emotion as layoffs are taking place at Whirlpool Corporate headquarters and some other facilities in the region.
I reached out to Whirlpool Corporation Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs Tuesday for details on what’s happening there. Here is what he provided to me:
As part of our ongoing business management we continually monitor our operations and make adjustments. Late last year, Whirlpool Corporation publicly committed to reducing global fixed costs by $150M to better position our company for future growth and profitability. We are doing this through a number of actions that touch all of our regions.
Some reduction of jobs is part of those actions and those who are affected have been notified. Where jobs are impacted, we are treating our employees fairly and with respect throughout the process.
This is a necessary part of positioning our business for the future. We continue to have approximately 4000 employees and full time contractors in the Twin Cities.
The exact number of layoffs being undertaken has not been revealed, and the specific departments impacted also remain unidentified.
