Economy
More Refineries Join USW Strike
Written by Sandy Williams
February 12, 2015
The USW oil refinery strike has expanded to 11 plants and is nearing the end of its second week. Over 3,800 workers are now actively striking, protesting unsafe conditions and use of unskilled contractors.
The latest facilities to be affected by the strike are British Petroleum (BP) refineries in Whiting, Indiana and Toledo, Ohio, joining walkouts at facilities in Texas, California, Kentucky and Washington.
BP workers gave strike notice to management on Friday, claiming Shell did not provide a counter-offer and left the bargaining table. “We had no choice but to give notice of a work stoppage,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard.
“We are absolutely committed to negotiating a fair contract that improves safety conditions throughout the industry,” Gerard said in a USW press release. “Management cannot continue to resist allowing workers a stronger voice on issues that could very well make the difference between life and death for too many of them.”
The USW said, “In addition to health and safety issues, contracting out and health care, the USW unfair labor practice (ULP) strike is over the oil companies’ bad faith bargaining, including the refusal to bargain over mandatory subjects; undue delays in providing information; impeded bargaining; and threats issued to workers if they joined the ULP strike.” The negotiations are not about wage increases according to the USW.
Little progress is being made in the negotiations according to the USW. Shell says it needs more time to study the USW proposal and provide requested information to the USW. Next negotiations are targeted for February 18.
The USW proposal seeks to eliminate non-union contracts and increase staffing refineries and chemical plants to improve safety. Shell reportedly told the union they would not agree to language that restricts how owners staff their plants.
All but one of the striking plants, Tesoro Corp, is continuing operations at nearly normal levels with replacement workers as of February 11.
Sandy Williams
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