ITT Mass Layoffs
By: Nadia Bashir
Updated: December 16, 2010
ITT Communications Systems will lay off 285 people by the end of the year, many just two days before Christmas. 135 permanent, hourly workers will be let go on Dec. 23rd. That is in addition to 150 seasonal/temporary workers who will also be let go.
The company's primary contract was with the government making military radios. ITT says the radios are done being manufactured and it must now scale back operations. It will continue to perform maintenance and customer service type functions for its radios.
University of St. Francis economist Dr. Doug Meador says cuts were inevitable for ITT. He says defense contractors have very few potential clients and when a company's top client scales back there are not a lot of options.
Employees will get severance packages. About 45 workers of the 135 permanent employees opted for early retirement.
ITT has been employing people in Ft. Wayne for more than 50-years. It will still employ more than 1,600 workers.
The company's primary contract was with the government making military radios. ITT says the radios are done being manufactured and it must now scale back operations. It will continue to perform maintenance and customer service type functions for its radios.
University of St. Francis economist Dr. Doug Meador says cuts were inevitable for ITT. He says defense contractors have very few potential clients and when a company's top client scales back there are not a lot of options.
Employees will get severance packages. About 45 workers of the 135 permanent employees opted for early retirement.
ITT has been employing people in Ft. Wayne for more than 50-years. It will still employ more than 1,600 workers.
