The State : 1,200 Strike at Shipyard

In another blow to the declining San Diego shipyard that at one time was the largest on the West Coast, union workers at the National Steel & Shipbuilding Co. have gone on strike. About 1,200 workers, led by the Ironworkers Union, marched out of the yard at noon Wednesday. Union leaders called the walkout when Nassco failed to accept their proposal for a new contract last week. Six labor unions have rejected three company proposals over the past year. The strike evolved from a wage dispute centering on demands by company officials that workers accept drastic wage cuts. Officials argued that Nassco had to cut wages to remain competitive with lower wages paid to workers in shipyards on the Gulf and East coasts.