How closely those figures might compare to shipyard wages is unclear — the shipbuilding unions Business Insider reached out to declined to comment on wages, which can vary greatly across roles as they would at other companies — but the Navy secretary's remarks speak to a long-standing concern.
Naval affairs experts have long identified low wages within the shipbuilding industry as a critical issue for hiring and retaining more workers. Some have argued that the pay isn't competitive enough for jobs that can be demanding, meaning potential workers opt for employment at other places.
Better quality of life and working conditions at shipyards, more automation and improved training, affordable housing nearby, and more benefits have also been identified as potential fixes.
The Navy secretary said that shipyard wages need to be adjusted to be competitive with other jobs to attract workers, as is the case with many other industries. Some progress has been made in some recent contracts, he said, but it needs to be a focus across yards and shipbuilding programs.
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