Northrop Issues Layoff Notices at Miss. Shipyard

Northrop Grumman Corp announced Wednesday that it issued layoff notices for 292 workers at its Pascagoula, Mississippi shipyard. More reductions are expected as the company continues to consolidate its U.S. Gulf Coast operations.

In a statement, Irwin F. Edenzon, vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding-Gulf Coast said, “The cyclical nature of shipbuilding, the sequencing of work within the production phases that determines requirements for different crafts and support personnel, as well as the timing of contracts can result in peaks and valleys in work where the number of employees exceeds the workload requirements. This is currently the case here at our Pascagoula facility."

Northrop said more layoffs are expected this year, with 350 positions being eliminated in Pascagoula by year's end.

In early August Northrop also issued layoff notices for 205 staffers at shipbuilding facilities in Avondale and Tallulah, Louisiana. The layoffs come after the shipbuilder announced the consolidation of its shipbuilding sector.