Four-year contract will improve customer service, reduce costs
May 29, 2005
NSTAR Electric & Gas announced today that it has reached a tentative agreement on a new four-year contract with its largest labor union, Utility Workers Union of America AFL-CIO, Local 369. Company and union representatives signed the deal today. It will once again provide NSTAR with a full complement of workers to serve its customers.
"NSTAR customers are the clear winners in this contract. With it, the company will be able to provide better service than ever while at the same time holding the line on rising costs," said NSTAR Chairman, President and CEO Thomas May. "I look forward to having our employees back at work, serving our customers."
The four-year agreement will give NSTAR added flexibility to schedule employees for duty when customers need them most. The deal also provides for the hiring of additional employees. This complement of additional workers will allow the company to deploy dedicated maintenance crews.
"By providing more people and greater staffing flexibility, this new agreement clears the way for NSTAR to focus on systems upgrades, capital improvement and enhanced reliability for our customers," May said.
The four-year contract provides stability and certainty for both NSTAR and its union employees. It takes effect pending final ratification by the union membership. Employees are expected to report back to work beginning Thursday.
NSTAR transmits and delivers electricity and natural gas to 1.4 million customers in Eastern and Central Massachusetts; including over one million electric customers in 81 communities and nearly 300,000 gas customers in 51 communities.
