Whirlpool reaches deal to save jobs at emblematic French factory

[September 12, 2017]  PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. kitchen products group Whirlpool has reached a deal with a local businessman to save jobs at its Amiens site in northern France, which had featured at the forefront of this year's presidential election campaign.

Whirlpool said it had struck an agreement with local entrepreneur Nicolas Decayeux, which should create 277 jobs at the site.

In April, the Amiens plant was the site of a showdown between eventual election winner Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen.

Le Pen whipped up support from workers angered at the risk of losing their jobs given plans to move Whirlpool activities over to Poland.

(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Leigh Thomas)

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