Pratt & Whitney Machinists Union Files NLRB Complaint Over 38 Layoffs At Cheshire Plant

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews/articleid/4453739

Monday, August 30, 2010 7:55 PM


(Source: The Hartford Courant, Connecticut)trackingBy Mara Lee, The Hartford Courant, Conn.

Aug. 31--The Machinists union that represents Pratt & Whitney workers at the Cheshire plant filed a complaint Monday with the National Labor Relations Board, alleging that 38 layoffs were retribution for filing a lawsuit against the company to prevent the closure of the Cheshire factory and East Hartford's airfoil unit, known as CARO.

A federal judge ruled that the company had not honored a union contract when it sought to close the two facilities earlier this year.

In all, the workforce at Cheshire will shrink by 129 people, as others take buyouts or transfer to other factories.

"This was a clear case where furloughs would have made sense," said James Parent, assistant directing business representative of the International Association of Machinists District 26 and chief negotiator for talks with United Technologies Corp. "Not using them puts people with families out on the street during a terrible economic crisis. This is a situation where corporate egos overcame common decency. It's simply unacceptable."

The company did not directly address the retaliation charge in a statement, but it did dispute the union's characterization that the firings were heartless.

"We have taken measures to reduce the number of involuntary separations. By identifying positions in other Connecticut facilities for Cheshire employees and by expanding the eligibility for our enhanced voluntary separation program we have reduced the number of involuntary separations by approximately 70 percent," said spokeswoman Katy Padgett.

FULL story at link.