Hundreds of Bath Iron Works employees picketed outside the shipyard Monday after rejecting General Dynamics’ contract proposal over the weekend.

This is the first time the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association, representing 627 ship designers, non-destructive test technicians, technical clerks, laboratory technicians, and associate engineers at BIW, has gone on strike, said Trent Vellella, president of BMDA. Members of BMDA said they wanted to ensure wages kept pace with inflation and Maine’s rising cost of living.

Another point of contention during negotiations was ensuring BIW wages are closer to the national competitive median wage for the BMDA union members, Vellella said. The increasing cost of health care was another concern.

Approximately 76% of BMDA membership voted over the weekend to reject the company’s contract offer because they didn’t feel heard by their employer, Vellella said.

The wage increase in the rejected four-year contract was a 10.1% average for the first year with a 4% increase year over year, according to a shipyard spokesperson. After three weeks of negotiations, BIW and the BMDA could not reach an agreement on a successor collective bargaining agreement.

Other aspects of the company’s proposal include health insurance rates significantly below market and preservation of work from home, flexible work week, and vacation purchase opportunities, according to shipyard officials.

BIW Local S6 union members also joined the picket line during their lunch breaks.

“Solidarity is the key to getting what we want [and] in America the people have the power,” said Local S6 member Erick Ryder. “The more people show up, the more it puts a strain on the companies, and the more they will be willing to move to give us what we want, which is fair.”

Contract negotiations for Local S6, a much larger union that represents the vast majority of shipyard employees, begin in June, with their contract expiring in August this year.

“I think right now in the state of this country, most working people feel squeezed by rising costs and affordability,” said Matt Schlobohm, executive director of the Maine AFL-CIO. “They see unions and other workers standing up as a way to try to get a fair shake and a fair share in this economy.”

A major goal is to get everyone back to work as soon as possible to support the U.S. Navy under an acceptable contract, Vellella said.

The company is continuing to negotiate in good faith with the BMDA to explore opportunities to better align company and union objectives, shipyard officials said.

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