Tony Quinata, Gulf Copper area manager, said the ship repair company has made many unsuccessful attempts to win contracts with the Department of Navy, but because Guam Shipyard, the only other ship repair agency on Guam, employs H2B workers at lower wages, the rate difference hampers GC’s ability to retain its employees.
Quinata said the services Gulf Copper provides are equal, if not better, to that of the Guam Shipyard.
“The contracts we offer are in ship repair services and it’s the same with our competitor,” he said.
Concerns regarding the wage rate difference was also brought to the attention of the Department of Labor and local officials, Quinata said, but “nothing happens.”
Quinata also said that Gulf Copper prefers to hire local workforce because of the high unemployment rate on Guam, which is currently at 13 percent.
In his defense, Guam Shipyard president Mathews Pothen acknowledged that he hires foreign H2B workers, but they are American Bureau of Shipping certified welders and ship fitters.
In fact, Pothen said he has placed advertisements in local newspaper several times for ABS certified positions but those who have applied could not pass ABS certification.
“I can call myself a welder but that doesn’t mean I can get a certificate that says I can weld a three quarter inch plate or a half inch plate,” said Pothens. “Anybody qualified we have hired and we will continue to hire — we have new requirements where we need certified welders and ship fitters.”
Pothens said a majority of his employees were hired locally. He said he has about 320 local employees and 45 H2B foreign workers.
“We don’t want to bring H2 workers. If we cannot find them here then that’s when we hire H2 workers,” he said.
However, Quinata said Gulf Copper employees, even those who were laid off, were ABS certified.
“My goodness, we’re even beyond that. We have to comply with those requirements. Those are Navy requirements; that’s in the contract,” said Quinata, adding that Gulf Copper is down to just 16 employees.
“This is one of the most difficult careers that I’ve ever encountered actually because when you have to inform employees of our situation, that’s the last thing you want to do. They were here primarily because they wanted to have a change in their life and they figured that Gulf Copper would have that offer to them and we did offer that to them, but we also informed them at the same time that this is the nature of the business. There’s potential that if we don’t win the bid, there’s that possibility,” said Quinata.
