5 day forecast
Westinghouse to lay off workers worldwide
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Westinghouse Electric Co. will eliminate about 665 workers at locations worldwide, including in its Cranberry headquarters, the company's chief executive officer told employees Tuesday.
The company said the reduction -- about 5 percent of its total workforce -- was driven by a tempered market for nuclear energy after a 2011 nuclear plant meltdown in Japan and an overall worldwide economy still fighting a recession.
The eliminated jobs will include positions that are open but have not been filled. The others will be the result of layoffs. No timetable for the layoffs was given.
"This is not aimed at any particular department or region," said company spokesman Vaughn Gilbert.
A number of new nuclear plants that the company thought would be under construction by now have been pushed back, he said. The company has hired about 5,000 workers during the past five years, largely driven by forecasts that showed a healthy international appetite for nuclear energy.
Westinghouse employs about 13,000 people worldwide, with about 6,000 in Western Pennsylvania.
First Published February 13, 2013 3:56 pm
