About a third of the employees furloughed earlier this year at Newport News Shipbuilding are now being laid off, according to parent company HII. The move affects roughly 167 of the 471 salaried shipbuilders placed on leave in June during a workforce review.

An HII spokesperson said the decision came after “careful review of our salaried workforce and business needs.” Some furloughed workers have since returned or left voluntarily. The company said the goal is to improve accountability and performance to meet commitments to the U.S. Navy.

For many in Newport News, the story hits close to home. Generations have built their livelihoods around the yard.

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