The Region : Shipyard Layoffs Delayed

Four hundred full-time employees at the Long Beach Naval Shipyard, originally scheduled to receive termination notices this week, have received at least a temporary reprieve. Gil Bond, the shipyard’s industrial relations representative, said the firings at Long Beach, part of a 5,500-job cutback at eight government-owned yards, are being postponed until December because of continuing work at the local facility. Navy Secretary John F. Lehman Jr. has indicated a desire to reduce overall employment at Navy shipyards and use private yards for overhauls whenever possible.