NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — Around a third of the workers furloughed by HII's Newport News Shipbuilding division earlier this year will be laid off, according to an HII spokesperson.
“We have made the difficult decision to move forward with a reduction in force of about a third of the 471 salaried shipbuilders at HII’s Newport News Shipbuilding division who were put on furlough back in June. This decision comes after careful review of our salaried workforce and business needs," the HII spokesperson said.
Regarding the initial furlough, an email sent out to employees in May stated that the division was taking bolder actions this quarter to step up performance and renew its commitment to supporting the needs of our nation.
This sentiment was echoed in the statement the HII spokesperson gave to News 3 on Wednesday. It was also mentioned that some of the furloughed employees have since returned to work:
"Other furloughed shipbuilders returned to NNS during the furlough period, while some left the company voluntarily. This decision was not made lightly given its impact on affected team members. We take this step, however, to increase accountability and efficiency, and to improve overall performance in meeting our current and future commitments to the U.S. Navy," the HII spokesperson said.
