Steelworkers union
I work as an employee for Huntington Ingalls (HII) at the Newport News Shipyard (NNS) we maintain and make Nuclear Aircraft Carriers and submarines for the Navy and I can’t help but feel that the Steelworkers union they have is just not even really that helpful because we just get screwed so much by this company. I’ve been here almost two years and it’s only been going downhill. As of late I’ve heard rumors they’re going to take away our Christmas shutdown and that’s like one of the only things that really keeps me (and I’m sure many others as well) here knowing I have something to look forward to. I was hired as a rigger and was told they don’t have enough stagebuilders so Im being put with them. I’ve being doing this the whole time while trying to dig and claw my way into the cranes and rigging :( the worst part is people being hired after me are making more than me and I have every qualification I can get other than jlg and crane for my trade and I think proving I’m a good worker is working against me because now they’ll never let me go to the spot I want after I proved myself useful. I bust my ass staging and I’m just wondering what’s the point of me being an employee and not just becoming a contractor. Some kinda ass insurance benefits and a union rep in case they try to fire me which likely won’t even make a difference. I want to start taking steps into a future career and I’m just so tired of feeling undervalued and treated like a workhorse than doesnt even get respect from my foreman