By Ana Radelat
Washington—Despite receiving billions of dollars in last-minute contracts before the federal government shut down this week, UTC, parent company of Pratt & Whitney and Sikorsky Aircraft, tonight announced it would be “forced to furlough thousands of workers” because of the shutdown.
Just hours before the shutdown, East Hartford-based Pratt received a $2.5 billion contract from the Pentagon to continue to make spare parts for fighter jets and other aircraft.
First affected, however, would be Sikorsky Aircraft. If the shutdown does not end by next Monday, nearly 2,000 Sikorsky workers are expected to be placed on furlough.
If the shutdown continues through next week, Sikorsky will put an additional 1,000 employees on temporary layoff. Employees who would be affected work at facilities in Stratford; West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Troy, Ala.
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