EB submarine contractor to lay off 117 R.I. workers

A subcontractor for General Dynamics Electric Boat in North Kingstown is laying off 117 workers in Rhode Island, according to a notice filed with the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training.

Riley Power Group LLC plans to let workers go over a two-week period beginning Oct. 21, according to the Aug. 20 letter from Robin Lang, company human resources director. The North Carolina-based company, which describes itself as a “full-service maintenance and capital construction company,” has provided specialty welding services for Electric Boat’s Naval submarine work out of Quonset Point since 2017, according to its website.

Federal law under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act requires companies to let state and town officials know about closures and mass layoffs at least 60 days in advance.

The letter did not give a reason for the layoffs.

Reached by phone Tuesday, Kenny Middleton, company president, referred questions to Lang. Lang was not immediately able to provide additional information.

A majority of the local workers being let go by Riley are structural welders (48), followed by 29 pipefitters, 25 shipfitters, 13 electricians and 2 press break operators, according to Lang’s letter.

The latest layoff announcement comes a month after Singapore manufacturer Ennovi said it was shuttering its East Providence plant and letting go of its 205 local workers. The city of East Providence has planned a job fair to help the workers, slated to lose their jobs at the start of 2025, though a date has not been set.

The town of North Kingstown has not planned any similar events for workers at Riley, Town Manager Ralph Mollis said in an email Tuesday. However, Mollis also said he planned to contact the governing board for Quonset Business Park to ask if any of the industrial or manufacturing companies within it are hiring or might be able to provide training to new employees.

Updated to include a comment from Town Manager Ralph Mollis.