Jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney to lay off 129 workers at Conn. repair plant; union opposes

Pratt & Whitney to lay off 129 Conn. workers

HARTFORD, Conn. — Jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney says declining work will force it to lay off about a quarter of its hourly labor force at a Connecticut repair plant.

The subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. said Thursday it will lay off 129 hourly workers at its plant in Cheshire, a town southwest of Hartford. That will reduce the labor force from 520 to 391.

The International Association of Machinists union says the East Hartford company could save workers’ jobs by furloughing them or reducing overtime. The union twice in federal court beat back efforts by the company to move jobs from the engine repair plant and another in the state.

Pratt & Whitney says it will offer workers a chance to leave voluntarily to minimize layoffs and will try to transfer eligible employees to vacant jobs elsewhere.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney says declining work will force it to lay off about a quarter of its labor force at a Connecticut repair plant.

The subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. said Thursday it will lay off 129 hourly workers at its plant in Cheshire, a town southwest of Hartford. That will reduce the labor force from 520 to 391.

The International Association of Machinists union says the East Hartford company could save workers’ jobs by furloughing them or reducing overtime. The union twice in federal court beat back efforts by the company to move jobs from the engine repair plant and another in the state.

Pratt & Whitney says it will offer workers a chance to leave voluntarily to minimize layoffs and will try to transfer eligible employees to vacant jobs elsewhere.