Westinghouse wants permission to lay off workers at SRS

AIKEN, S.C. - The top contractor at the Savannah River Site wants permission to rearrange its work force in a move that could cause layoffs of 6 percent of the 13,500 workers at the former nuclear-weapons site. <br> <br> Westinghouse Savannah River Co. President Bob Pedde told employees in an e-mail Monday that layoffs would be a last resort. <br> <br> ``Over the past several years, we have experienced significant mission changes and implemented numerous efficiency initiatives,&#39;&#39; Pedde wrote. ``Through these, we have been very fortunate to be able to avoid major work force impact. <br> <br> ``It will be our goal to continue that trend through this restructuring effort.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The U.S. Energy Department, which owns SRS, is reviewing Westinghouse&#39;s request, an agency spokesman said. <br> <br> Company executives estimated that as many as 800 employees could be affected by the restructuring, which could take more than a year. ``Affected means any of a variety of different things,&#39;&#39; Westinghouse spokesman Will Callicott said. <br> <br> The company first would try to reassign employees. Westinghouse also might offer early-retirement incentives and other ``voluntary separations&#39;&#39; packages before resorting to layoffs, Callicott said.