[Taking American jobs away is a Whirlpool Specialty]

Whirlpool layoffs in Fort Smith total 850 11/23/2010

Whirlpool Corp. has confirmed that two rounds of recent layoffs have resulted in 850 indefinite job losses at its Fort Smith operation, and leave the employee count at 1,020 hourly and 110 salaried workers.
Confirmation of deep layoffs came Aug. 18 when company officials confirmed that production would be reduced on the 25-cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerator made at Whirlpool’s Fort Smith plant. At the time, a union bulletin indicated that production of counter-depth refrigerators would end Oct. 11 and second-shift production of 25- and 27-cubic-foot models would “tentatively” end Nov. 29.
Company officials said Tuesday (Nov. 23) that 260 employees were laid off in October and 590 in November...

http://www.thecitywire.com/?q=node/12865#commentshttp://www.thecitywire.com/?q=node/12865#comments

Corporate Profits Were the Highest on Record Last Quarter Nov. 23, 2010

The nation’s workers may be struggling, but American companies just had their best quarter ever.

American businesses earned profits at an annual rate of $1.659 trillion in the third quarter, according to a Commerce Department report released Tuesday. That is the highest figure recorded since the government began keeping track over 60 years ago, at least in nominal or noninflation-adjusted terms...

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/business/economy/24econ.html?_r=1http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/business/economy/24econ.html?_r=1