Submarine designers in Connecticut say they'll strike on May 18 if contract deal isn't reached

GROTON, Conn. (AP) — About 2,500 workers astatine Electric Boat shipyard successful Connecticut program to onslaught connected May 18 if a tentative declaration statement is not reached with the submarine builder, the national president announced during a rally Thursday.

About 300 national members cheered the announcement made by Bill Louis, president of the Marine Draftsmen’s Association-United Auto Workers of America, Local 571, The Day of New London paper reported.

“We’re officially putting the institution connected announcement that if we don’t person an statement astatine 11:59 p.m., we onslaught astatine midnight May 18,” Louis told the national members, astir of whom are fundamentally liable for designing the U.S. Navy's atomic submarine fleet.

A connection was near seeking remark with an EB spokesperson successful Groton.

The looming onslaught comes arsenic a time aft the U.S. Navy awarded EB's genitor company, General Dynamics, a declaration worthy much than $12.4 cardinal for the operation of 2 Virginia people submarines authorized during past fiscal year. The backing besides covers improved idiosyncratic pay.

More than two-thirds of the national rank voted past period to authorize a onslaught if a woody couldn't beryllium reached connected a caller contract.

The union’s declaration expired connected April 4, but enactment has agreed to proceed bargaining with EB. They’ve demanded higher wages implicit 4 years, the restoration of pension benefits for each members, outgo of surviving adjustments and nett sharing with General Dynamics, EB’s genitor company, among different changes.

“The timepiece has tally retired connected firm greed,” UAW President Shawn Fain told members during a rally past month. “And I’ll archer you, this is simply a caller UAW wherever the rank comes archetypal and we garbage to purpose debased and settee lower.”

EB's earlier now-expired connection had included a 23.3% wide wage summation implicit the beingness of the contract, positive benefits and an accrued status package.

The institution has acknowledged it has been “actively preparing a concern continuity program successful the lawsuit of a enactment stoppage,” adding it volition “not waver from our committedness to proceed gathering submarines, the nation’s apical nationalist information priority.”