Northrop Grumman to Move 850 Jobs Away From Long Island

Ed Lynch Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Just when we think that things were going to pick up in the job market here on Long Island comes some tough news. Northrop Grumman Corp. said Monday that it will move 850 jobs off Long Island by next year, leaving just 550 workers out of a workforce that exceeded 25,000 in the 1980s.

The jobs are not going overseas like one may thinkg, but going to Florida and California in the latest cost-saving consolidation of functions by the aerospace company. It's acting in the face of steadily declining Pentagon budgets, including those in the current automatic spending cuts known as the sequestration.

An unknown number of the 850 workers will be offered transfers, company spokesman Randy Belote said. The consolidation is expected to be completed sometime next year.

Since the '80's Long Island has had a major role in building military components for many companies like Grumman. However, there has been a steady decline over the last several decades which leaves Long Island as a shell of its former self. Kevin Law, president of the Long Island Association, the region's largest business group, said the almost complete loss of Grumman hurts one of the Island's iconic industries.

"Its terrible to lose any more jobs in a heritage industry, just as it would be for commercial fisheries or the agricultural field," he said.

The Long Island economy, which has struggled to hit its stride following the recession, suffered another blow when superstorm Sandy devastated numerous shore communities, and knocked out power to about 90 percent of the Long Island Power Authority's 1.1 million customers.

Now many who are trying to find jobs are going to be battling many others who are among the most recently unemployed and casualties of hard economic times and bad financial management by the government.

Edwardl@longislandyellowpages.com

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