Tentative deal reached to end NIPSCO-USW lockout

NIPSCO, USW reach tentative agreement to end lockout

Theres a tentative deal in place to end the lockout between NIPSCO and the United Steelworkers.

GARY, Ind. - There's a tentative deal in place to end the lockout between NIPSCO and the United Steelworkers.

What we know:

USW Local 12775 and NIPSCO confirmed with Fox Chicago Friday that it's now up to 1600 workers to ratify the deal. However, those workers will still be locked out next week. Union members are scheduled to vote on the tentative deal late next week.

Vice President of USW Local 12775 Vern Beck told Fox Chicago, NIPSCO dropped its proposal that would've required workers to stay up to three hours after their shift ends, at the company's discretion. Beck told us the contract dispute was about work-life balance.

"We've already spent a lot of time away from our family, but now I would never be able to coach," said Beck. "I could never be like a Cub Scout leader because I could never know for sure. I can just show up, you know, if I had a meeting, say we had a Cub Scout meeting and all of a sudden NIPSCO says, nope, you can't go today. You got to stay. You know, and that's like, we already put enough time in. So that was the biggest issue."

Beck said the deal also includes a boot and tool allowance, and better benefits for eye glasses, which Beck said is something they haven't had in 40 years.

Earlier this month, NIPSCO told us it offered pay raises of 4.25%, 4% and 4% over a three-year period to its employees, plus additional raises for lineworkers, and senior building mechanics.

What they're saying:

In a statement to Fox Chicago Friday, NIPSCO said:

"NIPSCO and United Steelworkers (USW) leadership reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. The agreement is not final and is subject to ratification by represented employees. Until the ratification process is complete, the lockout will remain in effect.

Contract negotiations have been ongoing since January 20. The prior contract expired March 31. Throughout this process, NIPSCO has continued to provide safe and reliable gas and electric service to customers. As a regulated utility, our responsibility to customers and communities remains unchanged. Service continuity plans are active, and teams across the company are supporting operations.

NIPSCO remains focused on completing the ratification process and looks forward to welcoming our employees back following ratification."

Beck said he felt both sides gave up something to potentially end the lockout.

"Is it going to be a great contract for us? No. Are there some things in it that are going to beneficial? Yes. So now it's going to be up to the members to look it over, go through all the fine details and they'll make the decision. We did what we thought was we could get from the company. We wouldn't say it's best deal because we've seen a lot of other things done, but it's the best we could get against how stubborn the company was being. So now it'll be up to the members to accept it or reject it and we'll go from there," said Beck.

What's next:

USW Local 12775 said members will spend the next few days looking at all the information in the deal, and vote on ratifying the new union agreement late next week.