By the Associated Press

NEW YORK — Connecticut’s attorney general argued in federal appeals court Wednesday that jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney failed to make every reasonable effort to keep jobs in the state as required by a union contract.

Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., did not show that transferring work to Columbus, Ga., Singapore and Japan, as the company is attempting, would result in any savings during the term of the contract, which ends in December.

Pratt & Whitney has failed to “take reasonable efforts” to preserve the jobs, said Blumenthal, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate.

U.S. District Judge Janet Hall in Bridgeport halted Pratt & Whitney’s plans in February to shut two engine repair facilities in Cheshire and East Hartford. Hall said the moves would violate a contract with the Machinists union.

Pratt & Whitney said in its appeal that it must consider in good faith all reasonable measures to avoid moving work, but has no obligation to invest more money or accept reduced profits.

“The trial court erred in its ruling by substituting its own business judgment for that of Pratt & Whitney management contrary to the labor agreement,” Pratt & Whitney said in a statement Wednesday.

It said it acted reasonably “and followed the contract language in good faith.”

Gregg Adler, the union’s lawyer, said the issues are questions of fact, not of law, and can be overturned by the appeals court if they are “clearly wrong.”

He said he expects a decision in a few weeks.

During court hearings in December and January, Pratt & Whitney executives testified that the company lost work due to the recession and the downturn in the aviation industry. Continued...

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The company now employs 11,000 in Connecticut, less than one-third of its global work force.

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