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7 July, 1999Avondale shipyard has been condemned by the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Authority (OHSA).
USA: The complaints lodged by the workers and their unions at the Avondale shipyard, were fully vindicated by the ruling of the OHSA which accused the company "of wilfully failing to properly record hundreds of injuries and illnesses at its New Orleans shipyard." The workers have criticised the deplorably unsafe working conditions and management's complicity in refusing to acknowledge its responsibility to the lives and safety of its employees.
OHSA also stated that Avondale's management refused to hand over their injury and illness records to their investigators, until they were ordered to do so by a federal court. Even then they still refused to provide the information concerning leased employees who have been employed at the shipyard.
The fight for trade union recognition and decent working conditions continues at the shipyard. After winning a ballot for trade unions recognition in 1993, Avondale management, led by CEO Al Bossier, refused to recognise the rights of their employees to trade union membership. After 6 years of struggling for justice, a court has now ruled that the U.S. National Labor Relations board must conduct a new ballot for trade union recognition.
Having denied his workers trade union recognition Al Bossier is now expecting to reap a huge payoff, if the merger with Litton Industries goes through as expected. He will receive over $ 16.1 million as part of a $ 35.7 million payoff to Avondale's seven top executives.
OHSA also stated that Avondale's management refused to hand over their injury and illness records to their investigators, until they were ordered to do so by a federal court. Even then they still refused to provide the information concerning leased employees who have been employed at the shipyard.
The fight for trade union recognition and decent working conditions continues at the shipyard. After winning a ballot for trade unions recognition in 1993, Avondale management, led by CEO Al Bossier, refused to recognise the rights of their employees to trade union membership. After 6 years of struggling for justice, a court has now ruled that the U.S. National Labor Relations board must conduct a new ballot for trade union recognition.
Having denied his workers trade union recognition Al Bossier is now expecting to reap a huge payoff, if the merger with Litton Industries goes through as expected. He will receive over $ 16.1 million as part of a $ 35.7 million payoff to Avondale's seven top executives.