Will Slash 750 Positions By Mid-June

The firm created by the merger of the El Segundo and Redondo Beach operations of aerospace manufacturer Northrop Grumman plans to cut up to 750 jobs in Southern California over the next three months, the latest casualties of increasing consolidation in the military and defense sectors.

The Daily Breeze reports Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems has offered buyouts to all its workers, in an effort to reduce the number of involuntary layoffs. Company spokesman Jim Hart says employees have until March 13 to apply for the voluntary buyouts, which will include the same severance package to be given to laid-off workers.

"Once we get the results of that, we will proceed with the layoffs that will be necessary," Hart said, adding the cuts will reduce overlapping administrative and support positions that resulted from joining the two offices.

Layoff notices will be delivered by April 16, with layoffs becoming effective two months later in order to comply with the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act.

Northrop currently employs roughly 12,000 workers between its plants in El Segundo, Redondo Beach, and Manhattan Beach. The administrative layoffs come as Northrop Aerospace aims to hire over 850 workers to handle engineering and technical support work on contracts to provide items like aircraft fuselage assemblies to other clients.

FMI: www.northopgrumman.com