Tampa companies to lay off 670 workers

TAMPA - Jonathan Balbin just found out his last day of work at PEMCO World Air Service is Tuesday.

"They don't tell you anything until the last minute.  I just got my notice today -- getting laid off," Balbin said holding up an envelope.

The company is in the process of laying off 474 workers.  Most are mechanics who worked on airliners inside a massive building at Tampa International Airport.

"Almost everybody that came here, came here from different places of the country and then to come here and get laid off," said Balbin.

Employees say they knew trouble was coming after the company filed for bankruptcy and lost United Airlines as a client.  PEMCO only services JetBlue planes at the moment.

Layoffs are also coming to Science Applications International at MacDill Air Force Base.  That company plans to cut 200 people in September if a defense contract is not renewed.

Rick Homans is CEO of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation.  "We think particularly about the families, the people that have lost their jobs, the effects on their families.

He says they are already trying to market PEMCO's hanger space and laid off employees to other companies they want to bring to the area. "It's actually good news when they hear that there is that many people in the workforce trained, ready to go to work."