Gas workers to vote on National Grid contract Sunday

Antonio Caban/SHNS Joe Kirylo, president of Boston Gas Local 12003 United Steelworkers, voiced concern about National Grid hiring outside workers at a recent protest outside the State House.

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By State House News Service

Members of a Boston gas workers union that contracts with National Grid will meet Sunday to vote on a collective bargaining agreement negotiated with the utility company, according to the union's president.

Calling it one of the "more difficult negotiations" of his tenure, Joe Kirylo, president of Boston Gas Local 12003 United Steelworkers, acknowledged the tentative agreement does address many of the union's complaints over hiring outside contractors, but said he remains concerned about a portion of the agreement that he claimed would deny benefits to future hires.

"I think it's outrageous that National Grid would be doing this when they have so much profits," Kirylo told the News Service in a phone interview Wednesday.

Last month the union organized several protests, including one outside the State House, claiming that the utility company's practice of hiring outside contractors put the public at risk.

Mary-Leah Assad, spokeswoman for National Grid, said in an emailed statement that National Grid believes its offer was "fair" and that the union agreed to present its final offer to its membership on or before March 6 for a vote.

"We have presented a fair and balanced collective bargaining agreement which we believe meets the needs of both our employees and our customers. We’re hopeful that the union membership will ratify the agreement," Assad said.

Assad added that the existing agreement, which was set to expire on Feb. 28, will remain in place through March 13.