NIPSCO Initiates Lockout of United Steelworkers-Represented Employees Pending Agreement on Company’s Last, Best and Final Offer

Merrillville, Ind. - Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) announced today that it initiated a lockout of employees represented by the United Steelworkers (USW). The decision followed months of extensive negotiations that failed to produce a tentative agreement for successor collective bargaining agreements for physical and clerical by the extended April 2, 2026, deadline.

"We have negotiated in good faith from day one. We are proud to offer a proposal that demonstrates our commitment to our customers, communities and employees," said Vince Parisi, NIPSCO President and Chief Operating Officer. "This is one of the strongest proposals in our history that reflects industry standards and is designed to support safety, long-term service reliability, effective emergency response and customer affordability. It also included higher-than-historical wage increases, substantial benefits enhancements and significant commitments to safety and career growth for represented employees. We remain ready to finalize an agreement that is more than fair, competitive and best positions NIPSCO to continue delivering safe, reliable energy for its community."

NIPSCO representatives have been bargaining in good faith with USW representatives since January 20, 2026. After the prior contracts expired at midnight on March 31, NIPSCO voluntarily extended the agreement through 4 p.m. CT on April 2 to allow additional time for the parties to reach a resolution.

Since the beginning of the negotiations process, NIPSCO representatives have worked through nearly 200 proposals.

An Overview of Our Last Proposal

NIPSCO's most recent proposal includes: