Whirlpool meeting a ‘mystery’

Whirlpool employees say a large area in the plant was set up for a Tuesday (Oct. 18) presentation by Al Holaday about the future of Whirlpool’s Fort Smith plant. But Whirlpool spokesman Kristine Vernier says Holaday was never scheduled to be in Fort Smith on Oct. 18.

The concern in recent years about Whirlpool pulling out of its large Fort Smith plant has grown with Whirlpool’s employment falling from more than 4,500 in early 2006 to less than 1,000 today. And after months of denying rumors that the Fort Smith plant was under review for possible closure, on Aug. 23, the company said “a study of options for the Fort Smith location” was underway.

Gov. Mike Beebe and officials with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission met Wednesday (Oct. 12) in Little Rock with “corporate leaders” from Whirlpool’s headquarters in Benton Harbor, Mich. Beebe previously promised union officials representing workers at Whirlpool’s Fort Smith plant he would meet with Whirlpool execs related to concerns the Fort Smith plant may be closed. Beebe met with Whirlpool execs for about 30 minutes, and AEDC officials were with the Whirlpool group for about 2 hours.

Several sources told The City Wire that a large space was being cleared for an Oct. 18 full shift meeting during which Holaday, Whirlpool’s chief for North American refrigeration production, was to report on the company’s decision for the plant.

“The meeting is off,” one of the sources said Monday. “They’ve got this big area set up out in the plant and its got a screen and a projector for a presentation, but we were told today (Oct. 17) that Holaday won’t be here.”

In response to questions about the Oct. 18 meeting, Vernier said on Oct. 13 that the company does not respond to questions about meetings and travel of corporate executives. However, Vernier altered that policy and said Monday that Holaday will not be in Fort Smith on Tuesday (Oct. 18).

“There never was a meeting scheduled for tomorrow, the information you are receiving is incorrect,” Vernier said in an e-mail.

A second source told The City Wire that meeting changes are not unusual.

“I’m not surprised, but I can’t tell you why that (Holaday meeting) would change,” the source said. “They’ll set up these big meetings, and at the last minute they will change everything up. … It’s just another mystery and is actually another reason the morale there in the plant is at rock bottom.”