This browser does not support the Video element.
BP, union resume negotiations as Whiting refinery lockout enters eighth month
More than seven months later, about 800 United Steelworkers at the BP oil refinery in Whiting remain locked out of their jobs. Earlier Monday, members from BP and the union met at the bargaining table.
WHITING, Ind. - After 221 days, about 800 United Steelworkers Local 7-1 remain locked out of their jobs at BP's refinery with no deal in sight.
Workers say they're cutting back on essentials
What they're saying:
For Brian Davis, the BP Whiting refinery lockout has now lasted longer than he ever expected. On Monday, October 26, Davis marked his 17th anniversary working at the refinery — but instead of celebrating another year on the job, he's facing financial uncertainty with no clear end to the labor dispute.
His father worked at the refinery for 33 years, including during a strike in the 1980s. Davis thought he would be able to work until retirement without facing a similar ordeal.
"My father worked here for 33 years. He went out on strike in the 80s, and I figured, okay, I got my strike out of the way. I'm good until I retire and apparently not," Davis said.
Davis is one of about 800 United Steelworkers Local 7–1 members who have been locked out of their jobs since March.
Now, with Thanksgiving and Christmas approaching, workers say the financial pressure is mounting.
"Just had a new grandbaby down in Florida, but I can't go see it because I can't afford it," Davis said.
Michelle Ortiz, a board operator with 19 years at the refinery, says she's trying to get by without looking for another job. But the loss of her regular paycheck has forced her to rethink how she spends money, particularly when it comes to her grandchildren.
"We're not able to spend like we used to and I have grandkids, so it's like I'm used to spoiling them, but it's a whole different lifestyle now," Ortiz said.
Christina Orozco, an operations technical support trainer who has worked at BP for 11 years, says she tried to prepare financially for a possible labor dispute. She didn't expect it to last this long.
"It's definitely humbling, so we have to go back to the bare minimum when we go to the store," Orozco said. "You have to decide what is essential, what isn't so back to beans and rice," she added.
Orozco says the prolonged lockout has left workers drawing on savings and, in some cases, retirement accounts.
She also worries about what happens when workers are eventually able to return to the refinery.
"For my job, I don't even know if I'll have that position available, so I don't even know where I stand personally," Orozco said.
What's at the center of the contract dispute?
What we know:
The financial strain comes as BP and the union remain divided over a proposed contract that could change wages, job classifications, training requirements and how certain work is performed at the refinery.
BP says its proposal includes an average 13% increase in base wage rates over the first four years of a proposed six-year agreement. The company has also outlined a signing bonus and additional payments for employees in certain roles.
In a public statement released in May, BP said a revised proposal withdrew an earlier plan for a voluntary reduction of up to 42 maintenance craft employees. The company also outlined a discretionary annual cash bonus for eligible employees and a one-time payment after ratification.
But the union says the headline wage increases don't tell the whole story.
Workers argue BP also wants to change job classifications and salary structures in ways that could leave some employees earning less. They characterize the proposed changes as a pay cut in disguise.
BP's published proposal describes the company's proposed wage increases and other contract terms, but those headline figures alone don't establish how an individual worker's pay would change after any applicable classification changes.
The key question remains how the proposed pay structure would affect employees in specific jobs compared with what they earn today.
BP says technology and training would strengthen the refinery
Dig deeper:
BP Whiting refinery manager Chris Telefranco has defended the company's proposed changes in a video explaining the contract offer.
Telefranco says the company wants to make greater use of technology to improve safety, efficiency, production and reliability.
"And to be clear, it's not about taking you out of the equation. It's about giving you more and better resources to do your job safely and keeping Whiting competitive for the long term as technology advances," Telefranco said.
He also says BP wants to invest in training and qualifications as refinery jobs evolve.
"The jobs in the refinery will continue to evolve, and we want to invest in skill building and training to make sure you're successful and effective," Telefranco said.
BP locks out union workers at Whiting refinery amid contract dispute
Union workers at the BP Whiting Refinery hit the picket line Thursday after being locked out by the company amid a contract dispute.
BP says it wants to reach a ratified agreement and bring workers back to the refinery.
But workers who spoke with FOX Chicago remain skeptical about the company's intentions.
Davis says he believes BP is trying to wear down the union rather than reach an agreement.
"I don't think they have any want to actually negotiate right now they're just trying to starve us out and break our union period," Davis said.
That is Davis' characterization of the company's approach. BP, meanwhile, says it remains committed to negotiations and believes its proposal would support the refinery's long-term future.
Workers also raise safety concerns
Big picture view:
Beyond wages and job security, Orozco questions whether the refinery is safer with a reduced workforce.
"I feel like with them running on bare minimum, they are not safer now, so I don't understand how it would be safer," she said.
Ortiz also points to the risks associated with working at a refinery.
"We work on a bomb, basically it can blow up at any time. We're risking our lives, all of us, to be out here," Ortiz said.
Their comments reflect the workers' concerns about safety and staffing. They do not independently establish that the refinery is currently operating unsafely.
BP has said its proposed changes are intended to strengthen safety and reliability, and the company has said the labor dispute has not affected refinery operations.
What's next:
The lockout has lasted seven months and counting, with workers facing continued financial uncertainty as the holiday season approaches.
BP says it wants to reach a ratified agreement and return employees to work. Workers say they need meaningful movement on the contract, including answers about how proposed changes could affect their pay, job security and working conditions.
For now, the dispute continues — and workers say every additional day without a paycheck makes it harder to support their families and plan for the future.
The Source: Information for this report came from interviews with United Steelworkers Local 7-1 members Brian Davis, Michelle Ortiz and Christina Orozco, statements from BP officials, and publicly released contract proposals.