EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) -- Whirlpool Corp. officials are discouraging workers at an Evansville factory being shut down from taking part in a protest of the plant closing with national union leaders.
Union officials say AFL-CIO president Richard Trumka is among those expected at Friday's march from a nearby union hall to the factory. Benton Harbor, Mich.-based Whirlpool announced in August that it would shut down the 1,100-worker refrigerator factory by mid-2010 and move production to Mexico.
A memo from plant managers to workers says they fear actions by protesters could hurt Whirlpool employees as they seek new jobs. Factory operations director Paul Coburn wrote that the decision to close the plant wouldn't be reconsidered.
Local union president Darrell Collins says the factory is being closed because of corporate greed.
