The USS Zumwalt is seen at the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula, Miss., Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
- The company said Thursday that the collective bargaining agreement for union-represented shipbuilders provides historic wage growth of 35% to 47% through 2031.
All five union organizations at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula have now ratified new collective bargaining agreements with HII, following voting by their members. The new contract will run through March 8, 2031.
Employing more than 11,000 employees, Ingalls Shipbuilding is the largest manufacturing employer in Mississippi.
Negotiations between HII and Ingalls company leadership and union representatives concluded on February 12, with the parties reaching consensus on contract proposals to bring forward for a vote. Ratification followed votes by members of the Pascagoula Metal Trades Council (PMTC), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU), International Association of Machinists (IAM), and the United Federation of Special Police and Security Officers (UFSPSC).
The new agreements secure an immediate 18% or higher base wage increase for union-represented shipbuilders, the largest single wage increase in Ingalls Shipbuilding history.
The company said Thursday that the collective bargaining agreement for union-represented shipbuilders provides historic wage growth of 35% to 47% through 2031. Shipbuilding leadership anticipates this will improve recruitment and attrition that will enable accelerated throughput.
“This agreement strengthens our partnership with our represented shipbuilders and affirms our commitment to providing competitive wages and stability for our workforce,” said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Blanchette in a statement.
Blanchette added that the dedication and expertise of the Ingalls shipbuilders are essential to meeting the U.S. Navy’s growing demand for more ships, “and together we will continue advancing our mission to build the most capable ships that protect and serve our nation’s warfighters.”
HII stated that the wage increase provided to its employees “reflects the essential role Ingalls shipbuilders and their families play in delivering the most capable ships in the world and provides meaningful wage growth, long-term stability and certainty for our shipbuilding community.”
