General Dynamics announced to employees Thursday that the company will cut 35 jobs at its Williston location by the end of 2013. Rob Doolittle, General Dynamics' Staff Vice President for Communications, confirmed that the company told employees Thursday morning that 35 jobs at the company's 275-person office on the IBM campus in Williston will be cut.
Doolittle said the cuts just affect the company's Williston location.
"I can't rule out other changes, but we don't have anything else to announce today," he said.
The cuts, Doolittle said, have been in the works since July, when General Dynamics announced it would be consolidating General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products into General Dynamics Ordinance and Tactical Systems.
According to the department's Employment Security Board rules, employers must file a notice of "mass separation" with the state within 24 hours of releasing 25 or more employees "at or about the same time and for the same reason."
In an email Thursday afternoon, Noonan said she had "been in touch with [General Dynamics] representatives from Virginia and Vermont."
General Dynamics laid off 50 Vermont employees last year as well. It attributed those cuts to a decrease in demand for guns, and the end of a large military contract.
Updated at 3:25 p.m., 9/5/2013 to reflect Noonan's reported contact with General Dynamics representatives.
Updated at 1:08 p.m., 9/5/2013 to reflect Noonan's claim that state notification rules apply to these cuts.
