Employees at Pratt & Whitney in Northern Palm Beach County will receive five days off, without pay, as the parent company of both Pratt and Sikorsky Aircraft lowered its 2009 profit forecast and announced that 11,600 workers will be laid off in 2009.

Pratt’s portions of the sprawling facility along the Beeline Highway in Northern Palm Beach County will be shut down, along with all Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies Corp.’s Pratt & Whitney locations in the United States, on April 13, May 22, Sept. 4, Oct. 12 and Nov. 25.

“The furlough program is a part of our overall efforts to reduce costs with a focus on ensuring a strong future for the company, our employees, customers and shareowners,” the company released in a statement.

The moves, part of an expanded $750 million restructuring program because of the deteriorating commercial aerospace market, are being driven by a decline in expected revenue, which is now seen totaling $55 billion this year, down $2.7 billion from a December estimate.

Besides the furlough days, Pratt & Whitney has limited hiring, decreased the use of contract and temporary personnel, cut back on travel and deferred merit pay increases for 2009.

Tuesday’s announced 5 percent cut in jobs follow news last month that Pratt & Whitney Canada planned to lay off up to 1,000 workers in response to falling business jet orders.

Further details of how each facility would be impacted by the job cuts were not available.

The jet and rocket engine maker Pratt & Whitney employees about 1,100 in Palm Beach County.

Pratt is not the first aviation industry in the region to take such actions.

Piper Aircraft Inc., which has laid off 450 in separate layoffs since November, has also reduced work schedules. The company in Vero Beach shut down its plant for three weeks, from Dec. 19 to Jan. 12, and will close for one week in April, May, June and July.

By Jim Turner, TCPalm.com
Associated Press contributed to this story

Tags: Aircraft, contract, Economy, furlough, jobs, layoffs, Piper, pratt whitney

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