Aviation
Textron Aviation to lay off 70 workers in Wichita as fallout from COVID-19 continues
Around 250 employees at Textron Aviation facilities across the country and 70 workers in Wichita will be laid off as the aircraft manufacturer continues to adapt to the economic fallout related to the coronavirus.
Other employees will experience additional periodic furloughs throughout the year, according to a spokesperson for Textron Aviation.
The 250 layoffs affect salaried exempt and salaried nonexempt employees across the company. Bargained, or union, employees were not impacted as of Tuesday.
Workers were informed of the layoffs on Tuesday and those in Wichita were issued 60-day WARN, or Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, notices.
“These are hard decisions to make during this challenging time,” read a letter to employees obtained by the Eagle. “While there are some promising indicators, such as a positive sentiment toward general aviation, a rise in U.S. flight activity, and limited pre-owned aircraft available for purchase, a sustained increase in business activity is still needed.”
Separately, on Tuesday, members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 70, Local Lodge 774 will vote on beginning contract negotiations earlier than expected.
The job cuts were included in a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Thursday, which indicated workers in Wichita could be impacted as parent company Textron Inc. adjusted operations globally during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Textron Aviation remains focused on continuing to support our customers with best-in-class aircraft and services during this difficult time,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
Textron Aviation is based in Wichita and is the second largest employer in the area, with around 9,500 full-time workers, according to the Greater Wichita Partnership.
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