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Government Shutdown Greatly Impacting Natick Labs

NATICK (CBS) --- The government shutdown is having a huge impact in Natick where more than 1,000 people at the soldier system center are now off the job.

On Tuesday morning, 1,300 to 1,400 civilian employees of Natick Labs were picking up furlough notices and going home.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Carl Stevens reports

Partial Shutdown Having Huge Impact At Natick Labs

With the government partially shutdown, there is no money to pay them.

Government Shutdown: What's Open, What's Closed?

Center spokesman John Harlowe says the shutdown not only impacts employees but also area businesses, costing the economy $445,000 a day.

"We're not going to get paid, we're not going to come to work," Harlowe said. "That's $445,000 not in the Metrowest and Boston economy. So people like me that might take my wife out to dinner tonight will instead be sitting home eating spaghetti."

Harlowe is one of the employees who will not be paid until the shutdown ends.

A message posted on the Natick Labs website said the website will not be updated until employees can return to work.

Around 100 military personnel and about that many civilians will remain on the job, but Harlowe says for the most part, the work done at Natick Labs each day, just won't get done.

"A lot of the research is going to stop," he said. "Most everything we are doing for research and development on behalf of the soldiers is going to stop cold in its tracks."

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