NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — UPDATE: Less than a week after the USW Local 8888's ceremony, the union retracted its call for an on-site coroner at HII Newport News Shipbuilding, as well as its claim that occupational-related deaths are not being reported accurately at the shipyard. Read the full story with the union's latest statements here.
The union representing 10,000 workers at the Newport News shipyard is rallying for their employer to hire an on-site coroner to report occupational-related deaths.
USW Local 8888 claims that occupational-related deaths are increasing at HII Newport News Shipbuilding but aren't being reported accurately.
"Often, medical personnel at the hospital where the victim is taken pronounces him or her dead on arrival," according to a union statement.
As a result, the union says families of those who have died on the job aren't getting the full value of the employee's life insurance, because their deaths weren't declared on-site by a coroner.
"The company will be liable to pay only $50,000 on the employee's insurance policy, not the $100,000, as required if the death occurred on shipyard property," according to the union statement.
The union held a ceremony Friday to honor those who've died from occupational-related incidents and highlight dangers at the shipyard, such as "heat, chemical exposures, sharp-cutting equipment, and unnoticed hazards."
The union is calling on the shipyard's parent company, Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII), to hire an on-site coroner to expedite medical evaluations before an injured or deceased worker is taken off company property.
The ceremony coincides with Workers Memorial Day, which is held annually to commemorate people across the world killed, hurt, disabled or sickened on the job.
In a written statement to 13News Now, Todd Corillo, a spokesperson for HII Newport News Shipbuilding, didn't weigh in on the union's demands but said the company is committed to prioritizing safety.
“As we join the nation in observing Workers’ Memorial Day this Sunday, we remain steadfast in our commitment to safety – the safety of our shipbuilders and all those who work in the shipyard is our number one priority," Corillo wrote. "We are very proud of our shipbuilders’ commitment to safety as they build the best U.S. Navy ships for the security of our nation. We will continue to prioritize safety above all else, and maintain our strict compliance with workplace safety and reporting requirements."
After the union released its statement to media on Friday announcing the ceremony — but before the ceremony began — union president Charles Spivey told 13News Now that HII had begun a conversation with them about their claims regarding occupational-related deaths. It's not clear where those conversations stand.
"We vow to aggressively pursue this issue. It will not go away and neither will we," said Spivey in a statement.