National Grid And Union Agree On Tentative Contract

Next week, union workers at National Grid will vote on a tentative contract that was negotiated over the weekend.

Unions for the utility company threatened to strike unless an agreement was reached by midnight Saturday, the end of their current contract.

The tentative contract addresses difficult issues including health care costs and mandatory staffing levels.

Union president Dan Hurley said maintaining staffing levels will help National Grid restore power during major storms.

"Even with these staffing levels today, during a storm event they would have to call out-of-state to get help here, which is a clear signal that they don't have enough trained line workers and support staff and call center workers," Hurley said. "They needed to increase that."

National Grid said it is pleased with the agreement.