St. Mary Parish Economic Development Partnered with the Louisiana Workforce Commission, St. Mary Chamber of Commerce and South Louisiana Community College as well as other shipyard businesses hosted a job fair for those laid off from Swiftships.
William Quebedeaux was on the job at Swiftships for six months. He started in maintenance and when he moved up to a forklift operator position it seemed like he had a promising career in the company.
But he was one of nearly one hundred people who were laid off with no notice on February 2nd. He said they kept a handful of supervisors and there were signs that something was wrong.
“Our last five pay periods we were getting paid late,” Qeubedeaux said. “So it was kind of, people knew something was going on, something was wrong. Financially I’m not sure but people started leaving, and the people who did stay they got laid off. Financially there were a few things that were happening like the electricity getting cut off and cut back on.”
The layoffs were due to a loss of contract with the U.S. Navy. Quebedaux was at the job fair in hopes of finding a new position.
Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna was in attendance to recruit for LAD Services of Louisiana which he serves as president for. He said he thinks Swiftship’s layoffs had something to do with contractual issues, and was there to help others with employment opportunities,
“They asked me to help support so I said I’m here, you know anything you need I mean I feel bad for these people because with no notice you get laid off,” Dragna said. But it seems to be working out because you see quite a few people come through.
Quebedeaux said Swiftships was a good company, but when asked if he would ever work for the company again he was doubtful.
“I would’ve went back, I would’ve,” Quebedeaux said. But then I was like all the work I did for them all the hard work I did for them to lay me off it kind of hurt. So I’m kind of like you know they really lost an asset in me.”
Swiftships declined to comment at this time.
