Sikorsky to Cut 3 Percent of Workforce

On Friday, Stratford-based Sikorsky told employees it must cut 3 percent of the company’s U.S. workforce.

Company officials blame the “tightening global business environment and the expected U.S. Department of Defense budget reductions” and said Sikorsky must adjust its overall cost structure to remain competitive.

The cuts will affect salaried employees, according to a statement from Sikosrsky.

The company is offering a voluntary separation package to eligible salaried and non-represented hourly employees and company leaders will not know how many jobs must be cut until they know how many employees accept this offer.

This is the second time in three months that the company has notified employees of pending job cuts.

In September, Sikorsky said it would be cutting the hourly workforce because of declining work volumes.  At that time, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro said 540 were being cut and 419 were in Connecticut.

On Monday, she said she is disappointed by another round of layoffs. 

"The company maintains that these cuts are critical to ensuring they remain competitive and part of their long-term plan. I was just at the Sikorsky plant last month with Norway’s Ambassador to help foster future sales for the company. I believe that we need the company to continue growing over the long-term to ensure that Connecticut remains a place for good, highly skilled middle class jobs in Connecticut," DeLauro said in a statement. "I will continue working with the company to keep jobs in the state, and to determine the best way forward.”

Sikorsky is coming off a period of rapid growth, company officials said. Over the last five years, sales have more than doubled and employment has increased 56 percent, but the company needs to adjust because forecasted changes in the business environment.
 

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