Shipyard Unions at Nassco Resent Drug Crackdown

There were dogs sniffing for drugs on the docks at National Steel & Shipbuilding Co. on Tuesday.

They and their masters returned from the hunt empty-handed, but Nassco officials promised that they’ll return, unannounced, as part of the giant shipyard’s controversial new get-tough policy on drugs in the shipyard.

The specially trained dogs--a yellow Labrador retriever and a tan mixed-Labrador that was plucked from the county Animal Shelter--searched for everything from cocaine to cannabis in Nassco’s main administration building and in its production management building.

They’ll keep at it until all eight of Nassco’s buildings and its production areas are checked for illegal substances.

But the dogs’ presence has sparked howls of protest from leaders of Nassco’s seven labor unions. They say that, at the minimum, the sniff searches are insulting; at the maximum, they may violate employees’ rights.

Resentment Toward Dogs

“We’re against (drug abuse), but innocent people who don’t take drugs resent . . . having these dogs sniffing around,” said Manual Ruiz, business agent for the International Assn. of Bridge, Structural and Ornamental Ironworkers, Local 627, Nassco’s largest union.

“There’s a drug problem throughout the United States and in shipyards,” he said. “But we don’t know what the extent is at Nassco. They are abusing people’s rights with these searches.”

Nassco officials appear at once tough in their stance and conciliatory in their approach.

“The unions have informed us that, at this time, they haven’t fully accepted the idea of bringing surveillance dogs into the yard,” said Fred Hallett, Nassco vice president of finance and corporate relations.

Since the beginning of June, he said, Nassco management has discussed with union officials “what methods are appropriate to keep drugs out of the yard, and we’re discussing what to do . . . to ensure employees’ rights.”

Nassco’s new drug policy is designed to “keep drugs from the workplace” and not to arrest workers, Hallett said.

Police Will Be Notified

However, employees who are “perceived to have any substance on them or in their immediate presence, such as their desk,” will be asked to leave work, Hallett said. He added that Nassco officials will then notify the police for “appropriate action.”

Nassco announced its drug plan last month, explaining in a letter mailed to workers that job applicants will now have to pass a “certified substance” screening as a condition of employment. Urine analysis testing will not be required of current employees, officials have said.

The new policy sent union leaders scurrying to Rep. Duncan L. Hunter (R-Coronado), who advised them to sit down with Nassco management and voice their concerns.

Meanwhile, more pressing problems beset Nassco, the West Coast’s largest shipyard.

Contracts Wind Down

An average of 100 workers has been laid off each week for the past month, as the bay-front plant winds down contract work on two Navy hospital ships and two oil tankers for Exxon Shipping.

Nassco’s work force is now down to 4,100 employees--a cutback of 500 from mid-May--and layoffs will continue until the company secures a new construction contract.

Officials are awaiting word on a $2-billion landing ship helicopter dock contract for the Navy--known in the trade as a “baby carrier” ship.

If Nassco fails to win the contract--several other large shipyards have submitted bids--then employment could drop to 1,000 by year’s end, company officials have previously said.