National Grid reaches tentative deal with workers but work backlog could be two years

National Grid picket line
A Quincy Quarry News file photo

– News covered by Quincy Quarry News with commentary added.

 

National Grid finally reaches a tentative labor agreement with its gas workers but a real estate industry group warns that National Grid’s gas hook-up work backlog could be as as long as two years.

 

Even if unions ratify the deal, both developers’ and others’ pain will not be over immediately warns the Massachusetts chapter of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

 

Gas hook-up delays burning cash?
A cheat-sheet.com image

The problem: natural gas line hook-up waiting lists could stretch for as much as two years. 

 

In turn, such will likely result in the tens of millions upon those who need natural gas supplied to their construction projects.

 

How two years if the National Grid lock0ut only runs a bit over six months?  

 

Take a number
A stock image

For starters, the new gas hook-up work backlog was already considerable before the lockout given a recent development boom and which only continued to boom during the lockout. 

 

Further, underway as well as impending construction projects which will eventually need gas hook-ups will only add to the backlog going forward even after the lockout finally ends.

 

Adding to the problem as usual…
A file photo

Additionally, given the Columbia Gas Company gas line debacle in the Merrimack Valley late last summer, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has imposed new work and inspection regulations upon natural gas projects and which one can only reasonably assume will further fuel the backlog.

 

Quincy in particular is facing problems. 

 

What, me worry?
A file photo

On top of a recent construction boom, rumor has it that the City of Quincy’s unsuccessful as well as legally dubious subpoenaing of the head of National Grid to appear before the council did not curry any favor whatsoever at the National Grid. 

 

In turn, it is thus only reasonable to suspect that gas hook-ups in Quincy may be facing a variation on wall jobs for quite some time to come.

 

Source: As National Grid Reaches Tentative Deal, Real Estate Group Warns Backlog Could Be 2 Years

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