FORT WORTH (August 23, 2009)--Bell Helicopter is blaming a reduction in demand for commercial aircraft for the layoff of 30 workers in Texas.

Bell spokesman Thomas Dolney said the company initially cut 42 hourly positions but 12 of those employees were placed into other jobs in the company.

He said the 30 people laid off could eventually be placed into other positions at Bell.

A member of the United Auto Workers Local 218 bargaining unit, Gary Livingston, said even saving the 12 employees effectively means a loss of positions "because somebody else would have been hired" for those.

Bell Helicopter is based in Fort Worth, and its parent company is Rhode Island-based Textron Inc.