[Profit over people] Whirlpool Lays Off 315 at Amana
Whirlpool announced on Thursday that it would be cutting 440 jobs at the plant as a result of the downturn in the economy. By James Steward
AMANA, Iowa - Whirlpool Corp. announced plans Friday to lay off about 315 workers at its refrigerator plant in Amana due to the slow economy.
The layoffs were posted at 10 a.m., workers said, and affect much of the third shift except specialists such as tool and die makers and mechanical maintenance workers.
Randy Krewson, business agent for Machinists Local 1528, said the layoff included 250-260 permanent and 55-60 temporary workers.
The layoffs affected workers with seniority back to June 30, 2008, including many summer employees who are enrolled in college during the remainder of the year.
Whirlpool “geared up in early spring to make a lot of units,” said Randy Mumm, a 33-year member of Machinists Local 1526 from Walford who saw the layoffs posted at about 10 a.m. Friday, July 15. He said it appeared that the demand simply didn’t materialize.
Whirlpool Corp. did not immediately return messages left after normal business hours on Friday, July 15.
The company manufactures French door refrigerators at the plant and last year added a line of 50-pound icemakers.
Employees said layoffs were anticipated, but the company is limited in its work force reductions by terms of a state grant it received when it added the icemaker line, formerly housed at a plant in Evansville, Ind., that has since closed.
http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Whirlpool-Lays-Off-315-at-Amana-125669313.html
Friday, July 15, 2011
Another unbelievably greedy and selfish person in the Fred Upton clan wants to destroy gorgeous lakefront beach and untouched habitat in Saugatuck, Michigan, up the lake from Benton Harbor. He's Aubrey McClendon. Google his name for more info... The meeting this Monday has been moved, most likely to cut down on attendance. Wear red if you don't support the piranha, McClendon.
Limited seats for dunes hearing July 18
By Scott Sullivan, Editor, Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Saugatuck Township board and planning commission will hold a joint public hearing Monday, July 18, to consider a proposed settlement of litigation with Singapore Dunes LLC.
The session, first announced as being in the Saugatuck High School gymnasium, has been moved to the smaller, 200-seat cafeteria due to building scheduling conflicts including a school board meeting, basketball games and a goat rodeo that night, said officials. The hearing starts at 6 p.m.
Singapore Dunes owner Aubrey McClendon is suing the township in U.S. district court claiming it rezoned his Lake Michigan-fronting property illegally.
The Oklahoma billionaire has announced conceptual plans to develop land north of the Kalamazoo River with a 66-slip marina, nine-story inn, high-end homes, nine-hole golf course and equestrian area, leaving most of its 320 acres in their natural state, but has not submitted formal plans to the township.
His suit claims the township illegally down-zoned his land in 2006 to prevent development and has been corrupted by taking more than $30,0000 in payments from the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, a local nonprofit land-preservation group.
The township counters that McClendon has not submitted formal plans for development nor followed procedures with the planning commission and/or other boards to do so.
The proposed settlement, much discussed in letters and ads on ensuing pages, may be reviewed under “Breaking News” on the township’s Web site, www.saugatucktownship.org.
Supervisor Bill Wester told persons attending the July 6 township board meeting he expected Singapore Dunes to begin Monday’s public hearing with a presentation.
“Afterwards anyone can speak, not just township residents,” he said. “But we will ask speakers if they are residents.
“We want to take residents’ temperatures regarding the proposed settlement. We may or may not vote on it.
“It’s not a slam dunk,” he said.
http://www.allegannews.com/articles/2011/07/14/cr_news/1.txt
Limited seats for dunes hearing July 18
By Scott Sullivan, Editor, Wednesday, July 13, 2011
The Saugatuck Township board and planning commission will hold a joint public hearing Monday, July 18, to consider a proposed settlement of litigation with Singapore Dunes LLC.
The session, first announced as being in the Saugatuck High School gymnasium, has been moved to the smaller, 200-seat cafeteria due to building scheduling conflicts including a school board meeting, basketball games and a goat rodeo that night, said officials. The hearing starts at 6 p.m.
Singapore Dunes owner Aubrey McClendon is suing the township in U.S. district court claiming it rezoned his Lake Michigan-fronting property illegally.
The Oklahoma billionaire has announced conceptual plans to develop land north of the Kalamazoo River with a 66-slip marina, nine-story inn, high-end homes, nine-hole golf course and equestrian area, leaving most of its 320 acres in their natural state, but has not submitted formal plans to the township.
His suit claims the township illegally down-zoned his land in 2006 to prevent development and has been corrupted by taking more than $30,0000 in payments from the Saugatuck Dunes Coastal Alliance, a local nonprofit land-preservation group.
The township counters that McClendon has not submitted formal plans for development nor followed procedures with the planning commission and/or other boards to do so.
The proposed settlement, much discussed in letters and ads on ensuing pages, may be reviewed under “Breaking News” on the township’s Web site, www.saugatucktownship.org.
Supervisor Bill Wester told persons attending the July 6 township board meeting he expected Singapore Dunes to begin Monday’s public hearing with a presentation.
“Afterwards anyone can speak, not just township residents,” he said. “But we will ask speakers if they are residents.
“We want to take residents’ temperatures regarding the proposed settlement. We may or may not vote on it.
“It’s not a slam dunk,” he said.
http://www.allegannews.com/articles/2011/07/14/cr_news/1.txt
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Benton Harbor city commissioners recently gave Whirlpool a FIFTY MILLION DOLLAR TAX BREAK. Yes, a starving town gives it up for the filthy rich greed-based corporation. Why? One can speculate: over decades, WP money has found it's way into cooperative BH residents' pockets and commissioners could assume that will continue to happen. So what's fifty million for a few thousand in hand? Keep in mind that commissioners mostly voted "for Whirlpool" until their power was removed a few months ago. Below WNDU tells us that WP so very generously donates 3.8 million to BH. Kudos for mentioning in the same sentence that WP spends 60 million on their new riverfront BH office complex. Of interest also is that WP money will teach boxing to BH kids. In St. Joe they fund tennis. If you check out the comments after the article's online version, you get a feel for the current state of Berrien County racism, or maybe St. Joe racism...
Benton Harbor decides how to spend Whirlpool donation
After much back and forth between Benton Harbor's leaders, the city has decided how it will spend its donation from Whirlpool
Reporter kelly.taylor@wndu.com
After much back and forth between Benton Harbor's leaders, the city has decided how it will spend its donation from Whirlpool according to our reporting partners at The Herald Palladium.
Emergency Manager Joe Harris, Mayor Wilce Cook and Mayor Pro Tem Marcus Muhammad have signed an agreement.
The money will go toward new emergency response vehicles, equipped with hoses and water tanks, a summer jobs program for kids, parks and swimming and boxing programs for kids.
In all, Whirlpool will invest $3.8 million in the community, as it builds its new $60 million office complex downtown.
http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Benton_Harbor_decides_how_to_spend_Whirlpool_donation_123510014.html
Benton Harbor decides how to spend Whirlpool donation
After much back and forth between Benton Harbor's leaders, the city has decided how it will spend its donation from Whirlpool
Reporter kelly.taylor@wndu.com
After much back and forth between Benton Harbor's leaders, the city has decided how it will spend its donation from Whirlpool according to our reporting partners at The Herald Palladium.
Emergency Manager Joe Harris, Mayor Wilce Cook and Mayor Pro Tem Marcus Muhammad have signed an agreement.
The money will go toward new emergency response vehicles, equipped with hoses and water tanks, a summer jobs program for kids, parks and swimming and boxing programs for kids.
In all, Whirlpool will invest $3.8 million in the community, as it builds its new $60 million office complex downtown.
http://www.wndu.com/localnews/headlines/Benton_Harbor_decides_how_to_spend_Whirlpool_donation_123510014.html
Saturday, July 09, 2011
[We have a question for Ralph Crenshaw and Ricky Hill, Benton Harbor Housing Commissioners:
Where's the $87,000.00?]
HUD audit finds fault in state's Neighborhood Stabilization payouts
June 21, 2011 |
BY GRETA GUEST
DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
Related Links
* HUD audit of Michigan's use of Neighborhood Stabilization Fund dollars
Michigan State Housing Development Authority got some red marks on the way it implemented its Neighborhood Stabilization Fund dollars, according to a recent audit.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited the state’s handling of the program’s first round of funding. In its report dated June 3, it found the authority missed some deadlines to allocate funds and lacked documentation in other areas...
...• MSHDA may have allocated nearly $87,000 for Habitat for Humanity Michigan and the City of Benton Harbor for administrative costs that lacked documentation.
gguest@freepress.com.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110621/BUSINESS04/110621042/State-audit-finds-fault-Neighborhood-Stabilization-payouts?odyssey=nav|head
Where's the $87,000.00?]
HUD audit finds fault in state's Neighborhood Stabilization payouts
June 21, 2011 |
BY GRETA GUEST
DETROIT FREE PRESS BUSINESS WRITER
Related Links
* HUD audit of Michigan's use of Neighborhood Stabilization Fund dollars
Michigan State Housing Development Authority got some red marks on the way it implemented its Neighborhood Stabilization Fund dollars, according to a recent audit.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General audited the state’s handling of the program’s first round of funding. In its report dated June 3, it found the authority missed some deadlines to allocate funds and lacked documentation in other areas...
...• MSHDA may have allocated nearly $87,000 for Habitat for Humanity Michigan and the City of Benton Harbor for administrative costs that lacked documentation.
gguest@freepress.com.
http://www.freep.com/article/20110621/BUSINESS04/110621042/State-audit-finds-fault-Neighborhood-Stabilization-payouts?odyssey=nav|head
Tuesday, July 05, 2011
[Whirlpool: $17 Billion Annual Profit]
[Whirlpool] Hoover retirees ponder options in wake of health insurance change
...Whirlpool has told workers it will end supplemental medical and pharmacy coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees who are 65 or older. The plan will be replaced by a stipend of up to $50 a month to help pay for a Medicare supplemental plan and $35 per month to help cover the cost of a Medicare Part D supplemental pharmacy plan.
Younger retirees will be offered a health savings account plan and wellness-focused program instead of current company-provided health care. The new plan matches one now offered to Whirlpool employees...
...Retirees contend planned changes violate contracts that Hoover and its employees approved over the years.
“This is supposed to be vested for our lives,” Kassey said. “I don’t know how anyone thinks that this is even close to what they promised us when we retired.”
Repace said Local 1985 routinely negotiated contracts that covered the needs or retirees, including health insurance benefits. He said the proposed change does away with the negotiated plan. “They cannot do that.”
John Zawaski Jr., who retired after 36 years, said it doesn’t seem right for Whirlpool to change health insurance plans.
“We gave up wages in order to get better insurance coverage, so it wasn’t exactly free,” he said...
http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x795262443/Hoover-retirees-ponder-options-in-wake-of-health-insurance-change
$17 Billion Annual Profit:
Happy birthday Whirlpool ... and many more
...Whirlpool has grown to number 67,000 employees [how many in foreign countries where labor & environmental laws are non-existent?] and sales of $17 billion annually.
Construction of a new $85 million campus of three office buildings on the riverfront in downtown Benton Harbor is under way. Maintaining Whirlpool's global headquarters and administrative offices in Benton Harbor is a major commitment to the area's tax base and employment.
http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2011-06-09/news/29641348_1_habitat-home-harbor-shores-jack-nicklaus-signature-golf
[Whirlpool] Hoover retirees ponder options in wake of health insurance change
...Whirlpool has told workers it will end supplemental medical and pharmacy coverage for Medicare-eligible retirees who are 65 or older. The plan will be replaced by a stipend of up to $50 a month to help pay for a Medicare supplemental plan and $35 per month to help cover the cost of a Medicare Part D supplemental pharmacy plan.
Younger retirees will be offered a health savings account plan and wellness-focused program instead of current company-provided health care. The new plan matches one now offered to Whirlpool employees...
...Retirees contend planned changes violate contracts that Hoover and its employees approved over the years.
“This is supposed to be vested for our lives,” Kassey said. “I don’t know how anyone thinks that this is even close to what they promised us when we retired.”
Repace said Local 1985 routinely negotiated contracts that covered the needs or retirees, including health insurance benefits. He said the proposed change does away with the negotiated plan. “They cannot do that.”
John Zawaski Jr., who retired after 36 years, said it doesn’t seem right for Whirlpool to change health insurance plans.
“We gave up wages in order to get better insurance coverage, so it wasn’t exactly free,” he said...
http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x795262443/Hoover-retirees-ponder-options-in-wake-of-health-insurance-change
$17 Billion Annual Profit:
Happy birthday Whirlpool ... and many more
...Whirlpool has grown to number 67,000 employees [how many in foreign countries where labor & environmental laws are non-existent?] and sales of $17 billion annually.
Construction of a new $85 million campus of three office buildings on the riverfront in downtown Benton Harbor is under way. Maintaining Whirlpool's global headquarters and administrative offices in Benton Harbor is a major commitment to the area's tax base and employment.
http://articles.southbendtribune.com/2011-06-09/news/29641348_1_habitat-home-harbor-shores-jack-nicklaus-signature-golf
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