Pressure Builds on Pratt & Whitney
September 8, 2009
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The leadership of the Connecticut General Assembly will hold a press conference today to announce that an overwhelming majority of the state legislature is opposed to Pratt & Whitney’s plan to close two aerospace plants in Connecticut. The lawmakers are urging P&W to suspend their moving plans and resolve the issue in full contract negotiations with IAM representatives.
Individual state senators are also weighing in on the fight to save thousands of high-value Connecticut jobs. “I write with urgent concern about the very real possibility Pratt & Whitney will close its Cheshire Engine Center and terminate approximately 850 jobs in doing so, seriously threatening the already fragile local economy,” wrote Connecticut State Senator Tom Gaffey to Joan McDonald, the state’s Economic and Community Development Commissioner. “It is imperative our state government to do everything it possibly can to assist Pratt & Whitney and help convince its officers to remain in business in Connecticut.”
More than 1,000 hourly and salary workers would lose their jobs if Pratt moves forward with a plan to ship work to Georgia, Singapore, Japan and other locations. Many question the necessity of the outsourcing moves, citing Pratt’s record $110 million in June deliveries. Because of the economic “ripple effect,” as many as 4,000 Connecticut workers could lose their jobs.
