Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, June 7, 1994 TAG: 9406070084
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: |By STEPHEN FOSTER| |STAFF WRITER|
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The employees include hourly workers and salaried employees. They also include 60 security and fire personnel who are being let go in the wake of Wackenhut Corp.'s wresting away a job Hercules Inc. had performed for more than 50 years.
Nicole Kinser, public affairs officer for the arsenal, said the 40 extra workers would be let go as part of "a continuation of the initiatives started several months ago" - downsizing, reorganization and cost-cutting that have become even more important in the world of defense cutbacks. In January, the arsenal cut more than 170 jobs.
As for the security and fire switch, the U.S. Army was required to award the contract to the lowest bidder, and Wackenhut, an international security provider, simply won out, Kinser said.
The layoffs are to be official at the end of this month.
Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, said he regretted the loss of jobs, but that the action was to reduce the arsenal's cost structure so it can compete successfully for new work.
Ken Thompson, president of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International Union, Local 3-495, said nine hourly workers were affected, all of them production mechanics. With the cuts, he said, "the maintenance department has pretty well been scrapped, so to speak."
He said the parts of the plant still in operation are being kept up, but more buildings are not being used, and "the more they put on standby, the less maintenance you need." The workers will be offered jobs in production if they want them, albeit at pay cuts of more than $1.50 an hour.
For guards and firefighters, the situation is grimmer. Although Wackenhut has pledged to give first shot to the laid-off Hercules guards and firefighters, several said Monday that it will be difficult to work for half of what they are used to.
Joe Pack, a patrolman who has worked at the arsenal for 27 years, said he will not take Wackenhut's offer. He makes $11.68 an hour, and with Wackenhut offering wages closer to $6 an hour, "I can't afford to work for that amount of money.
"I'll probably just drive a tractor-trailer," he said. "I'll probably make as much and more if I want to run."
One longtime security employee said he was going to try to get a job with Wackenhut, but lamented what he said were fewer benefits and less vacation time, job insecurity in a one-year contract and, of course, the pay cut.
"It isn't fair," said the worker, who asked not to be identified. He estimated that 90 percent of the security and fire workers would not work for Wackenhut.
Wackenhut is offering $6 an hour for security officers and $8 an hour for firefighters, according to the Virginia Employment Commission, which is handling applications.
"I'm not going from $12 down to $6," said another guard with 27 years' experience at the arsenal. The man, who also asked not to be identified, said he did not attend a meeting last week held for employees, Wackenhut, Hercules and some congressional staffers as facilitators.
"Myself, I don't know what I'm going to do," he said.
by CNB