A union of Bath Iron Works laborers, the Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association, is set to start a strike on Monday in a refusal of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works’ “best and final” offer for a union contract. 

The union, which represents over 620 Bath Iron Works employees, voted on Saturday to reject the company’s offer because it said it does not sufficiently address the priorities of members, including increasing wages, affordable insurance and security in retirement, according to a statement shared by BMDA. 

“The membership has shown an amazing strength, commitment, and solidarity with this contract campaign,” said Trent Vellella, president of BMDA in the press release. “And they are willing to stand up to win an agreement that acknowledges their worth.”

A spokesperson for Bath Iron Works said both sides have been negotiating throughout the weekend. If a contract is not reached before midnight on March 23, over 620 BMDA members are scheduled to not work. Members include designers, test and laboratory technicians, technical clerks and associate engineers.

Bath Iron Works last had a strike in 2020, when the company’s largest union representing 4,300 of the company’s 6,700 employees at the time voted to strike for the first time in 20 years.

Vellella said in his statement that he hoped the company took to heart the statements made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth when he visited Bath Iron Works on Feb. 9.

“General Dynamics continues to make record profits off our labor and gives away BILLIONS every year through stock buybacks and dividends while many of our members live paycheck to paycheck. With this company proposal, General Dynamics is continuing to show that corporate earnings per share are more important than our members’ earnings per pay period,” said Vellella.