(Photo: WBOC)DOVER, Del.- The Dover Air Force Base on Friday announced layoffs should be avoided, as the Air Force looks to cut 9,000 civilian jobs across the country.
Forty jobs are being eliminated at the base. But, officials said those employees will likely be moved into other positions. Out of 6,400 workers at the base more than 1,000 are civilians.
Jerry Davies is President of local chapter 1709 of the American Federation of Government Employees, the union that represents civilian employees at the Dover Air Force Base.
He said even with no threat of immediate layoffs, there are concerns.
"Nothing is definite right now so we're just waiting," said Davies.
Dover Air Force Base officials said they were able to avoid layoffs because of a hiring freeze implemented least year. Civilian employees at the base will begin to be shifted into new roles next year.
Dover Mayor Carleton Carey was relived Thursday night when the base commander told him layoffs would be avoided.
According to Mayor Carey, "It's a big part of the community and what we depend on."
