Case Name: Borozny, et al. v. RTX Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Division, et al.
Case Number: 3:21-cv-01657
Court: U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut
Role: Co-Lead Counsel
Outcome: $60.5 Million in Settlements

Borozny, et al. v. RTX Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Division, et al.

Aerospace No-Poach Antitrust Class Action

DiCello Levitt served as Co-Lead Counsel in an aerospace labor antitrust class action that secured $60.5 million in settlements over alleged no-poach agreements.

“Class counsel conducted the litigation with skill, perseverance, and diligent advocacy.”
—U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala

Plaintiffs alleged that RTX Corporation’s Pratt & Whitney division and five engineering contractors agreed not to hire or solicit one another’s employees, reducing competition for skilled aerospace labor, suppressing wages, and limiting career opportunities for thousands of engineers and other workers nationwide.

The civil case achieved recovery even after individual defendants prevailed in a related federal criminal prosecution. The settlement class includes aerospace engineers and other skilled workers in the jet propulsion systems industry employed by Pratt & Whitney, Agilis, Belcan, Cyient, PSI, Quest, or their wholly owned subsidiaries from January 1, 2011 through January 3, 2025.

Key Court Decisions

January 3, 2025 — Preliminary approval: U.S. District Judge Sarala V. Nagala granted preliminary approval of the settlements.
May 14, 2025 — Final approval and judgment: Judge Nagala granted final approval of the class action settlements and entered final judgment dismissing the settled claims with prejudice.

Case Overview

The litigation arose from allegations that major aerospace companies and contractors agreed not to compete for skilled aerospace labor. Plaintiffs alleged that RTX Corporation’s Pratt & Whitney division and five contractors colluded to avoid hiring one another’s workers, limiting employee mobility and suppressing wages in a highly specialized labor market.

The alleged conduct affected aerospace engineers and other skilled workers in the jet propulsion systems industry. According to the court’s final approval order, common questions included whether defendants entered into a no-poach agreement to restrict competition in the labor market, who participated in the alleged conspiracy, how long it lasted, whether it caused injury to workers, and whether defendants fraudulently concealed the alleged conspiracy.

DiCello Levitt began investigating the claims before the U.S. Department of Justice publicly announced related criminal charges. That early investigation positioned the firm to help bring the first civil class action and to pursue recovery for workers through private antitrust enforcement.

The case proceeded through contested litigation involving complex issues of law and fact. Judge Nagala later recognized that class counsel conducted the case with “skill, perseverance, and diligent advocacy,” and noted that the settlements eliminated the risk that continued litigation could result in a smaller recovery or no recovery.

The settlements totaled $60.5 million. RTX’s settlement accounted for $34 million; Agilis Engineering Inc., Belcan Engineering Group LLC, Cyient Inc., and Quest Global Services N.A. Inc. together accounted for $26.5 million; and bankrupt Parametric Solutions Inc. agreed to provide additional discovery and cooperation rather than a monetary payment.

The result provided meaningful relief in a civil antitrust case after a related criminal case ended in favor of the individual defendants. The case underscores the role of private enforcement in labor-market antitrust litigation, particularly where workers allege that employer-side agreements restrained competition for their labor.

The case is Borozny, et al. v. RTX Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Division, et al., Case No. 3:21-cv-01657, in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. The DiCello Levitt team was led by Gregory S. Asciolla and included Geralyn Trujillo.