US Navy shipyard workers are being forced to work overtime just to attend a speech by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, sparking criticism from those who object to the visit.
According to workers at Bath Iron Works in Maine, Hegseth is set to tour the facility on Monday and give a speech about the newly announced "Trump" class battleship. In an effort to encourage attendance, management has offered overtime pay to any worker who stays past their shift time to attend the event.
The news has been met with skepticism by many workers, who feel that Hegseth's visit is unnecessary and even insulting given his reputation for criticizing military personnel who don't toe the line of his vision. Some have expressed feelings of apathy or outright disgust at the prospect of attending the speech.
Despite the lack of enthusiasm among staff members, management has assured workers that anyone staying past their shift would receive overtime pay. However, some employees are concerned that this offer is more about buying loyalty and compliance rather than genuine engagement with the community.
One worker noted that the company's stance on paying overtime for attending Hegseth's speech seems inconsistent with its policy of not providing overtime for other events or snowstorms.
Meanwhile, The Intercept has long criticized Trump's handling of democracy, including his erosion of press freedom, the exploitation of corporate interests, and the dismantling of the free press.
To support this critical work, The Intercept is seeking to grow its reporting capacity in 2026. Members can help make this happen by contributing to their cause.
According to workers at Bath Iron Works in Maine, Hegseth is set to tour the facility on Monday and give a speech about the newly announced "Trump" class battleship. In an effort to encourage attendance, management has offered overtime pay to any worker who stays past their shift time to attend the event.
The news has been met with skepticism by many workers, who feel that Hegseth's visit is unnecessary and even insulting given his reputation for criticizing military personnel who don't toe the line of his vision. Some have expressed feelings of apathy or outright disgust at the prospect of attending the speech.
Despite the lack of enthusiasm among staff members, management has assured workers that anyone staying past their shift would receive overtime pay. However, some employees are concerned that this offer is more about buying loyalty and compliance rather than genuine engagement with the community.
One worker noted that the company's stance on paying overtime for attending Hegseth's speech seems inconsistent with its policy of not providing overtime for other events or snowstorms.
Meanwhile, The Intercept has long criticized Trump's handling of democracy, including his erosion of press freedom, the exploitation of corporate interests, and the dismantling of the free press.
To support this critical work, The Intercept is seeking to grow its reporting capacity in 2026. Members can help make this happen by contributing to their cause.
. Like, dude, you don't even have to be the one buildin' the battleship to get invited to give a speech, right? And now he's offerin' overtime pay for it? That's just like buyin' loyalty... or bribery 
. I'm all for meetin' the troops and all that jazz, but can't we just have some free time every now and then? 
diagram of a ship with a speech bubble above it
he's got a reputation for being super strict and critical which isnt exactly inspiring... i think its lame that management is using overtime as a bribe instead of just allowing everyone to attend if they want to 
idk what's so special about that ship anyway? cant we talk about something else for once?
, no respect at all 
. I mean, come on 
.
than actual worker well-being 
. And what's with this overtime pay thing? 
, not like genuine enthusiasm or appreciation for the work being done 
. I'd rather see them support their employees through better working conditions and fair wages 
.
Like, what even is the point of that? 
.
! They're doing some really important work exposing corruption and fighting for truth 
.
It's all about appearances and optics, you know?
It's like, grow up, Hegseth! 
. And what's up with the overtime pay - isn't that just a fancy way of saying "we're buying your silence"? 
.
. And honestly, who needs this kind of pressure? It's just another way for the company to exert control over people's time and lives 
. I'm also not surprised that some workers are skeptical about Hegseth's visit - his reputation doesn't exactly inspire trust 
.
. I mean, come on! If you gotta pay 'em extra to attend, then maybe it's not so much of a favor, ya know? It feels like management is tryin' to buy people's loyalty rather than actually listenin' to their concerns 
.