Parker Bertea Aerospace Reveals 10% Cut in Irvine : Manufacturing: Unannounced layoffs and attrition have reduced the work force by 361 since January. The company joins the list of those retrenching in the defense industry.

Parker Bertea Aerospace, a manufacturer of parts for aerospace applications, has quietly reduced its work force here by more than 10% since January and virtually halted all hiring because of reductions in military spending, the company confirmed Tuesday.

Parker Bertea, a subsidiary of Cleveland-based Parker Hannifin Corp., has let go 361 employees this year--through layoffs and some attrition--reducing its work force in Irvine to about 3,000, said spokeswoman Cheryl Morosco.

The company joins a long list of aerospace and defense firms in Southern California that have reduced staff in the face of a slumping economy and anticipated defense budget cuts. TRW Inc., Northrop, McDonnell Douglas and Lockheed have all announced major layoffs this year.

Morosco said Parker Bertea is replacing only critical employees who leave and all new employment has been frozen until Jan. 1. The layoffs took place in January, June and July, but the company did not announce them at the time.

“Nothing else is expected right now,” Morosco said of the prospect of additional cutbacks.

Laid-off employees were compensated with one week’s pay for every year of work, up to eight weeks in pay.

Morosco said the layoffs occurred in the company’s control systems, aerospace hydraulic and fuel products divisions. They included management, engineering, and production staff, Morosco said. The divisions were informed that layoffs would occur six to eight weeks ahead of time, but targeted employees received one week’s notice before being laid off, Morosco said.

Parker Bertea’s products include air pressure systems, fuel systems and hydraulic systems for aerospace applications such as aircraft, the space shuttle and helicopters. The business is roughly half military and half commercial.

Morosco said the company’s maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities have seen increased business as a result of Operation Desert Shield in the Persian Gulf, but the increase has been small and it is not enough to change the company’s current employment picture.

Parker Bertea, which employs 6,500 people in 30 plants nationwide, reported annual revenue of $703 million for the year ended June 30, 1989, up 6.8% from $658 million a year earlier.