Labor, Maritime Business Coalition Urge Congress to Avoid CR

A bipartisan coalition urge Congress to pass a Defense Appropriation Bill to avoid another Continuing Resolution (CR) & Sequestration.

A bipartisan coalition of labor unions and maritime business owners affiliated with the Shipbuilding Council of America have jointly sent a letter to congressional leaders urging them to pass a defense appropriations bill and avoid sequestration cuts before the Navy begins widespread lay-offs and cancellation of ship maintenance on February 15, 2013.

In the letter the coalition stresses that "If no action is taken, the magnitude and indiscriminate nature of sequestration coupled with the 2013 Continuing Resolution will trigger significant reductions in operating budgets across the United States Joint Forces, degrading our military readiness and resulting in economic harm to workers and communities across the country."
Explaining that the situation has "profound consequences for America's workers and communities," the letter urges Congress to pass a budget before February 15, 2013 and that failure to do so would result in:
    •    Up to 46,000 Department of Defense civilian employees will be immediately laid off.
    •    Another 800,000 workers will face furlough days resulting in a 20 percent pay cut.
    •    More than 100,000 people could lose jobs in the shipbuilding and repair industry and our supply chain.

The letter is signed by Ron Ault , President of the Metal Trades Department and the presidents of its affiliated unions including Patrick D. Finley , Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons; Thomas Buffenbarger , IAMAW; Joseph Nigro , SMWIA; James A. Williams , IUPAT; James T. Callahan , Operating Engineers; Newton Jones , IBB; Gregory Junemann , IFPTE; William Hite , UA; William R. Dougan , NFFE; and David J. Holway , NAGE. It is also signed by Frank Foti , SCA Chairman, CEO Vigor Industrial and the more than 100 maritime business owners who make up the Shipbuilding Council of America.