Locked Out National Grid Workers Can Work On Gas Restoration

NORTH ANDOVER, MA -- National Grid of Massachusetts approved a request from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities to allow its locked-out workers to help with the restoration of gas service in Lawrence, Andover and North Andover. The order, which was approved Tuesday, clears the way for the 1,200 or so workers that have been off the job for more than four months to be hired as contractors by Columbia Gas of Massachusetts, which serves the three communities and is leading the restoration effort after September 13's gas explosions.

"National Grid has said from the beginning that we would support the unions in their publicly expressed wish to assist in restoration efforts in the Merrimack Valley," Christine Milligan, a National Grid spokeswoman, said in a statement. "We wholeheartedly support contractors or Columbia Gas hiring the appropriately trained and certified members of the United Steelworkers Locals 12003 and 12012-04 to help with necessary components of the Merrimack Valley's restoration."

Columbia Gas already has 1,400 workers in the Merrimack Valley working to meeting a Nov. 19 deadline to restore gas service to all of its customers. The project includes replacing 45 miles of gas transmission lines, thousands of service lines and relighting each individual house and business. The company has pulled workers from around the country in an effort to complete the unprecedented undertaking.

The clearance for workers to take jobs while the lock out continues came after Angela O'Connor, chair of the Department of Public Utilities, wrote letters to National Grid and leadership of the two unions representing its workers.

"As you know, the Commonwealth is committed to facilitating a safe and expeditious recovery effort. That commitment requires qualified and dedicated professionals," O'Connor wrote to National Grid Massachusetts President Marcy Reed. "Therefore, I hope and expect that National Grid will promptly release operator qualifications and take all other steps to assist the recovery effort."

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File photo by Mike Carraggi/Patch.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).