March 12

Maine, NH shipyard workers bracing for cuts

The Associated Press

PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — Workers at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard are bracing for pay cuts as the Department of Defense works to trim its budget.

In order to meet required budget cuts, the Department of Defense is telling civilian workers they must take 22 furlough days over the next six months.

Paul O'Connor of the Shipyard Metal Trades Council tells WMUR-TV the cuts have meant a surge in applications for retirement. He said a month less of productivity means a costly backup of overhaul work on nuclear submarines.

Administrators are working with unions to figure out how to schedule the furlough time.

More than 5,000 people worked at the Kittery, Maine, shipyard last year. Nearly 2,000 of them live in New Hampshire.

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