BATH

According to the Local S6, Bath Iron Works’ largest union, the shipyard is in the process of recalling employees who have been laid off over the last few months.

“We should not have members out on the street, and Bath Iron Works has heard the message and has been working with us to return our members back to work,” said Local S6 President Mike Keenan. “I don’t know what lit the whip to get them to move a little faster, but I’m very pleased that they’ve now heard the message and (we are) collectively working on trying to get everyone back.”

Keenan blasted the company in April when it announced it would be laying off 31 positions while at the same time winning a potentially $45 million tax credit from the Maine Legislature. Keenan called the move “atrocious,” saying that if Bath Iron Works was asking for taxpayer money to support jobs at the shipyard, it should be doing its best to keep shipbuilders employed.

The move came just months after about 60 electricians were laid off in February.

Since then, says Keenan, the union has been pushing the shipyard to recall laid-off workers or train them for new positions in the company.

“We’ve been really adamant with the company, with the new work, even the capital work, we’ve got to get our members back inside those gates where they belong,” said Keenan. “We’ve slowly started getting some back.”

According to Keenan, now larger numbers of recently laid-off workers are being welcomed back into the company, including insulators and electricians who were laid off and remain unemployed by the company. Keenan said the electricians are being asked to come back to work June 18, and insulators could be back to work as early as this week.

“There will no longer be any member on the street unless they want to be there,” said Keenan.

Keenan noted that there were a few preservation technicians who went on voluntary layoff in May and remain out of work, but the union was working with the shipyard to bring them back soon.

“Finally we’re seeing action,” said Keenan. “This is exciting.

“Honestly, there is nothing worse than walking by a shipbuilder on the outside … and knowing that they’re laid off,” said Keenan. “They should all be working, and hopefully this does it.”

BIW declined to comment for this story.