Navy Secretary meets with L-1998

L-1998 President Robert Godinez, right, presents Navy Secretary Ray Mabus with a commemorative mug.

NAVY SECRETARY RAY MABUS paid a visit to workers represented by Local 1998 at the General Dynamics NASSCO shipyard in San Diego Jan. 9. L-1998 President Robert Godinez addressed the Secretary before the shipyard workers present, thanking him for honoring requests to name several ships and also for supporting NASSCO’s need for additional ship orders.

“I thanked him for naming the USNS Medgar Evers and the USNS Cesar Chavez and allowing the legacy of these two civil rights and labor leaders to live on as the ships travel the world. Also, I thanked him for opening the doors to us at the Pentagon [during a May 2013 visit by Godinez and Steve Beal, Asst. Dir. for Shipbuilding and Marine Services] and responding positively to our concerns about ship orders and future work. Finally, I thanked him for moving the start date of the 26 TAO-X ships [naval fleet oilers] from 2018 to 2016, a change that should solidify continued employment for our members for years to come.”