A Navy contract to build another LCS like the USS Freedom Local 696 members launched Sept. 23, 2006, will save nearly 300 Boilermaker jobs that Marinette Marine was considering for layoff. Photo courtesy Navy News Service
Marinette Marine cancels scheduled layoffs to build USS Fort Worth
U.S. CONGRESSMEN Bart Stupak (D-MI 1st) and Steve Kagen (D-WI 8th) announced the award of a naval contract March 23 to Lockheed Martin Corp. to build the USS Fort Worth, a new Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), at Marinette Marine, where over 700 members of Local 696 (Marinette, Wis.) are employed. This will be the Navy’s third LCS, a multi-purpose craft for warfare or humanitarian missions, and the second LCS (USS Freedom) built by Marinette Marine.
“The LCS program is all about jobs, jobs, and more jobs,” Rep. Kagen said. “We have to restore our job base to work our way [out of the recession].
“I’m very pleased that Congressman Stupak and I were successful in cajoling the Navy to move forward as rapidly as they did,” he added. “It’s never as fast as you’d like it to be, but it’s gonna get done. This will be just the second ship of hopefully many more that we’ll build here at Marinette Marine.”
This is especially good news for Local 696 members who work at the shipyard. Local 696 President William Lockhart says the contract came just in time to keep nearly 300 members at work. “Now we just need another contract so all of our members can get back to doing what they do best — building great ships,” he said.
Richard McCreary couldn’t agree more, especially in terms of potentially returning all Marinette Marine employees to work. As president, CEO, and general manager for Marinette Marine, McCreary said the LCS-3 contract stopped layoffs they had scheduled and others they were considering.
“What this does is stabilize us going forward,” McCreary said. “The LCS alone doesn’t allow us to recall our 170 [employees] that are laid off, but it gives us the base that if we add one more contract to this yard — of any size — we’ll be able to on a phase basis.”
According to Rep. Stupak, the LCS-3 contract is a huge economic boost not just to Marinette Marine and the surrounding communities, but also to the 40 companies across Northern Michigan who provide parts and services for the project. “This contract will help sustain the local work force and will further strengthen Marinette Marine’s position as an integral part of the LCS program, hopefully leading to more contracts and more jobs down the road,” he said.
The LCS-3 order is one of two LCS contracts the Navy is expected to award this year. Because the cost of building the LCS-3 will be part of the evaluation criteria for ships to be awarded in Fiscal Year 2010, the actual contract value is not being released by the Navy. However, Stupak and Kagen did note that Congress approved $1.02 billion for the Navy to purchase two LCSs for Fiscal Year 2009.
Marinette Marine expects to launch the USS Fort Worth in Dec. 2010, with delivery to the Navy the following year. By that time, Marinette could be the building site for up to three more LCS contracts expected to be awarded by the Navy in 2010.
Marinette Marine, a full-service shipyard, was founded along the Menominee River in Marinette, Wis., in 1942 to meet America’s growing need for wartime naval construction. Local 696, a shipyard, marine, and SFEAW lodge, has represented Marinette Marine workers since the lodge was chartered in 1952.
Contributing source: The Eagle Herald Extra
