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Unions reach new contract agreement with National Grid, ending lockout

BOSTON — Locked-out National Grid workers will be back on the job this month after a six-month labor dispute.

The unions representing the 1,250 locked-out workers ratified a tentative agreement they reached with the company last week.

The five-and-a-half-year contract includes wage and pension increases as well as health insurance improvements, adds about 30 to 40 union jobs and improves benefits for new hires, National Grid announced Monday.

“We know these past six months have been challenging for all of our employees and also our customers,” Marcy Reed, Massachusetts president of National Grid, told reporters on a conference call Monday. “We have a lot of hard work ahead to mend relationships with our employees, to address connection issues that have been delayed, to implement new contract terms, and of course all while continuing to serve our customers.”

Chris Brennan, who has worked for National Grid for nearly 30 years, lost his health insurance benefits days after the lockout began last June. A day later, his wife Caroline’s first immunotherapy treatment began following chemotherapy and radiation for Stage 4 cervical cancer.

Because Caroline had previously had breast cancer, she has Medicare as a secondary insurance. But without her primary insurance through her husband, the family was stuck paying 20 percent of the $23,000 immunotherapy treatments occurring every three weeks.

“The stress of me being sick and in the hospital - and he came every day to see me - and taking care of the kids,” Caroline said. "And then to have no money and no paycheck… it weighed on him. I could see it.”

“I’ve never felt more stress in my life over anything,” Chris added.

Chris, Caroline and their children, Natalie and Nathan were relieved Monday to learn the lockout was over.

Workers will return to the job the week of Jan. 20, National Grid announced.

“Beginning today, we’re focused on looking forward, not backward,” Reed said. “We’re glad that we’re now in a position where the issues have been resolved and employees will be back to work and normal operations can resume.”

“We’ll get back to our normal health care coverage in two weeks,” Chris said, “and it lifts a tremendous burden.”

Caroline, who recently had emergency surgery to remove a heart tumor, is doing well. Despite doctors giving her two months to live following her diagnosis, she is still fighting, determined to beat cancer for good.

“It’s been a year and a half, and right now all he tumors are all at bay,” Caroline said, “and the immunotherapy is keeping me alive.”

The lockout, which began in the summer, prompted safety concerns over gas work across affected areas.

The Department of Public Utilities ordered a stop to all non-emergency gas work in October after an issue with the pressurization of a line interrupted service to homes in Woburn.