Oil Companies Run Amok

    It's bad enough to see Exxon's profits rise 36 percent in the past quarter (net income of a nice cool $10.36 billion) and Chevron's profits hit record highs (though apparently the net income of $4.35 billion wasn't good enough for the speculators because the company's share price dropped on this "bad" news)--all happening at the expense of the average person. But, what the press should be reporting is what is happening to workers at Marathon Oil.

    Marathon is trying to bust its unions. The Teamsters struck the company's refinery in St. Paul, Minnesota after the company--get this!--demanded that workers agree to be "on call", every day except for 3 days a month, during the 12 hours that they are not working. Right now, workers sweat for the company 12 hours straight. This is insane.

    Now, is this because the company is losing money? No. The company boasts that is has had the best every earnings period in its history. The company plowed $4 billion into a buy-out of a joint venture and dropped $2.2 billion on upgrading a Louisiana facility. Oh, yes: CEO Clarence P. Cazalot took home (the word "robbery" also come to mind) $16,967,388 in total compensation including stock option grants from Marathon Oil. From previous years' stock option grants, he cashed out $23,698,339 in stock option exercises. Cazalot has another $22,972,226 in unexercised stock options from previous years.

    No, this is about a greedy corporation trying to simply squeeze workers a bit more simply because it thinks it can. Not because it is hurting financially. Because it feels strong and wants to use its power to trample on people who simply want their off-hours at home to be their time, not the company's time.

    Earth to press. Stop printing the press release about the oil companies record-breaking profits (thought it would be nice to have some reporting expressing some outrage about those profits). Look at how the financial power of these companies is allowing at least one company to lay siege to its workers.

Comments

[liberal elite]

It's incredible how somnambulent the entire United States has become thanks to the concerted misinformation efforts of the Pentagon-Corporate based assault on our consciousness.

Thank you for this blog, and the common-sense labor-centered messaging. We need more independent media like Democracy Now! Then one day the American people will snap out of this Big Brother nightmare.

[D Flinchum]

"The Teamsters struck the company's refinery in St. Paul, Minnesota after the company--get this!--demanded that workers agree to be "on call", every day except for 3 days a month, during the 12 hours that they are not working."

Is driving a truck for Marathon about to become another "job no Americans will do"?

[John Williams]

Actually the Teamsters represent a couple of hundred in-plant workers at that Marathon Refiney, not just the drivers.

[D Flinchum]

Even better for Marathon Oil, John. The "replacement workers" won't have to have valid drivers' licenses.

[John Williams]

Every single teamster refinery worker turned up on the picket line at the Marathon Refinery. Things got fun but now Marathon got an injunction against mass picketing.

If the scabs at the refinery cause a chemical leak, thousands could die. Marathon stores hundreds of thousands of gallons of highly toxic hydrofluoric acid at this refinery and there is a residental neighborhood just across the fence.

[RefRat]

Glad to see this article and the comments to go with it. I am an operator who worked at this refinery located in/around three towns. The company had it planned for quite awhile and handed us several pages of concessions thinking ok - they'll take it. We didn't. One issue was the time off another is they wanted to reduce our crews by taking the crew chief and an operator position under the guise of "Crew Concept". They're compromising safety for profits and at what cost? The communities surrounding this particular refinery need to be aware of how dangerous and greedy corporate & local management has become. Unfortunately there far more of them than the operators who see daily their ineptness and poor decision making. Right now there are management personnel from other refineries working 12 or more hours a day 7 days a week with no time off. They're getting tired and stressed and that's the recipe for disaster in this line of work. The money being spent on security, hotel accomodations,rental vehicles and not to mention feeding the replacements is astronomical. And the consumer is funding all this unbeknownst to them.

Support the Teamsters members who walked out on management blasphemy by not fueling at SuperAmerica, Speedway and Marathon gas stations nationwide.
Ask the senators/congressman/local politicals to take a look into this.

St. Paul Park, Newport & Cottage Grove residents truly should question the what's and why's of this strike through Marathon Petroleum Company and their own mayors and city councils. Contact the Teamsters Local 120. Money is not the issue here, it's about safety and quality of life for the union members/employees who are out in the plant making sure things are safe. As for my fellow operators who see this pass it on to your neighbors/friends/anyone who wonders why. The media certainly isn't interested....so we have to do it ourselves.

We want a fair contract and we're not accepting less!

[RefRat]

minor correction on the email address....Commentary still stands! Would like to hear from other refinery folks on this.,

[DCR]

Yes, things are not well for Marathon's Saint Paul Park plant. There own fire department, which mainly is composed of Union operators, are on strike now. The Union Officials have agread to allow them to cross the picket lines in the event of a fire or emergency. Talking with those people there is little or no chance that would occur. They mainly are concerned with the incompetent workforce that is currently running the plant at this time. The fire personal have no idea what the operating conditions are in the plant now. Management has not informed them of anything going on in the plant since the Teamsters strike started two weeks ago. One firefighter explained it like this, "We don't put the fires out. We cool surrounding equipment and keep the fire from spreading". "They will put the fire out by turning all the valves needed to stop fueling the fire". "We just don't feel safe knowing the unskilled office workers that Marathon is utilizing now will make the right decisions in there". "If they don't respond quick or turn the wrong valves we could be injuried or killed". "We value our lives more then risking that". One has to think of the impact this could have on the communities that border the refinery. Could Saint Paul Park and Newport be the next refinery victums of a BP Texas City type explosion where tens of people lost there lives. If fearless firefighters are to scared to go into the plant just how secure should the local people feel. Striking workers encourage people to call your local and state officials to voice your concerns. Marathon has secured their refineries gates and no one knows or has access to what all is going on in there. "We don't want to see anyone get hurt in there or have a community disaster". "It just seems their management is willing to risk anything to accomplish their corperate goals".

[Marathon Idiot]

If a few of us stop shopping at Super Speedway, that will not hurt Marathon.

Call for an investigation by the press, pension fund investors, congressmen, legislators and councils of Marathon's support for Syria(sponsor of Hesballah, which murdered hundreds of U.S. Marines, and santuary for terrorists and weapons killing our soldiers and guardsmen in Iraq. Marathon violates the Syrian Accountability Act of 2003, an anti-terrorism law passed after 9-11-2001, but the Bush administration told Marathon that this law would not be enforced against it.

Details at: http://marathonidiot.blogspot.com/

and mirror site

http://marathongenius.blogspot.com/

[DCR]

Marathon's management finally talked with the striking Teamsters Union over contract issues this afternoon. Striking Teamsters on the picket line were very surprised to hear the talks were lasting a long time(6 hours). Workers became optimistic that Marathons management team (RLT) might just be budging from their strike causing contract of slavery. Union officials ariving at strike headquarters after the meeting stated management hadn't budged at all. Just wasted their time. A Marathons official even stated that one of the Unions issues with them about how overtime would be covered was created by the management team to force the current crew chiefs and other higher up Union employees into management by limiting their incomes and giving it to less senior Union operators. The Teamsters local 120 will be bringing in truck loads of food for their stiking union members tomorrow between 1300-1400hrs.The trucks will be at stike headquarters with the goods. Striking workers have been requested to bring bags and iced coolers to bring food home in. The Teamsters take care of their people unlike the the people they have made billions of dollars for.

[Lordy]

Peak oil will how the oil addiction is going to be resolved. I found this Good site http://www.theviewfromthepeak.net

[OGM]

I am a striking Marathon operator. I just wanted to clarify that the Marathon drivers are not union so they are crossing the picket line. Our big issue is the the overtime/on call issue. I feel there are other alternatives but the company refuses to budge on the one that was proposed to us.
This would totally change our personal family life. We would not be able to plan anything with family or friends because we would be waiting for the phone/cell phone to ring. Probably 80% of the time you wouldnt be called, but you need to stick around til 8 pm just in case, with no compensation. We have not asked for anything in this contract.. no extra vacation days...no added benefits etc. All we are trying to do is keep what we already have. One of the ERT members said if there was a big fire in the plant, he would not take a chance at helping out because our medical insurance was cut last week and if he was hurt.. it would be a huge medical bill. The refinery is being run by a variety of management..some used to be union operators who worked in the units, and some are engineers and office workers who havent a clue. SCARY!!!!!

[boom-boom]

All of you who are on strike with me, you know who I am. There is one guy in every refinery in the country nicknamed boom-boom for all the obvious reasons. I have to say how proud I am of all of my fellow teamsters at Marathon. We voted 152-3 against the company's offer knowing full well that it meant an almost certain strike. You have kept up a brutal picket schedule. You've kept up your spirit and resolve. so I have to say thank you for what you have done.

We know why we are out. We know that the company wanted this strike. It's so unfortunate. We were willing to address their concerns. We were willing to bend over backward to find a solution that worked for both parties. But I think this strike is about so much more. It's about how employers view their employees. I think that the company feels employees are like puppies, and some times you have to spank the puppy. This strike was created to make a point, and that point is that running that plant comes first, the time you spend with your family is secondary.

We will get through this. In the end what is the worse thing that can happen? you have to find another job. I've been there before. I know that a lot of our members who came over from northwest have been there too. It's rough, but you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and you move forward. The day after the sky will still be blue, your kids will still love you, your parents and your significant other will still care for you and be proud of you, and you'll still have a birthday every year. The world does not end.

Again, I'm proud of you guys. Hang in there and remember to pull together and we will get through this.

[citizen of the community]

As a citizen of the community, I would love to have a job that pays $30 per hour. On top of that, you also have good benefits, a 401K with 6% match, a pension plan, and a bonus program. The company is not reducing pay and/or benefits, they are not eliminating jobs, they are simply trying to stay safe. Yes, safe. The 18-hour shifts are unsafe and unacceptable. And, as a neighbor, I agree. The company is requesting you carry a pager. I carry a pager, for a much lower wage, and it does not impede on my life. I still have fun, I still see my kids, I am still married.

To those that think hiring additional help is the answer, I would recommend reviewing the annual reports for Marathon from 1995 through 2005. In these reports, you will see that the St. Paul Park refinery is not a profitable location. Actually, there have been several years where the refinery loses money. It is short-sighted to think the profits of today will stay forever. A perfect example is the airline industry. 8-10 years ago they were extremely profitable. Post 9/11, the airlines could not succeed, especially with the wages they were paying. A labor agreement which costs the company significantly more will ensure the refinery is not competitive when profits again are tight. And they will again be tight. St. Paul Park has seen many lean years - and many years of facing elimination. A greedy union will only make the possibility of it shutting down more probable. If the company were to cave to the union today, the "brothers" of tomorrow will be set up for the fate that Northwest Mechanics saw last year.

My opinion is that the union is being short-sighted and greedy. It is not your god-given-right to have a high paying job with no effort required on your part. Grow up and go back to work.

As a member of the community, and not associated to the company in any way, I eagerly await for the posting in the paper for replacement workers. I would take the job without a second thought. And without a union.

For those without a paycheck, check this out.

http://www.tdu.org/100K%20Club%202005web.pdf

[theinsideguy]

are you all nuts?

[theguyinside]

I think you are.

[outside the fence]

The union in this case has been anything but greedy. It was the company who proposed large pay increases for certain groups of employees. And certain other perks for other groups, all in an effort to "BUY" ratification votes. Some things are just not for sale! Safety, quality of life and family values among them.

So citizen, if you truly are a "citizen" and not a company manager, try to take my job. I can't wait to see you at the picket line.

[keepwalkingthelineforallicare]

Boy, it amazes me how disgruntled employees can create such visions of falsehoods for outsiders all in an attempt to get sympathy. Here is my sympathy - the majority of you are all making 100K+ a year without anything more than a highschool diploma. Must be nice. You get what - 14 days off a month? Must be nice. And you are crying over wearing a pager (which is optional even!) one weekend a month?

And someone explain to me why you feel continuing to work 18 hour shifts is safer than being on call? All of you came to these jobs with no experience. The replacement workers put you to shame with their levels of experience - and any engineers (WHO BY THE WAY HAVE DEGREES) who are working out there who has not been an operator is trained the exact same way you were - so are you then unsafe too?

And by the way - several of the replacement workers are trained at higher levels of fire training - and have more years of experience - than any of you and many are on the fire team - there would be no need for you to cross the lines to assist.

The way you all are distorting the facts to create sympathy for yourselves is purely pathetic. I see you walk the line when I drive by and that is the first thing I think - how pathetic. I feel so bad for all of the people out there who did not vote for the strike - I personally know and talk to several of them -and the vote was no where near the 155 - 3 someone above claimed because I personally know more than three that did not vote to strike. Another clear view of your misfacts.

My opinion? You are very stupid people to be striking over this.

[Citizen of the community]

"So citizen, if you truly are a "citizen" and not a company manager, try to take my job. I can't wait to see you at the picket line."

Safety, quality of life, and family values are most important to me. That is why I go to work everyday. I do my job and am thankful for what God gave me. You won't ever see me on a picket line. You won't find me taking orders from Brad Slawson or any other union delegate with a national union agenda. I do my job to support my family, my life, my happiness. I appreciate what I have and wouldn't be so stupid to walk away from it over so little....

[TheGuyInside]

""""""""THE REAL DEAL""""""""""""""""""""""""

I've been a union member for many years at Marathon Refinery. I've seen many contracts negotiated, and voted on each of them. For quite some time now I have been in a management role and no longer hold a union card. I want to air a point of view from what was called the "sealed gates" at Marathon. From what I conclude listening to both sides, the union body is striking the facility due to the following issues: They don't want the Chief operators position in each unit to go salaried "management", They don't want just three days off a month, "possible stand-by requirements", and they don't want equalized overtime. These are the main issues that took them to the street.
Lets get some insight into all three of these issues that are holding you to the curb and not collecting a decent wage right now.
First the union voice states that making the Chief (lead operator) salaried would inhibit safety, They say that if they were in management positions they would not be able to voice thier concerns when it comes to safety without thier union backing. This is totally false. This refinery in the last several years has preached "If we can't do it safely, it isn't going to happen until the safety related concerns are resolved". We in grain that mindset to every employee here. The weakest voice gets heard and all they have to do is speak out.
Second issue: Quality of life, This contract only guarantees me 3 days off a month! This came about for several reasons. The majority of the work force, works 12 hour shifts. In the recent past management was not hiring timely to replace vacancies that occured, creating shortages on shifts that needed to be covered. Employee on going training has elevated to create a more qualified workforce which requires employee participation.
For a plant that operates 24-7-365, it needs to be staffed at all times properly. The way it was staffed and the hours that most employees work affords them 2 weeks off every month. The problem falls into place when there are vacancies, which means that people on thier days off should pick up thte slack and cover the shifts. Some do & some don't, according to the last contract employees could opt out by saying "No I don't want the overtime", which caused 18 hour shifts to the employees that were on shift at that time. Both Union and Management agree that those kind of working conditions are not a safe way to run a petrochemical facility. 18 hour shifts are a thing of the past people! Safety still is #1! The current offer on thte table with a variety of changes in day to day bussines will relinquish that situation. Part of it calls for a crew concept where most employees cross train in thier area to be knowledgable to work all positions. This will ensure a greater pool at every level to cover expected & unexpected vacancies. Speaking for only three days off a month, Thats just not true. How do you think that you will get only 3 days off? Not much is changing. All that is asked is that collaboratively every one pitches in to cover when needed. The way it has been recently offered, with a magnatude of changes in language still would ensure a quality of life that you feel you are getting cheated out of.
The 3rd stumbling block seems to be equalized overtime. Look industry wide, its going away from the time where senority meant "I get all the money, forget the newer employees on the job. With equalized overtime, it will force the slackers to step up to the plate. The ones who enjoy the fruits of overtime in the past, will not go hungary today, and thte ones who don't get anything but scraps left over, can enjoy equality. Isn't that what its really about, equality. There is plenty of bread to go around the table. Look at the offered language, first there is a volunter overtime list. Sign it if you want. For the majority of the time this will cover the expected & unexpected vacancies. If no one signed up at all, then for known vacancies, you could & would be forced to work. Atleast you would have the knowledge of it a week prior to that happening. The last scenario is unplanned vacancies. If no ones signs up for volunteer O.T., all unplanned vacancies would be covered by the stand-by system. In reality this would most likely never occur if every one puts a little effort in helping each other out.
Those are the reasons why you say you walked off the job, management never locked you out. They have tried to put together a contract that covered corporates concerns and the employees concerns. I have not heard of the unions negotiating team truely come up with an agenda that will compromise both sides. I have seen the unions final offer to the company. In the paper you say its not about the money, but in your offer back to the company there was astronomical wage increases for what management wanted in concessions. I thought you said it waqsn't about the money? Although the unions offer did have merit in some aspects and it probally could get built on, but when Maratahon stated to the B.A. and the committees members it wholesalely rejects your offer, your leaders said fine "we walk". Marathon never wanted to see discussion stop, they were and still are willing to talk. All of you folks where told to "reject the first offer", we will get a better contract. How can you do that when you walked and your not able to come up with anything alternatives to issues that concern all of us? Your committee can't keep showing up for meetings with the attitude of "O.K. what have you changed in the offer to get us a contact?" Force yourselves and the committee to negotiate language that protects all parties interest's. This isn't Ashland anymore. You played your cards & put 180+ people on the street, It isn't working. Northwest airlines still is flying & St. Paul Park is still boiling oil.
In closing, members of the union state that they "sweat 12 hours a day", we all know and can honestly say nobody breaks thier backs here, unless there is a TAR going on or unit upsets. Also the comment about the ERT members that say they won't cross the line in an emergent situation during the strike, cause they feel that people presently operating the units don't know what they are doing, or don't know what valves to turn in times of crisis, Well BOOM-BOOM, you are gravely mistaken. This workforce that is here right now in the plant spans many years of operating and maintenance abilities from all 7 of Marathons plants. And speaking on the quality of life, I'm making my wages and yours. How many people in our community would be happy to make just your wage? In comparison for language changes to the contract, Marathon has increased its financial offer over the industry standards to many of its employees, some would get 10% pay raises. That type of offer can't stay on the table for long! and decreasing union membership by eleiminating the Chiefs, BOLONGA- no body is losing thier jobs, wages or benefits. Tell that to the Northwest employees. They will probally say your crazy for walking out on strike.
I challenge all of your feed back via this webpage or E-mail me, maybe it will invigorate solutions to resolutions that you as a member with a voice has a right to be heard.
The guy inside

[Mislead?]

I still do not believe how misinformed some of us are! After talking to several people that I trust it seems that there are two sides to this story.
I do believe that we may have been mislead to satisfy some peoples hatred for the company.
I have seen the proposals and counter proposals and counter proposing means more than just NO!. That does not seem that a whole lot of effort was put forth on what we knew was to be a very difficult negation period
And by the way where was our BA during the month of June when we could not go any where in fear of spending some money?
WE have to be able to work towards a resolve so we can go back to work.
I just want to see both copies of the proposes and take another vote

[keepwalkingthelineforallicare]

No, I am not management. Just a citizen who has to drive by and see your behavior. I have friends on the line who don't want to be there - it saddens me.

[OGM]

In response to "the guy inside" How often are you forced to work overtime??not counting tar's and this strike. NEVER!!! It seems Marathon always hires management personnel when one retires or leaves for otther positions. Why cant they do the same for operations? If every crew had a relief operator this would be a non issue. How about a 5th crew?? 1 week would be spent doing all the training we need or coverage if needed. I think that would be the best concept. Not everyone wants to work tons of overtime. I know I dont, and I sure dont want to be forced. in response to "keep walking the line...."
The vote was 152-3... true fact!! I know we dont want to be out here either, but you do what you have to. You dont work here.. you dont know what goes on..

[Marathon worker]

A few years back we got a new plant manager named George Shaffner at the SPP refinery. He expended a great deal of energy getting to know all union personnel trtying to sell us on the pretense that he truly cared for our families. Now we know that it was just to find out how easy it would be to starve our families out. Quite the actor! ! Oh by the way did I mention he pretends to be a highly Christian man??? I feel the only reason he came to SPP was to break the union. So if anyone from the Detriot Marathon reads this, BEWARE... rumor has it he is going there next. George Shaffner...just another corporate leader who would probably sell out HIS own family to climb the next rung of the ladder!!

[the guy inside]

In response to OGM,
So Kathy, how much overtime have you really worked outside of a TAR? everyone knows!!!