Shipyard Workers Warned of Possible Layoffs

As many as 500 Long Beach Naval Shipyard workers could receive pink slips by the end of the month unless new funds arrive, the shipyard commander, Capt. John A. Pickering, told employees gathered Tuesday at the Terminal Island facility.

The shipyard needs an additional $33 million to avert layoffs before the shipyard’s scheduled closure in September 1997, Pickering said. He urged senior employees to make room for their younger work mates by accepting early retirement incentives.

Just last month Pickering had predicted that the federal money would arrive, eliminating the need to reduce the 1,809-member work force before Dec. 1. However, he said Tuesday that chances have diminished that the money would arrive.

“I keep hearing that we’re going to get that money, but I haven’t seen any of it,” he said.

Despite the warm applause that followed his speech, some of the hundreds of workers who listened to him under a hot afternoon sun expressed surprise that layoffs were suddenly a strong possibility.

“All of a sudden they’re singing a different tune,” technician Lawton Chaney said.

Others criticized Pickering’s announcement that layoffs would based on job seniority that would not include years of military service.

“That’s another backstab for people who served the country,” technician Ricardo Gonzalez said. “We figured that somewhere along the line we were going to harvest the fruits of our efforts.”

Pickering also told workers not to count on the possibility that their jobs would remain once the shipyard becomes private property, as spelled out last year during negotiations aimed at reducing the nation’s defense budget. Although he acknowledged that one proposal before local and federal officials would set aside some of the land for ship repair, he said such a facility would probably only employ 40 to 300 people.

Responding to one worker’s question about how shipyard work could be divided among a much smaller crew, Pickering said remaining workers would have to learn new jobs.

“We’re all in this together and we’re all equal now,” he said. “In all likelihood, when you start cleaning dry dock tunnels, I’ll be down there with you.”