BMDA (UAW 3999) Members Ratify Contract After Five Day Strike

The Bath Marine Draftsmen’s Association, UAW Local 3999 (BMDA), voted to ratify a four year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with General Dynamics Bath Iron Works (GDBIW) on Saturday, ending a week-long strike.

“While the changes from the ‘Best and Final Offer’ rejected by the membership last week – which resulted in the BMDA going on Strike – to the Tentative Agreement today did not achieve all of the contract campaign goals, the improvements in the accepted Tentative Agreement do represent a win for the membership,” said Trent Vellella, President of BMDA-UAW Local 3999. “The BMDA Negotiating Committee maintains that every member should hold their head high and not lose sight of this real win. The internal organization and activation of the membership moved GDBIW. Establishing not only a better contract foundation for the next negotiation but also developing an engaged and motivated membership; that now has this experience to bring to bear in any future negotiation or organizing activity."

More than 600 members of Local 3999 walked off the job last Monday after rejecting  BIW’s earlier “best and final” offer because it did not adequately address key priorities such as competitive wages, affordable health insurance and retirement security.

BMDA members include Designers, Non-Destructive Test Technicians, Technical Clerks, Laboratory Technicians, and Associate Engineers who work both at BIW and in locations across the country and the world. Several BMDA members are multigenerational BIW workers. BMDA workers were visited on the picket lines this week by a number of community leaders and political candidates including U.S. Senate candidate Graham Platner and gubernatorial candidates Troy Jackson, Shenna Bellows and Hannah Pingree.