National Grid is jeopardizing the safety of our communities by locking out 1,100 of its most experienced employees who are critical to ensuring safe and quality gas work in Massachusetts.
We made significant progress in our bargaining sessions last week. We reached a couple of tentative agreements on some minor issues and moved closer on important economic and outstanding language articles.
Although we weren’t able to reach tentative agreements on major economic issues, we are very close to doing so and I feel that overall we had a very good week. If we maintain this steady progress with your continued support, we are confident that in the coming weeks we may be able to reach an agreement on our first contract.
We hope that all of our brothers and sisters had a safe and enjoyable holiday season.
Prior to the holidays we met with the Company and both sides made very real efforts to reach settlement on our outstanding language and economic contract issues. We were able to make some good progress and are hopeful that progress will continue when we return to the bargaining table later this month.
As you know, the Company has announced that effective January 1, 2017 all employees will receive a 3% wage increase. The Union encourages and will not object to this hard earned and well deserved increase. We do, however, maintain the right and will continue to propose and bargain for additional, future increases.
