Posted on 02/08/2015 6:51:36 PM PST by thackney
The United Steelworkers union is broadening its nationwide walkout to include two more refineries.
Early Sunday, the union is planning to go on strike against two BP facilities in the Midwest, union spokeswoman Lynne Hancock confirmed. That will bring the total number of plants on strike to 11, after union members walked out of nine facilities, including five in the Houston area, a week ago.
The latest work stoppages are scheduled to begin 12:01 a.m. Sunday at BP’s refineries in Toledo, Ohio and Whiting, Ind., Hancock said.
BP issued a statement saying it is disappointed the union is launching a strike at both the Whiting Refinery and BP-Husky Toledo Refinery.
“BP remains at the negotiating table and is committed to reaching an agreement that provides good wages while giving management the flexibility it needs to enhance safety, improve efficiency and remain competitive with others in the industry,” BP spokesman Scott Dean said in a written statement.
The company added that it is committed to ensuring a safe and orderly transition at 11:59 p.m. Saturday night. BP has trained replacement workers made up primarily of current and former BP employees to operate the refinery for the duration of this strike, Dean said.
“We hope this strike will be as short as possible and for workers to return with a contract that ensures long-term prosperity for everyone,” BP said.
The union, which represents 30,000 workers at refineries, chemical plants, pipelines and oil terminals nationwide, including 5,000 in the Houston area, went on strike against nine facilities early Sunday after its negotiations with Shell Oil Co. broke down.
Shell is representing the oil industry at the bargaining table.
Negotiations resumed, but the union turned down Shell’s latest contract proposal on Wednesday.
The union is striking over health and safety issues, excessive overtime and contracting out of jobs.
Hancock characterized the disputes as unfalr labor practices and accused Shell of “bad faith bargaining” by refusing to give relevant information to the union and threatening retaliation against the strikers.
When workers strike over economic issues such as higher wages, a company can permanently replace the strikers. But when a strike is considered an unfair labor practice dispute, a company cannot permanently replace the striking workers, Hancock said.
“We are not aware of any unfair labor practice charges filed against Shell,” Shell spokesman Ray Fisher said in a prepared statement.
“We regret that we have been unable to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement with USW prior to contract expiration,” Fisher added. “We remain committed to resolving the remaining issues through collective bargaining at the bargaining table. We remain committed to providing competitive pay and benefits to our employees in an environment where people want to grow, develop and provide for their families.”
The Steelworkers union represents more than 230 refineries, oil terminals, pipelines and petrochemical facilities in the U.S. Of those, 65 are refineries that produce nearly two-thirds of the oil in the nation.
While the union called strikes at 11 facilities, union members continue to work as usual at the other plants are operating under “rolling 24-hour” contract extensions, which extend contracts a day at a time until negotiators reach an agreement or one side calls off the extension.
In addition to the national talks, local unions are also negotiating issues at individual sites.
I busted a union. It was one of the best things I ever done. If you’re interested, I’ll be glad to share the full story.
Which, exactly, aren’t over the top? I’m a former Teamster, and I’ve seen very, very, very few that were actually serving their initial purpose instead of getting fat at the expense of everyone else.
I agree with you. While we are at it, we should get rid of overtime laws, children should be allowed to go back to work in factories and any public assembly of workers should be illegal.
In other words, you should move to China. You would find the system there very much to your liking.
In a county in full attack against the middle class (by both Democrats and Republicans) union jobs are about all that remain of a decent standard of living. Stand strong.
I’m in IBEW in an upper midwest state. At the local level it is good.
Here’s an interesting article on Koch brothers and unions;
Support For The Koch Brothers From An Unlikely Source: The United Steelworkers
I’m not interested. You come across like you are a real prick.
Thank you for a coherent comment!
How so?
If you think the American worker made progress in working conditions out of the goodness of businesses’ heart and without union formation you know nothing of our nation’s history.
In a free country people are allowed to assemble. It is in communist countries where workers are not allowed that right.
If the middle class does not start standing up to people like you, the few that remain will be working minimum wage - wait, you would do away with that. They will be working to pay the company store.
We used to call these people mentally ill.
That’s a really ignorant comment. I’m in a union in a right to work state. It’s nothing like what you said. If it was unions wouldn’t exist in right to work sates.
Thug management people are everywhere, like I already said I’ve seen the positive effects of moral and ethical union efforts against thug management.
“union jobs are about all that remain of a decent standard of living. Stand strong.”
Let’s be quite clear here. No “union” creates jobs, indeed they impede job creation.
Unions benefit the mediocre, not the talented and skilled.
“Stand Strong” doesn’t exclude violence in looking after union interests - which are not the same as the interests of union membership.
So, spare us the BS about unions creating anything.
If you had ever created a job, you’d agree with me.
Actually the union is all about a high standard of living, for union bosses.
Since more and more people have decided they are better off not being enslaved to unions the Union supported illegal aliens being allowed to join unions and defended them as they take American Jobs from Americans. Which is the main cause of the loss of jobs that would have traditionally gone to the middle class.
The union members are important only as long as they pay dues.
That is why they oppose equipment that would make the workers safer because that would mean that there would be three less people paying dues.
So broken bodies are a small price to pay for that 90 bucks a month.
“If the middle class does not start standing up to people like you”
You mean “controlling the means of production” right?
You need to get used to the fact that you’re a commie.
I am sorry.
It’s nothing like what you said.
You don't have to pay union dues?
If it was unions wouldn’t exist in right to work sates.
Unions exist in right to work states because their members have been brain washed. Or they are stupid.
Thug management people are everywhere, like I already said I’ve seen the positive effects of moral and ethical union efforts against thug management.
Moral and ethical?
Funny but when you search for "management violence" you read about violence against management. When you search for "union violence" you read about violence committed by unions.
Having proudly busted a union almost 40 years ago in the Big Labor dominated state of Pennsylvania, I am fully aware of the sordid history of unionism. Thugs such as Eugene V. Debs (a socialist), John Reed and "Big" Bill Haywood (both buried at the Kremlin, 'nuff said), John L. Lewis and a rogues gallery of many more anti-American traitors of that ilk are the heart soul of unionism. The history of unionism is intertwined with communist and liberal influences. Even their antagonistic, militant artwork belies the leftism that's central to unionism.
And you need to get used to the fact you are pretty ignorant about how unions work at a local level. I can tell by your vacuous comments.
Strawman fallacy.
“And you need to get used to the fact you are pretty ignorant about how unions work at a local level. I can tell by your vacuous comments.”
You don’t seem to understand what unions ARE. While workers, in right-to-work states have the ability to join them - union corruption and thuggery do not afford someone the right to NOT join a union in every place they can get away with it.
Their goal is to turn right-to-work states into union controlled labor hell holes.
That you want to be part of this - indeed that you celebrate it is a problem.
Unions create nothing but a refuge for the mediocre. They gain membership through intimidation. They foster discord wherever they are.
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