A joint study conducted by researchers at the University of New Orleans and Loyola University New Orleans finds that the anticipated closure of the Avondale Shipyard will be devastating for laid-off workers and the economy of greater New Orleans. Researchers concluded that while it is unlikely that Avondale will continue as a shipbuilder for the United States Navy, the shipyard can remain viable as a world-class manufacturer of seagoing vessels if it pursues viable alternatives.
The study, entitled “Avondale: The Uncertain Future of a Great American Shipyard,” was authored by Vern Baxter, UNO professor of sociology; Steve Striffler, UNO professor of anthropology; Ted Quant, Loyola University’s Twomey Center For Peace Through Justice; and Petrice Sams-Abiodun, Lindy Boggs National Center for Community Literacy at Loyola University.
"We learned a lot from Avondale workers—that the shipyard has been central to the creation of a middle class in New Orleans, that there is no reason to shut it down and that Avondale has a viable future in shipbuilding,” Striffler said. “We should all be working to keep Avondale open."
Here are some of the highlights of the study:
The Bad News: If Avondale closes, it will be devastating for laid-off workers and the economy of Greater New Orleans.
* Layoffs at Avondale have already occurred in significant numbers. Worse yet, although Huntington Ingalls has signaled a willingness to keep Avondale open, the company is moving forward with the shipyard’s closing and plans to increase layoffs in 2012. The financial and emotional stresses placed on those who have already been laid off are an ominous sign of things to come.
* If Huntington Ingalls continues to close the plant on schedule and the pace of layoffs quickens, the impact will be felt region-wide in 2012 as workers can no longer make house payments, purchase cars, send children to college or support local businesses.
* Finding a comparable job will be extremely difficult for laid-off Avondale workers, especially if thousands flood into a weak labor market at the same time. Although Avondale workers tend to be highly trained, the specialized nature of many of the jobs means that it will be very difficult for workers to find jobs at even half their current salary.
The Good News: Avondale can remain viable as a world-class manufacturer of seagoing vessels.
* Although reduced demand makes it unlikely that Avondale will continue as a shipbuilder for the US Navy, viable alternatives exist and should be pursued.
* The nearly $300 million in taxpayer money that Huntington Ingalls had hoped to collect from the federal government for shutting down the shipyard is now available to finance its future. Similarly, Governor Jindal announced a $214 million incentive package to support any joint venture involving Huntington Ingalls at the site.
* The fact that we are now talking about Avondale’s future, and not its closing, represents a major victory for the workers and Louisiana as a whole. Nevertheless, the question still remains: What will Avondale’s future look like? Like its past and present, this study suggests that Avondale’s future is shipbuilding.
To read the entire study, visit: http://uno.academia.edu/SteveStriffler/Papers/1179886/Avondale_The_Uncertain_Future_of_a_Great_American_Shipyard.