WILLISTON, Vt. -
General Dynamics says it is laying off 50 employees at its Williston, Vermont facility. It says the layoffs will be complete by January 4, 2013.
"Obviously this is a, a tough decision but something that we needed to do," says Karl Johnson, General Dynamics Director of Communications.
Johnson says the jobs include people in administration, engineering, management, and manufacturing support. General Dynamics says all the layoffs will be complete around the New Year and all the affected employees will receive severance packages.
The arms maker blames a drop in demand for its products and also the end of several military contracts for the layoffs.
"50 jobs, if you look at it from the perspective of the individuals that are affected, it's obviously a huge event," says Richard McGuire, Williston Town Manager.
McGuire says the layoffs shouldn't be a huge blow to the area's economy but he's hopeful it's not the beginning of a trend.
"I think we're optimistic that the general economy of this region will continue to be okay," says McGuire.
After the layoffs, General Dynamics says it will have 300 workers in Vermont. The company would not say if more layoffs are in the future.
General Dynamics says 30 employees in Maine are also losing their jobs.
