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Forum Post: OWS: Please Support Strikers at Valero Refinery Martinez, CA

Posted 12 years ago on Jan. 30, 2012, 12:29 a.m. EST by economicallydiscardedcitizen (761)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement

I have it on good authority from a worker who told a friend of mine they begin their strike at midnight the end of the month. Valero basically wants to hire 'scabs' (non union) for $10 an hour was the sarcastic description and guess what? The strike can actually go on for a year and none of the workers is eligible for unemployment under those circumstances.

The worker knew it might come to this and at over the age of 45 they were trying to hookup with another company with no bites and so he will be moving in with his immediate family.

If you live by any refineries which would you rather have, a competent, safety wise constantly trained unionized staff operating a refinery or 'scabs' paid a low wage and more likely to be undernourished, less motivated to do the job right and who could greatly increase the chance of a major disaster that could easily kill a an area the size of the San Francisco Bay Area through release of deadly gases, chemicals and flame some of which are invisible to the naked eye?

OWS:Please send Oakland/San Francisco contingent to support Valero workers and all workers seeking decent wages and working conditions!

Any Valero workers reading this, please share details as you strike.

16 Comments

16 Comments


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[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

http://www.usw.org/media_center/releases_advisories?id=0435

I went to the union site and saw an update.

[-] 0 points by BonTon (57) 12 years ago

an update on what? That's 4 mos. old and sez nothin about Valero at Martinez

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago
[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

I don't know, this is news of the plant in Memphis. Check it out. http://www.wreg.com/news/wreg-union-pushing-for-more-safety-at-valero-plant-20120127,0,3636643.story

[-] -1 points by BonTon (57) 12 years ago

union playbook rule #1: always make the workers think they're on the verge of a strike right before the contract settles. then they'll thank the union for saving them from the company and delivering such a great contract (and complain less about the next dues increase).

[-] 1 points by GirlFriday (17435) 12 years ago

BonTon's world: Never look at what is on the table for negotiation or of it's importance. :D

[-] 1 points by kingscrossection (1203) 12 years ago

What has Valero done wrong?

[-] 0 points by economicallydiscardedcitizen (761) 12 years ago

As the story is developing I will post details and applicable media coverage here. FYI Martinez is a major oil refining hub since it is in the San Francisco Bay Area. If any Valero workers are reading this (and this includes workers at any other Valero sites) please comment. Other refineries in the area include Shell, Chevron and Tesoro-if any workers there are aware of similar plans to strike at your company please share here too.

Any energy analysts, please comment too about future cutbacks that may occur within the oil and gas industries as it relates to US and global economies. My guess:further dips in the economy are being anticipated by Valero and cutting costs related to employees is part of their adaptation.

Thanks.

[-] 0 points by economicallydiscardedcitizen (761) 12 years ago

Apparently a dispute over wages and benefits which Valero wants to reduce and is not per the union contract between the workers and the company.

[-] 1 points by kingscrossection (1203) 12 years ago

Ok so they want to lower prices because?

[-] 0 points by economicallydiscardedcitizen (761) 12 years ago

Update: Another refinery in the Martinez area, Tesoro/Golden Eagle is involved in a situation where they are employed but without a contract with a chance of a company wide strike-only the tentative agreement remains as with Shell, Valero and others mentioned here:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_19863451?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com Shell reaches tentative deal with refinery workers The Associated Press Posted: 01/31/2012 06:18:08 PM PST Updated: 01/31/2012 06:18:24 PM PST

DALLAS—The United Steelworkers union and Shell Oil have as announced a tentative deal on a new three-year contract covering Shell refinery workers across the United States. The deal was announced in statements issued by the two sides Tuesday night, hours before a midnight Tuesday deadline to reach a new agreement or risk a strike.

The tentative deal must still be ratified by the 30,000 workers it covers at 168 workplaces across the nation, including 69 refineries representing about 64 percent of the nation's refining capacity.

The deal also will be used as the model for other refiners such as Exxon Mobil, Marathon, Valero and ConocoPhillips to match.

The USW is North America's largest industrial union with about 850,000 members in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

[-] 0 points by economicallydiscardedcitizen (761) 12 years ago

Update: Friend of a friend who works at Valero Refinery in Martinez says talks may resume again and with a chance of a strike. Difficult to find qualified 'Scabs' to run the refineries. He is still keeping his eyes peeled for work out of state since nothing is conclusive.

[-] 0 points by economicallydiscardedcitizen (761) 12 years ago

Update (and will follow up if any more input from friend of a friend who works at Valero in Martinez, CA): Shell reaches tentative deal with refinery workers

"The deal also will be used as the model for other refiners such as Exxon Mobil, Marathon, VALERO and ConocoPhillips to match."

http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_19863451?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com Shell reaches tentative deal with refinery workers The Associated Press Posted: 01/31/2012 06:18:08 PM PST Updated: 01/31/2012 06:18:24 PM PST

DALLAS—The United Steelworkers union and Shell Oil have as announced a tentative deal on a new three-year contract covering Shell refinery workers across the United States. The deal was announced in statements issued by the two sides Tuesday night, hours before a midnight Tuesday deadline to reach a new agreement or risk a strike.

The tentative deal must still be ratified by the 30,000 workers it covers at 168 workplaces across the nation, including 69 refineries representing about 64 percent of the nation's refining capacity.

The deal also will be used as the model for other refiners such as Exxon Mobil, Marathon, Valero and ConocoPhillips to match.

The USW is North America's largest industrial union with about 850,000 members in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

[Removed]

[-] 0 points by TimMcGraw (50) 12 years ago

So is OWS no supporting unions? Unions are no better than the rest.

[-] 1 points by NKVD (55) 12 years ago

No they are not. You need to quit with the RNC propaganda. Or do you work For them?