Workers at the BP refinery in Whiting are on picket lines around the company’s sprawling plant after being locked out as contract talks have broken down.
Workers are picketing in shifts at several locations, accompanied by giant inflatable rats.
“Management has indicated this could last up to a year,” said Eric Scultz, President of the United Stelworkers Local 7-1, if the union doesn’t agree to the company’s proposals. “So, on one hand they say that want to bargain in good faith, but on the other hand they’re saying, ‘we’re not going to move, you have to agree to what we said or you’re going to remain locked out.’”
“We’ve kind of been anticipating this for some time,” Schultz said, standing near a picket line.
“It felt the entire time that the company had no desire, no intent on moving off proposals,” he said. “We did everything we could to try to avoid it. It’s obviously still stressful for everybody. 800 plus families out on the streets, without a job. There’s a lot of stress on people.”
They include Rob Wimberly, who’s worked at the refinery for three years.
“Obviously now we don’t have the income, most of use have families,” he said. “I, myself, got 4 kids, a family to take care of.”
Schultz said he believes that the company wants to get rid of union labor at the refinery.
“We’ve spent well over 90 percent of the time discussing the company’s proposals,” he said. “They refuse to entertain our proposals. This contract negotiation has drug on based on the company’s insistence on always agreeing to dozens of proposals that eliminate jobs, that reduce pay, that reduce bargaining rights,” he said.
He added, that includes a 150-day notice to strike, eliminating any leverage the union now has.
The union believes safety is an issue, with replacement workers who are not familiar with the systems operating the refinery.
The company says they’re “qualified and highly skilled.”
BP also says the union “has not meaningfully negotiated” company “proposals that are most critical to the long-term sustainability of the refinery.”