BP's War on Whiting Oil Workers
Over 800 operators at BP's largest inland refinery located in Whiting, Indiana, have been locked out since March, when contract negotiations hit a tipping point. The workers of United Steelworkers Local 7-1 overwhelmingly rejected the initial contract offer, which would defang the union on several fronts: destroying the ability to strike, forcing workers into non-union salary roles, subjecting workers to AI surveillance, and expanding processes for terminations.
This is an attack on the union and an attack on the working class. Workers on the picket have said BP is seeking to undo 90 years of gains and ultimately break the union: cutting upwards of 100 union operator jobs, by converting them to salaried roles; contracting out or eliminating whole segments of the workforce, including maintenance and environmental departments; and implementing productivity measures such as increased surveillance, the use of AI data tools, and merit systems to justify termination. Not only is the company assaulting the union's strength, they are also attempting to cheapen workers' labor power at a time when inflation is on the rise. The company claims they are offering 13% raises and 3% guaranteed bonuses to the workers. What they keep hidden is the fact that the raises come with a decreased baseline pay, which will cut workers' pay to less than what they made before. Many of the company's proposals and tactics were recently employed by Chris DellaFranco, BP's Whiting refinery Vice President, who was involved in negotiations between Exxon Mobile and USW during a 2021 lockout that resulted in the weakening of the refinery workers union in Beaumont, TX.
Since the start of the US-Israeli imperialist war with Iran, oil companies like BP have doubled their profits. BP's first quarter earnings topped $3.2 billion, yet the workers are expected to abandon their demands for better pay at a time when their wages are stretched thin by soaring gas prices (charged by BP), food, and housing. If the BP operators were paid the full value of their labor power, there would be nothing left for Chris DellaFranco, for CEO Meg O'Neil's $5 million bonus, and other multi-millionaire parasitic BP executives.
The Whiting plant processes oil 24 hours a day, directly supplies fuel to critical infrastructure in Chicago, and ships gas to seven states. This plant is essential to keeping the economy running on oil, it cannot function without BP workers. The workers of the BP refinery put their lives on the line 12 or more hours a day, sometimes 7 days a week, missing holidays with their families and wearing their bodies down to keep everything running. As one worker put it, "they break you down day by day." Their daily sacrifice holds significant power, their own labor being a key linchpin to the entire US capitalist system. By demanding contract terms laden with anti-strike provisions and mechanisms to enforce mass lay offs, it is clear the BP bosses intend to weaken the position of organized labor, squeeze more productivity from workers, pay workers significantly less, and prevent any such challenge to their profit extraction.
Further, the operators and the surrounding Whiting community are concerned that the scabs are not qualified to do the work safely. Due to the hazardous nature of oil refining, untrained scabs pose a significant safety threat to the workers on site, to the surrounding community, and to all those who use Lake Michigan, where the refinery sits. Since the beginning of the lockout, the Whiting refinery has experienced several flaring incidents (burning off excess pressure), one of which is being investigated by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Workers suspect BP has kept a lid on further incidents to hide the danger of their use of scabs.
The BP workers’ situation is fragile. While a strike fund exists, coverage is insufficient for the needs of many on strike. Coverage is on a need basis, for utilities and rent only, not even groceries. Some workers have no choice but to look for second jobs to cover basic needs, only to struggle to be hired elsewhere as soon as they mention they are BP workers. Working mothers with children to care for are forced to use coupons and sacrifice their own needs to make sure their children are fed during the summer, being unable to afford bringing their children to summer events, camps, or recreation activities. During summer, workers’ children are confined to their homes, exacerbating the economic burden on working parents, especially mothers.
These refineries don't run themselves. Without the hundreds of workers who are currently at wit's end, the facility would not run. "We already run this place without them," said one worker. BP, aware of this dynamic, prepared for this lock out. The BP employers effectively planned this assault. They have been calculated and strategic about achieving their aims to diminish worker power and squeeze workers as much as possible for profit. BP has locked out workers to starve them into giving in. They will put families in the street and children on food stamps before they concede to worker's demands. Workers can only win such a war if they fight, if they take the offensive. If the workers' unity were to break, it WOULD NOT be the CEOs that lose a penny, but the workers who would lose pay, benefits, protections, and kneecap their ability to fight back and build power,.
USW Local 7-1 will hold a rally on June 26th at 11am at BP's Chicago HQ (30 S Wacker)
Join the workers! Rally support for their position against the bosses!
Donate to the Strike fund here! (https://supportoilworkers.com/)