The Machinists union is going to federal court to halt jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney‘s plan to move 1,000 jobs from Connecticut to Georgia and overseas.
James Parent, the chief representative of the local union of the International Association of Machinists, says Pratt & Whitney failed to make every reasonable effort to keep the jobs in Connecticut as required by its contract with the union.
The United Technologies Corp. unit announced Monday it will shut its Cheshire plant by early 2011 and shift some operations from its East Hartford facility beginning in the second quarter of next year. Work will be moved to Columbus, Ga., Singapore and Japan.
Company spokesman Greg Brostowicz says Pratt & Whitney negotiated genuinely, but the union rejected a proposal to reduce costs. (AP)
