The ongoing effects of the global pandemic led GE Aviation to announce today that it will furlough half of its U.S. engine assembly and some component manufacturing workers for four weeks. The furloughs are in addition to last week’s announcement in which it planned to cut 10 percent of its workforce and furlough 50 percent of its MRO staff for 90 days.
“Due to the unprecedented impact of Covid-19 on the commercial aviation industry, GE Aviation is implementing a temporary reduction in commercial engine assembly and some component manufacturing operations for up to four weeks,” a GE spokesperson told AIN. “We appreciate the commitment of all our employees during this difficult time, and we regret having to take this action. We will continue to deliver for our customers and preserve our capability to respond when the industry recovers.”
Most of its defense-related activity will be unaffected by today’s action. The impact of the furloughs will vary by site, depending on the product mix and customer base. GE declined to specify the number of employees affected. It has 26,000 workers in the U.S.