In a heartfelt message during Sunday’s Angelus, Pope Francis voiced his solidarity with nearly 2,000 workers facing redundancy at Beko Europe’s Italian plants. His words came just one day after meeting a delegation of affected employees at the Vatican.

> “I am close to the workers of Siena, Fabriano, and Ascoli Piceno, who defend in solidarity the right to work, which is a right to dignity,” the Pope said. “May their jobs not be taken away, for economic or financial reasons.”

The announcement of 1,935 job cuts follows Beko Europe’s decision to shutter three major facilities by the end of 2025: the Siena plant in Tuscany, the Comunanza site near Ascoli Piceno in Marche, and the cold line in Cassinetta near Varese in Lombardy. These closures mark a significant shift in the company’s Italian operations and have sparked widespread concern among unions and local communities.

Beko Europe, formerly part of Whirlpool’s Italian division, has been engaged in a long and complex labor history—one that includes 12 years of redundancy payments and restructuring efforts. The latest move is part of a broader strategic plan communicated by the Turkish multinational parent company, raising questions about the future of industrial employment in the region.

As workers rally to protect their livelihoods, Pope Francis’s public support adds moral weight to their cause, reminding the world that behind every economic decision are families, communities, and the fundamental human right to dignified work.