Thu, Dec 04, 2008
Cuts Also Made At Hamilton Sundstrand; Is Sikorsky
Next?
The ailing global economy and
a resulting softening of the market for commercial airliners led
enginemaker Pratt & Whitney to lay off 350 salaried workers
nationwide Wednesday.
Pratt spokeswoman Jennifer Whitlow told the Hartford (CT)
Courant most of the company's business lines have been hit by the
recession, with slumping demand for new engines for commercial
airliners as well as a reduction in the company's lucrative
maintenance, repair and overhaul business. The latter has been hit
especially hard, as airlines have cut capacity by parking their
older planes.
The news is particularly tough for Connecticut. Pratt cut over
100 blue-collar positions earlier this year... and 280 of the
positions cut Wednesday were at the enginemaker's facilities in the
state.
Two weeks ago,
aerospace company Hamilton Sundstrand laid off 11 salaried workers
at its headquarters in Windsor Locks... and offered earlier
retirement packages to another 370, hoping to eliminate at least 50
positions.
Both companies are divisions of United Technologies Corp, based
in Hartford. City officials fear another shoe could drop next week,
during that company's December 11 investor's conference... and
their counterparts in Stratford are keeping a wary eye on similar
developments at UTC-owned Sikorsky, as well.
Whitlow said Pratt & Whitney expects to have about 38,000
workers globally when the dust settles at the end of this month,
some 577 less than the company counted on January 1. A spokesman
for the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace
Workers, which represents hourly production line workers at Pratt,
said the union doesn't expect more layoffs this year.
Laid off employees will receive severance packages and health
benefits tied to their years of service. They may also receive job
counseling and participate in continuing education programs
provided by UTC.
So, there's that...
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