NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — While the spread of the coronavirus continues, some of the work at a local shipyard has stopped because of it.
About 40 General Dynamics contract workers at BAE Systems in Norfolk remained off the job for a third day on Thursday over safety concerns.
According to strike organizer Andrew Revell, at least two have been threatened with reassignment for walking out.
“I think we’ve gotten the right people’s attention, especially now that we’re getting these threatening emails,” Revell said. “It might be extremely combative at this point but at least we’ve got their attention.”
General Dynamics has a federal contract to do technology work on the USS Gettysburg and the USS Bulkeley, where engineer Robert Fentress had been working. He died last week from COVID-19.
Fentress was diagnosed in late March, and Revell worries that the number of coronavirus cases in Hampton Roads has grown tenfold since then.
“The danger is ten times greater, and we don’t see ten times the effort to keep us safe,” he said.
General Dynamics sent 10 On Your Side this statement Thursday afternoon:
“GDIT follows CDC-recommended measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We partner with our customer and contractors co-located at customer locations on the implementation of essential measures to advocate for the health and wellbeing of our employees. We will continue to track CDC guidelines and implement strict protocols to safeguard employees who continue to work onsite in support of our nation’s critical infrastructure. We communicate regularly with health officials and continuously evolve protocols as this crisis unfolds. The health and wellbeing of all GDIT employees in all locations are of the utmost importance.”
The workers are asking for several safety measures and an established and posted coronavirus policy. Without those measures they say they’ll stay off the job, and feel that current circumstances are in their favor.
“There’s no evictions right now because the courts are closed, there’s no utility shutoffs,” Revell said. “A lot of these people are getting $1,200 checks, so time is kind of on our side here.”
A BAE spokesman says of six people tested since the death of Fentress, four have come back negative, two positive and at least one of those has recovered and returned to work.
On Wednesday, BAE began non-contact body temperature screening for all company and contract workers and visitors. Revell called that program a “step in the right direction”.
