Following weekend negotiations with National Grid representatives, members of a local chapter of the United Steelworkers union approved a three-year contract yesterday, according to spokesmen for the union and the utility company.
The contract includes a 2.5 percent annual raise, "significant" pension improvement, wage protection, and a guarantee that none of the existing employees will be laid off during the life of the contract, said Ben Doherty, a spokesman for United Steelworkers Local 12003. The union chapter represents approximately 725 gas workers at National Grid who serve Greater Boston.
"In this economy, we felt the best thing was to keep our people working," Doherty said.
Contract negotiations between National Grid and the union stalled last month over concessions affecting wages, sick time, job protection, and the outsourcing of certain jobs. National Grid is one of the largest utilities in the state, serving 1.2 million electric customers and about 800,000 natural gas customers.
