Electrolux faces 1,700 Italian job cuts as unions clash with ministry

Electrolux’s Italian units are set to lose around 1,700 jobs, prompting a sharp confrontation between the company, trade unions and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT). The restructuring plan announced in May targets major sites, including up to 400 redundancies at the Forlì plant and the closure of the gas‑cooktop line, while proposing to shift half of the gas‑cooktop production to China and move the washer‑dryer line in Porcia to Thailand. The Cerreto d’Esi facility is also slated for shutdown without a clear conversion plan.

Union representatives, led by the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) and Fiom‑CGIL, have rejected the premise that layoffs are inevitable and demanded firm public support to preserve production and employment. In a meeting at MIMIT, minister Adolfo Urso reiterated the government’s aim to safeguard Italian manufacturing sites and called for a revised industrial plan that could address energy costs, productivity and the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Electrolux has signalled a possible partial revision, contingent on reductions in energy expenses and other competitive levers, but has not provided concrete assurances for the threatened sites.