Jobs could be eliminated if funding for GE fighter jet engine project is cut

EVENDALE, Ohio - The decision by a Senate subcommittee to cut funding for the development of GE Aviation's fighter engine came as a blow to the company and employees.

It could mean the loss of hundreds of jobs at the military aviation facility in Evendale.

This project is so critical to the future of GE Aviation and its employees that the union has teamed up with the company to try to save this project.

A GE spokesman says there are about 800 jobs on the line and that doesn't include all of the jobs with the company's suppliers.

"With a 30 year decision, it's not only going to impact the people that's in there and getting them to retirement by creating a future for the next 30 years for the generation's to come. What we're talking about is work that's going to be done by our children and grandchildren that we are doing right here in the Cincinnati area," said Gary Jordan, President, U.A.W. Local 647.

GE and the union are not giving up.

They're planning to lobby to get the Senate to reconsider and negotiate an agreement with the House of Representatives, as they did last year, to include the project in next year's defense budget.

President Obama has threatened to veto it.

GE has been working since 1996 to design a second alternative engine to compete with another developer, Pratt and Whitney.

GE says competition with two companies designing a engine could save the country billions.

"The key is Congress understands that we could save $20 billion over the life of this program by having competing engines," said GE Spokesperson, Rick Kennedy.

GE says the program is not only a boost to the company's bottom line, but also a plus for the community.

"It really goes beyond jobs. If you look at the intellectual capital that was brought to Greater Cincinnati for a program like this, I mean scientist involved in advanced materials, engineers involved in unique designs, exotic work that's done on this fighter program that touches both GE and the many subcontractors around here," Kennedy said.

Jordan says they're planning a big rally at the GE Aviaton Learning Center on October 14th.

They plan on inviting the Governor of Ohio and congressional members.

They hope it will send a strong message to Congress and the President that there is a lot of support to keep the program at GE.