BATH — The largest union at Bath Iron Works on Sunday quickly — and overwhelmingly — ratified a new fouryear contract that includes pay increases, an enhanced pension plan and a $3,000 bonus for members actively involved in shipyard work.
The contract also retains language in the previous contract regarding subcontracting, according to Dan Dowling, president of Local S6 of the Machinists union, which represents more than 3,000 production and maintenance mechanics at BIW.
The new contract, tentatively agreed to by union and company negotiators at midnight Thursday, was ratified with a 1,610-342 vote Sunday at the Augusta Civic Center.
“We truly know it’s the industry leader in shipbuilding,” Machinists spokesman John Carr told the Associated Press.
Workers will receive a $3,000 bonus, in addition to pay increases. Averaged out over the work force, the pay increase will be 6.145 percent in the first year, and by the fourth year, the increase will be 11.25 percent over the old contract.
The defined benefit pension plan will be enhanced with immediate vesting for workers participating in an optional 401(k) program, according to Carr. Workers’ shares of health care premiums will remain stable for the first two years, with increases in copayments and deductibles in the last two years.
“It didn’t take long for the members to make up their minds,” Dowling said today. “The mood was basically one of members, for the most part, see it as a good deal.”
The contract adequately addresses the three largest issues, he said: Health care, the pension plan and wages.
“Probably in fourth place — a big concern — is job security as it relates to things like subcontracting, and not wanting other people to end up with our work,” Dowling added. “There’s no new language in the contact concerning subcontracting. What we had in the previous contract is what we have today. That’s a good thing.”
Had the union voted down the proposed contract, union members would have then considered voting to strike effective at midnight Sunday, when the previous contract expired, Dowling said Friday.
The most recent strike, lasting 55 days, occurred in 2000.
“We’re very pleased the Local S6 membership ratified the new contract so we can continue the business of providing
Bath-built ships to the Navy,” BIW spokesman Jim DeMartini told The Times Record this morning. “The negotiating teams did an excellent job hammering out a fair agreement for our employees that will improve our competitive position to secure future work. We’re pleased to be continuing our Bath Built is Best Built tradition.”
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