Northrop Grumman workers in El Segundo and Redondo Beach brace for cuts - latimes.com

Northrop Grumman workers in El Segundo and Redondo Beach brace for cuts - latimes.com

Northrop Grumman is getting ready to have a reduction in force because of the downturn in income coming in from contracts from the government.

In order for Nortrhop Grumman NOT to pay employees MORE than it is taking in on contracts etc., Northrop Grumman will do what it needs to do to REDUCE the number of employees that it has to pay.

Having been on the receiving end of a WARN letter, I can make the following observations:


- NEVER, NEVER believe your manager when he says that he will not lay you off - most likely he is just saying that because he needs you to finish the work you are doing instead of you finding another job elsewhere. Thomas Lee Hull told me in 1999 that he would pull the layoff notice, and yet I got the phone call from payroll asking me to come on down to sign the final paycheck form.

Of course, Human Resources said that my manager, Thomas Lee Hull, did NOT lie to me, but "...may have mis-stated the facts based on overly optimistic projections." (?!) Also remember that Human Resources is being paid by the company, and will represent the company AGAINST the employee.

I know of two other individuals who were told similar things by their managers were subsequently laid off.

LESSON: If you CAN, DO find another position elsewhere - don't trust what your manager says.


- Northrop Grumman will get rid of MORE employees that they actually need to get rid of - Northrop Grumman will lose the really smart guys who can find work elsewhere in addition to "deadwood and dogmeat" (this is a Northrop Grumman management term for employees slated for lay-off).

As a result, Northrop Grumman will have a shortage of experienced, knowledgeable personnel and thus will eventually go into a employee incentive hiring mode where they REWARD employees for referring new hires to Northrop Grumman.

The employees left will be inexperienced and not have the knowledge to do the work of two or three former employees. This makes work HARD for the survivors.

Of course, management position is "Suck it up - be glad you have a job!"