Bath, Maine - Unionized workers at one of the US Navy's biggest shipbuilding contractors launched a labor strike in Maine on Monday.

Members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen's Association – which is affiliated with the United Auto Workers union – walked off the job at General Dynamics Bath Iron Works after voting down a contract offer over the weekend, the Associated Press reported.

The BMDA, which represents more than 620 workers at the shipyard, said the proposal did not meet members' expectations around wages, insurance coverage, and retirement income security.

"The company is continuing to negotiate in good faith with the BMDA to explore opportunities to better align company and union objectives," Bath Iron Works spokesperson David Hench said in a statement.

The move came after Pete Hegseth visited the Bath Iron Works last month as part of his so-called "Arsenal of Freedom" tour. During a speech, the defense secretary urged workers to "go hard and go fast" in their efforts to build equipment for the US military.

"We had hoped the company took to heart the statements made by Secretary Hegseth here at GD BIW on February 9th because, our membership certainly did," BMDA President Trent Vellella said in a statement to AP.

Vellella added that General Dynamics "continues to make record profits off our labor."

The Bath shipyard's president said in December that they were willing to help build a new "golden fleet" of warships announced by Donald Trump that month.