Negotiations Update #15 from Chris DellaFranco and Nisha Jellbauer - August 13, 2026

Transcription

Nisha Jellbauer: Hello, I'm Nisha Jellbauer, the Optimization and Performance Manager here at Whiting Refinery, and I'm joined by Chris DellaFranco, Whiting Refinery Manager. And we're here to talk to you about the latest updates with the ongoing labor negotiations.

Chris DellaFranco: Thanks, Nisha. Before we get started, I just want to take a moment to recognize that this is an extremely difficult situation for our employees and their families and their loved ones. It's unfortunate and no one wanted to get here.

I would love to have direct conversations with each of you, but I can't because of the current situation that we're in, and I do respect that process. I do want to let you all know, though, that the refinery is running very well, and we're ensuring that's in good shape for you when you come back.

Nisha Jellbauer: So Chris, can you tell us where are we in the negotiations process? And can you give a few examples of what you mean when you say that we're bargaining in good faith?

Chris DellaFranco: Sure. So let me start with where are we in the process.

So first, you know, we are committed to reach a proposal that we can bring forward for you all to vote, and then ultimately an agreement that we can come back to work together. We met with your elected representatives on June 16th. That was the last time. And we've reached out about a handful of times since then so we can discuss further items in detail.

And then you asked, what do I mean about when we bargain in good faith? So we've met 63 times formally and about the same number of times informally. You know, we've revised our offer after addressing concerns that we've heard from your elected representatives. But we can't continue to negotiate with ourselves. We need serious counteroffers.

We are serious about key elements of this proposal that are required for our future as a site, but that doesn't constitute bad faith bargaining. You know, we've made changes as we've listened. We've retained key elements of seniority like job bidding and vacation schedule because we know seniority is important. But there are key changes that we need to make for our future. And just because we're serious about those, again, doesn't constitute bad faith bargaining.

Nisha Jellbauer: So Chris, we've been hearing a lot about competitiveness. Can you talk about why that matters and what's in the current offer that helps to ensure that this refinery stays competitive?

Chris DellaFranco: Sure. So let's talk about why we've been talking about competitiveness a lot. So as we've talked over the past couple of years, our market has changed. And because of that, we need to change to remain competitive in that market as we move into the future. As a refinery, we need to stand on our own as an asset within the BP portfolio. So you may hear that BP is making a lot of money, but what matters is as a refinery, we continue to remain competitive and profitable. We are not too big to fail.

You know, a competitive refinery is what protects jobs over the long term. You know, and when I think about competitiveness as part of this deal, it's about investing in the skills and the craft that you possess to make you a more skilled employee. Better training will lead to a more reliable refinery that not only advances safety, but improves reliability and then ultimately will deliver competitiveness.

Nisha Jellbauer: We do know that our employees want to return to work. When and how can that happen?

Chris DellaFranco: Sure. For us to return work, we need to reach a point where we have a proposal that you can vote on, and then ultimately an agreement that we can all come back to work under. Negotiations can and must continue during this period so that we can get to that point. Now, you can do something here as an employee. Talk to your elected representatives. Ask them and urge them to come back to the table so that we can continue to negotiate.

Nisha Jellbauer: This has been a really difficult situation for our employees and their families. If there was one thing that you want our employees to remember from this conversation, what would that be?

Chris DellaFranco: Sure. So I'll kind of go back to where I started. You know, this is unfortunate for you, your loved ones, and your family. And no one wanted to get here. You know, I value, I value what the union brings to this site and the identity of the Northwest Indiana culture. But for us to move forward, we do need to change, and we need to build on that identity, and we need to enhance that with the things that we're asking in this proposal. Now, you can do something here, again, as I mentioned, talk to your elected representatives, urge them to come back to the table, so that we can negotiate and come to a proposal that you can vote on and an agreement that can help us move forward as a refinery.

Nisha Jellbauer: Thank you, Chris. We know that this has been a difficult time for many of our employees, and we hope to see you back at work soon. We will continue to provide updates here.

Chris DellaFranco: Thank you.

Nisha Jellbauer: Thanks.