To: All Whiting Employees
We are sharing this communication with you to provide an update on negotiations with USW 7-1’s Local.
Our goal is to reach an agreement that brings our employees back to work under a contract agreement that supports them and the refinery’s long-term future. bp has been and remains ready to do the work and to meet as often as needed. But progress requires both parties to come to the table.
Since the lockout began on March 19, bp and USW Local 7-1 have held a total of eight negotiation sessions. bp has repeatedly sought to establish a regular cadence of meetings so the parties can steadily work through the issues that remain, but the union has not agreed to an ongoing schedule of negotiating sessions.
When we have met, bp has continued to provide information and revised contract language to address union concerns. Unfortunately, the union has not provided any new contract language, any counterproposals, or anything new for consideration since May.
At our last negotiating session on Monday, October 26, bp again provided revised contract language to address union concerns. We had also expected the union to bring revised contract language for consideration, but it did not.
Following the meeting on October 26, we proposed meeting this week including Monday (2nd), Wednesday (4th) and Thursday (5th) but no meeting was ever confirmed. We have also offered to meet next week, including as early as Monday but have not yet received a confirmation of their availability.
Until the USW Local 7-1 returns to the table and meaningfully engages, the parties cannot make the meaningful progress needed to reach an agreement. You can see an overview of our current proposal here.
Making meaningful progress will require the parties to return to the table regularly and continue substantive discussions on the issues that remain. bp is ready to meet as often as needed, whether through formal bargaining, informal discussions or federal mediation.
We remain committed to bargaining in good faith toward an agreement that supports our employees, our community and the Whiting refinery’s long-term future. We will continue to keep you informed as negotiations develop.