Workers at Bath Iron Works get 17% pay bump
A Bath Iron Works employee walks through their campus in Bath in June. (Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer)
Thousands of employees at Bath Iron Works are receiving a 17% pay increase following the ratification of a five-year contract.
About 4,500 members of the shipyard’s largest union voted to ratify the contract, which takes effect Monday and runs through August 2031.
After the 17% wage hike in the first year, members will receive annual 4% increases for the duration of the contract, according to a news release from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. Second- and third-shift employees will also receive increased shift premiums of $2.50 per hour.
Representatives from IAM Local S6 say its members did not concede on any items. The contract also solidifies healthcare costs and strengthens seniority and job protections, as well as allows for more time off flexibility, according to the news release.
“This committee went to the table with one mission: fight for what our members told us they deserved, and that’s exactly what we did,” IAM District 4 Business Representative Chris Wiers said in a written statement. “We brought home historic wage increases, stronger job protections and improvements across this agreement without giving up the hard-fought language our members have defended for generations.”
Charles Krugh, president of General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, said in a written statement that the historic contract is the result of good-faith negotiations.
“It will help us continue the production momentum we have gained in our vital work of building ships for the U.S. Navy,” Krugh said. “This contract demonstrates our commitment to retaining our experienced workforce and to our mission of building the highest-quality surface combatants that protect our country and our families.”
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Tagged: Bath Iron Works, bath maine, Times Record
Morgan covers breaking news and public safety for the Portland Press Herald. Before moving to Maine in 2024, she reported for Michigan State University's student-run publication, as well as the Indianapolis. More by Morgan Womack
