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In the summer of 1999 workers at Newport News Shipbuilding, the largest private employer in the state, went on strike over pay and retirement benefits. Unlike earlier strikers, the 1999 strike didn't turn violent. But it did test the patience of workers, most of whom had worked at the yard for over 20 years. The shipyard, which builds the nation's aircraft carriers and submarines, was practically shut down for six months during the strike.