Northrop Shipyard Short of Workers

A major U.S. shipyard acquired last fall by Northrop Grumman Corp. has an employee shortage.

“I have more work than I have trades to perform it,” said Thomas Schievelbein, president of the Newport News Shipbuilding unit of Century City-based Northrop Grumman. “I just have to work through that.”

More workers are leaving now than at any other time in recent memory, union officials said.

“I’ve not seen any numbers like this before,” said Arnold Outlaw, president of the United Steelworkers of America Local 8888.

Employees, particularly those who handle nuclear and radioactive material, are leaving for other jobs, especially at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, the union said.

Some also are taking advantage of increased pensions.

The Virginia shipyard recently signed a contract to build the 10th Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, known as CVN-77, as it wraps up work on the carrier Ronald Reagan.

It is also refueling a third carrier, the Eisenhower, planning for the next generation of carriers, the CVNX, and refitting the first U.S. nuclear-powered carrier, the Enterprise.

It also has contracts with General Dynamics Corp.’s Electric Boat division to build the first four Virginia-class attack submarines.

Newport News, the nation’s only builder of nuclear aircraft carriers, became part of Northrop on Nov. 30 in a $2.1-billion takeover.