Moulton Calls on Columbia Gas and National Grid to Deploy Locked-Out Steelworkers to Assist with Recovery Efforts
Stephen H. Bryant
President and Chief Operating Officer
Columbia Gas of Massachusetts
4 Technology Drive
Westborough, MA 01581
Marcy Reed
Massachusetts President and Chief Operating Officer
National Grid
P.O. BOX 960
Northborough, MA 01532
Angela M. O’Connor
Chairman
Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities
1 South Station, 5th Floor
Boston, MA 02110
Dear Mr. Bryant, Ms. Reed, and Chairman O’Connor:
As the communities of North Andover, Andover, and Lawrence continue to rebuild following the horrific gas explosions of September 13, 2018, I write to urge you to work collaboratively to deploy the steelworkers (USW Local 12003 and USW Local 12012) who have been locked out by National Grid to assist in the recovery efforts.
Over the next several weeks, Columbia Gas of Massachusetts (Columbia Gas) will be pushing forward with its Greater Lawrence Area Construction Plan, which includes the installation of approximately 45 miles of new pipeline and 6,100 service lines; new enhanced safety features for pressure regulation; and the deployment of an estimated 200 construction crews.
I am concerned that given the severity of the damage and the scope of the rebuilding project, many of our residents will not have functioning heat in their homes as fall temperatures begin to drop. Time is of the essence, and we should be pursuing an all-hands-on-deck approach, utilizing all available resources and manpower to ensure the safe and timely restoration of gas service to impacted residents. The gas-line explosion has left one person dead, at least twenty-five injured, damaged or destroyed dozens of homes, and displaced thousands of residents in the Merrimack Valley. We cannot accept the possibility of further tragedy because we did not take full advantage of every resource available to fix this problem now.
Since the events of September 13, USW Local 12003 and USW Local 12012 have repeatedly offered hundreds of their workers to assist Columbia Gas in the weeks ahead while they negotiate a new contract with National Grid. I appreciate that the underlying contract dispute between National Grid and the steelworkers is complex and may not be resolved immediately, even with the crisis in Merrimack Valley. That being said, this emergency is too important to keep so much manpower and technical expertise on the sidelines.
I hope that you will be able to find a way to put the men and women of USW Local 12003 and USW Local 12012 to work in North Andover, Andover, and Lawrence as quickly as possible. Thank you for your attention to this important matter.
To learn more about Congressman Seth Moulton visit https://moulton.house.gov or connect with him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Medium.