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...

FMI: www.pratt-whitney.com, www.hamiltonsundstrand.com, www.sikorsky.com