Florida Leaders, Kaman Workers Warn Against More Cuts to Aerospace and Defense

39,246 Florida jobs at stake

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) and Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll addressed more than 400 workers today at the Kaman Aerostructures facility in Jacksonville to warn about the threat to U.S. economic and military strength posed by $500 billion in sequestration budget cuts scheduled for January 2013. A study commissioned by AIA last year found that Florida could lose more than 39,000 jobs if Congress does not act to stop these cuts.

In addition to Rep. Crenshaw, a member of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, and Lt. Gov. Carroll, workers also heard from Textron Inc. Chairman and CEO Scott C. Donnelly, Sohacki Industries President Tom Sohacki, Aerospace Industries Association President and CEO Marion C. Blakey and Kaman Corporation Chairman, President and CEO Neal J. Keating. The speakers warned that, with only 225 days until the cuts kick begin, Congress needs to act this summer to stop the clock on sequestration and enact alternative means of deficit reduction.

"We're here because there's a real crisis brewing for our company, for our industry and for our country," said Keating. "We need to do something about it. Together we'll make sure that this company stays strong and that this country is always Second to None."

Aerospace and defense supports more than 167,000 jobs in Florida, bringing $14 billion in revenue and fueling $5 billion in exports — an economic powerhouse that has needlessly been placed at risk.

"The aerospace and defense industry now supports more than 3.5 million American jobs, and drives two and a quarter percent of U.S. GDP," Blakey said. "This industry – and especially its workers – is a critical national asset. Does anyone think we can afford to lose these jobs?"

AIA began its Second to None campaign to educate our leaders, elected officials and the general public about the threat sequestration cuts pose to our national security, economy and industrial base capabilities. Rallies like today's event are being scheduled across the nation to bring home the risk to innovative companies like Kaman Corporation and to urge Congress to find an alternative to sequestration cuts as soon as possible to avoid massive disruptions in our workforce and businesses.

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Founded in 1919 shortly after the birth of flight, the Aerospace Industries Association is the most authoritative and influential trade association representing the nation's leading manufacturers and suppliers of civil, military and business aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aircraft systems, space systems, aircraft engines, homeland and cybersecurity systems, materiel and related components, equipment services and information technology.

SOURCE Aerospace Industries Association

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