For the last few years, Zach O’Drobinak has set money aside in case a lockout or strike happens at BP’s Whiting refinery.
On Thursday, O’Drobinak’s planning proved to be worthwhile as he and other United Steelworkers 7-1 members picketed outside the refinery following a lockout for more than 800 union members.
“I could just see where the company was going or what they were probably going to end up doing,” O’Drobinak said. “I’m ready to be here for the long run.”
Starting at midnight Thursday morning, union employees picketed near the Whiting refinery after BP initiated a lockout as the company and union still haven’t come to a contract agreement.
At about 11 a.m., O’Drobinak had said he picketed for about three hours, and he’s planning to go every day. Other USW members shared his sentiments.
In a Tuesday update, BP said it provided notice to cancel the 24-hour rolling contract extension, provided lockout notice and sought commitment from the union to help facilitate a safe handover of operations. The lockout will end once the union accepts BP’s Tuesday proposal, according to the company.
“We value our employees and respect their right to assemble safely and lawfully,” a Thursday BP statement said. “However, we disagree with any statements or signs indicating the lockout is illegal. We do not expect impacts to our operations or production.”
According to BP, the union has not “meaningfully negotiated” company proposals that are critical to the refinery’s long-term sustainability and has rejected proposals without offering a counteroffer that addresses company concerns. The refinery has operated under a threat of strike since Feb. 1.
“We kind of have been anticipating this for some time,” USW 7-1 President Eric Schultz said Thursday morning. “It just felt the entire time that the company had no desire, no intent on moving on proposals. It kind of felt inevitable that this was going to happen.”
Schultz and other union members are concerned that BP is trying to eliminate the USW at the refinery, and he said it concerns the community as well. He’s also concerned about the safety of relying on replacement workers to complete union responsibilities.
“It’s difficult,” Schultz said. “It’s a large, complex refinery, and we have a highly trained, highly skilled staff.”
USW member Rob Wimberly also said he’s concerned about replacement workers at the refinery. He believes that replacement workers don’t know the facility as well as union members, and it puts everyone at risk.
“They want to cut people’s jobs, want to cut our wages, and it’s just not right,” Wimberly said. “It’s not a good situation.”
Schultz said union members are prepared to be locked out for months. In February, the union recommended members remove personal belongings from the workplace, schedule any medical, dental or vision appointments, refill prescriptions with 90-day supplies and postpone major purchases or financial obligations until an agreement is reached.
“I’ve gotten it all taken care of,” O’Drobinak said about preparing for a lockout or strike. “(My family and I) will make it through. We’re a strong family. Me and my brother are fourth-generation union members, and this is just part of the game.”
For union members who are concerned about lost benefits, Schultz said the USW has an emergency insurance program that members pay for.
Although workers aren’t making money during the lockout, Wimberly’s biggest concern is the loss of benefits.
“I’ve got four kids and a family to take care of,” he said. “It’s just the uncertainty and being without medical insurance, obviously that’s huge.”
Wimberly has been prepared for a lockout or strike since January, he said. From the beginning of bargaining, Wimberly believed it was clear that it was going to get bad.
After the lockout, he’s concerned for long-term job stability at BP.
“I have a lot of years left to work,” Wimberly said. “Even if we do stay and it all works out, it’s going to be a difficult place to work in because you’re always going to have it in your head what has happened now or what they’re trying to do.”
Ricky King is another USW member who’s worked at BP for 12 years. King picketed Thursday morning with his 8-month-old daughter Rosie, who sat beside him in a stroller.
“Mom’s at work, so I’m babysitting now,” King said. “The company always says they care about work-life balance, and then they do this lockout on us, kind of last minute, so that hurts a little bit.”
King is also concerned about how the lockout will impact his benefits and his long-term job stability at BP.
“I’m 40 years old, so I’ve got another 20-plus years of working,” King said. “If this happens every four years down the road, it may make you want to go somewhere else.”
Negotiations updates from BP are available online, whitingnegotiations.com. USW 7-1 also has a website, supportoilworkers.com, for negotiations updates.
mwilkins@chicagotribune.com
