Union workers at Electric Boat have taken a vote authorizing a strike, if contract negotiations don’t come to a successful conclusion.
Two-thirds of the 2,500 members of the Marine Draftsmans Association, which is part of United Auto Workers Local 571, voted to authorize a strike, escalating the current labor dispute at the Groton submarine yard.
The drafters have been continuing to work under an expired contract since April 4.
The union is pushing for higher wages, a mechanism for cost-of-living adjustments to pay, breaks on the cost of healthcare, and the restoration of pension rights to all of its members.
General Dynamics, Electric Boat’s parent company, says it has already extended its best and final offer to the union, providing wage growth and retirement enhancement for all employees.
At a rally held Monday, UAW President Shawn Fain addressed the union members.
“These workers aren’t just drafting blueprints — they’re designing the backbone of our national defense,” he said. “This isn’t just any job — it’s mission-critical work, funded by the American taxpayer.”
The union has accused the company of refusing to bargain in good faith, but Electric Boat says that it is still having productive meetings on key topics with union leadership.
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