A union representing 650 workers at Bath Iron Works went on strike Monday after rejecting an offer from shipyard operator General Dynamics.

A statement from the union says the proposed General Dynamics-Bath Iron Works’ “Best and Final Offer” does not sufficiently address “wages that are lower than the national average, affordable insurance, and retirement income security.”

The statement says the workers hope the company took to heart the statements made by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth when he visited Bath Iron Works on February 9th.

“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,” said Trent Vellella, President of Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association. “With this Company proposal, General Dynamics is continuing to show that corporate earnings per share are more important than our members’ earning per pay period.”

The striking workers include designers, test and laboratory technicians, technical clerks, and associate engineers.

Bath Iron Works last experienced a strike in 2020, when the company’s largest union representing 4,300 out of 6,700 employees voted to strike.