Negotiations Update #2 from Chris DellaFranco – January 28, 2026

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Hello again, my name is Chris DellaFranco, and I am the bp Whiting refinery Manager. I want to provide everyone an update on the progress of our labor negotiations.
 

As a reminder, our current agreement expires on January 31st. Our intent is to reach an agreement so that we can avoid a work stoppage.
 

A likely question is what happens if the two sides cannot reach an agreement?
 

First, I want to assure the community that we have a strong Business Continuity Plan where our salaried workforce will safely, and orderly, assume operations if a work stoppage occurs. We have been training and preparing for more than a year. Most employees in our Continuity Plan have done this before and know how to safely operate the refinery. During a transition our priority remains the safety of our team, as well as the surrounding community. We hope that we do not have to enact that plan, but we will be ready if it reaches that point.

With these negotiations our goal is to continue to make advancements in safety and competitiveness. Over the years, our business and competition has changed, and therefore we must change to remain competitive in all market conditions. It is our intent to ensure that the refinery continues to provide good paying jobs and energy for the Midwest for generations to come.
 

We need to continually enhance our workforce’s skills to achieve our goals in safety and competitiveness. We are focused on doing what is best for the Whiting refinery, its employees, contractors, and the community.
 

There are important, and challenging issues on the table as part of these negotiations, I have confidence that the bargaining teams will be able to see their way to an agreement.
 

Thank you for your time and we will have more updates as the negotiations progress.