Groton - Electric Boat notified 55 carpenters Monday that they will be laid off in September.

The submarine manufacturer informed the Connecticut Department of Labor of its plans Friday. According to the notice, "a decline in contracted work" led to the staffing reductions.

"We have to align the size of our workforce with the level of our workload," Robert H. Nardone, the vice president for human resources and administration at EB, said in a statement. "These employees work in an area where the workload is not expected to sustain the current workforce for the foreseeable future."

Under the current plan, the carpenters will remain employed through Sept. 27. They can use the career-transition services at the Eastern Connecticut Workforce Investment Board in New London and Norwich and consult with staffing specialists from the company's human resources organization.

Nardone said Electric Boat will continue to adjust the company's workforce to its anticipated workload as required. At this time, he said, there are no projected numbers.

j.mcdermott@theday.com