HALIFAX, NS, June 25, 2021 /CNW/ – Earlier today, Unifor issued a press release regarding warehouse jobs at the Halifax Shipyard. Irving Shipbuilding wishes to share the following additional information to help clarify the situation:
Specifically:
- NO Local 1 member has lost their job or suffered a decrease in their rate of pay. All have or will be offered new jobs at the Shipyard.
- The decision to contract out the warehouse affects approximately 12 positions in a bargaining unit of 1100+ members, which is expected to grow to over 1700 members over the next several years. Year to date, over 180 Unifor-represented new employees have joined the shipbuilding team.
- Over the past decade, Irving Shipbuilding has used a total of seven (7) warehouses in locations across the Halifax–Dartmouth area. Only ONE of these warehouses had Unifor members.
- The inventory volume and space requirements needed for future work, including additional AOPS vessels and the larger Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) ships, will more than double from what it is needed today. A new, much larger and purpose-built “one-stop” warehouse solution was required.
- Also in their press release, Unifor incorrectly stated that 35 other workers lost their job as a result of the DSEC (Korea) contract which affected employment at Marine Fabricators. In fact, EVERY impacted Unifor member was offered a job at the Halifax Shipyard.
Irving Shipbuilding places great value in its union workforce and is committed to providing many more highly skilled jobs in the coming years. We recognize that our tradeworkers are the backbone of our company and at the very core of Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy.
SOURCE Irving Shipbuilding Inc.
