Defense contractor ITT Exelis announced cuts Thursday at its plant Roanoke County.
A company spokesman said the final number of affected employees has not been determined. The cuts are expected to take place in early 2012 and will affect both hourly and salaried workers. About 1,400 people currently work at the plant that produces night vision equipment.
The cuts are in response to forecast reductions in defense spending, according to company spokesman Ken Darby. Darby said they are not related to the recent spinoff of ITT's defense contracting business, which created a new company called ITT Exelis.
The union, IUE-CWA Local 82162, got word of the layoffs Thursday.
The local president, Bobby Keener, says he doesn't know how many layoffs or any details.
Keener also said that it's a strong union and that it will survive.
Hourly and salaried workers will be affected.
