United Technologies Could Furlough 5,000

By the beginning of next week, 2,000 workers at United Technologies that make the Black Hawk helicopter will be out of work.

The company said it might have to layoff over 5,000 of its workers if the shutdown by the federal government continues into November.

On Wednesday, UT said that its Sikorsky group, which makes the Black Hawks, would be the first to be hit with furloughs. It expects that close to 2,000 of its employees, including those at facilities located in Connecticut, Alabama and Florida will be without work on Monday.

The manufacturer based in Hartford, Connecticut said it had to halt some of the manufacturing for the Defense Department because of government inspectors being furloughed and cannot make sure the manufacturing follows code and can receive federal approvals to make more products.

If the government shutdown then continues for another week, the furloughs would then reach UTC Aerospace Systems and Pratt & Whitney. That would bring the total employees laid off to more than 4,000. If the shutdown were to then stretch into October, then in all 5,000 would be without their jobs.

In all, United Technologies has nearly 218,300 employees. Its total annual revenue is approximately $57.7 billion with over $10.2 billion coming for the United States government.

Dannel Malloy the Connecticut governor, who is a Democrat, said this is what takes place when the Republicans in the House decide to play political gamesmanship and consider that more important than the jobs of hard working individuals.

The governor added that it was unconscionable that this number of working families could be unfairly put into such a situation.

Members of the Democratic Congressional delegation from Connecticut called upon Republicans in the House to end their impasse over the budget.

The government shutdown that took effect on Tuesday has already idled nearly 800,000 federal workers who were labeled as “non-essential.”