always before christmas

they couldn't have done it a couple of months ago OR in another couple of months? it seems rather cruel but it always happens as such

Pratt & Whitney lays off
hundreds
* Jamie Muro
* Erin Cox

East Hartford (WTNH) - The holiday season for hundreds of now-former workers at Pratt and Whitney will be a tough one. The down economy hit home at the company today. Hundreds learned they had been laid off. In Connecticut, nearly 300 jobs are lost.

A Pratt spokesperson say the cuts will affect less than one percent of the company's work force numbering more than 38,000.

Never-the-less, tonight, 350 administrative assistants, engineers and accountants are all without a job.

For more than 60 years, "Augie and Rays" has been a hot spot for warm meals for Pratt and Whitney employees. Marva Timothy has made sure of that. But she doesn't serve as many Pratt customers as she'd like to anymore.

"Years ago, back in the 80's when I started here, this time of the afternoon, would be like lunchtime. Since then, this is what it has come too," Timothy said pointing to her dining room...........

Mystic Seaport lays off
23 employees
Mystic (WTNH) - There are tough times at Mystic Seaport. The maritime museum eliminated 23 full-time positions today..........