THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 22, 1996 TAG: 9603220570
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MYLENE MANGALINDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 38 lines
Seventy-four janitors who were laid off at Newport News Shipbuilding last September can return to work.
An arbitrator decided that Newport News Shipbuilding violated a collective bargaining agreement by laying off the janitors and hiring contracted workers in order to cut labor costs. The case was heard Oct. 27.
Representatives of Steelworkers Local 8888 expressed joy at the decision.
``That's a big victory for us because the company was looking at the possibility of prevailing,'' said Thomas Crudup, president of the local.
``It's one of the most significant and far-reaching decision we've had here since the contract was signed in 1980,'' said Judith Boyd, subdistrict director of the United Steelworkers of America.
``The yard made a unilateral decision to lay off those people,'' Boyd said. ``We maintained that it was unilateral and it was a violation. It doesn't just affect those 74 people. It's more far-reaching. We may have been looking at another 400 employees in other departments'' being affected, she said.
The shipyard issued a statement: ``We did what we thought was best for the company and all its employees. We felt what we did was consistent with the contract. The arbitrator has indicated he does not agree with that. We are certainly disappointed with this ruling. However, we are going to follow the contract and we will be meeting with the union to find a resolution.''
The janitors can return to their jobs at the same pay scale as when they were laid off. They can also retain their seniority and benefits.
Shipyard and union officials will meet today to determine the timing and the terms of the arbitration's implementation. by CNB