Upstream to Edmonton. Downstream to Sarnia. Corporate functions unknown. By end of 2026. QP being divested.
Newfoundland boy doing a webcast Monday afternoon.
Discuss mobility with your family. Update your resumes and LinkedIn. Fill up at PetroCan this weekend.
The life & death of companies: first comes innovation, then performance, then decline as the bean counters take over. Imperial is now firmly in the third phase of life, likely accelerated by Mother Exxon. I had expected Exxon to sell Imperial, so rather surprised it's continuing to hold. Exxon likely intends to eliminate all but operating personnel, and have either its American or low cost overseas offices handle corporate functions. The same has happened to the large engineering firms, 80% of the work is now done overseas & no government cares to intervene. Our corporations are turning their backs on domestic society in pursuit of lowest cost, since that is the only way baby boomer executives know to make their name.
Let’s lay down facts first.
So based on the above, this impacts all of us (whether EM or IOL, upstream or down). Your best option, do the minimum and seek a better opportunity elsewhere. Thoughts and prayers for all!
@h9 air quality is better than Toronto, water is ok because the river sends all the sh-t down to Lake St Clair, the soil...yeah the soil is not great.
Reminder that the air, water, and soil of Sarnia is toxic. The impact from Chemical Valley is inescapable.
Talk to your network and find an employment lawyer.
Big companies will try to take advantage of you. Know that you have more rights than they might allude you do, or present to you.
@d3 It is not that complicated.
In general, it will be 3 or 4 weeks severance pay for each year of service, with maximum of 24 months. For pension, if you are not 55, you will be given options to take lump sum or stay with the plan and withdrawal when you become 55.
@ct bold of you assume anyone is motivated...
There are folks hopeful for a role at the Sarnia site and so will keep up appearances
@cv that is all included in severance calculation: age, salary, likelihood of finding equivalent employment, etc
But other things to look for are continuation of benefits, continuation of the pension match for the length of the severance period, outplacement services etc
@cq
Rest assured it will be more than just severance - emotional distress, impact to look for new employment, lost wages, lost benefits...... as much as I can get!
@cq how have you stayed motivated the last 18 months? I'll be planning on doing the bare minimum to just get my package
Sarnia Research here.
Other then being told we will most likely be laid off, no one has shared anything with us in the 18ish months since we were told we were closing.
That's given us lots of time to research employment law.
Company cannot force you to move. Moving location construes constructive dismissal and if you don't want to go you will be entitled to severance.
Anyone being let go, will (speculating based on law and experience with friends let go) be given 8 weeks notice + what common law dictates.
Best of luck to all. It is sh---y to be stuck in limbo.
@b5
Scona person here. Wondering if it’s a long term plan for more consolidation and offshoring of jobs. Maybe instead of a site resource we will all become shared resources supporting CL, Kearl and Scona? Lots of rumours on the Exxon side about merging Upstream and Downstream ops and consolidation of services and mgmt.
There was supposed to be an offsite IOL career fair here in Edmonton for late September (hall booked, invites sent, and paid for) people were going to fly in to represent different parts of the org like EMTEC, Supply, IRP, etc. That was just cancelled. :-(
Regardless we are all anxious here too and feeling sorry for our ESSO friends and coworkers in Calgary. Despite the Deadmonton jokes we will welcome you into our 70s-era asbestos-filled offices with terrible office coffee and Oilers jerseys.
Su-ks not to be 55
@OP Why move Upstream support staff from Calgary to Edmonton. Both are anyways far far away from actual upstream sites - if distance was concern, why didnt they go straight to Fort Mc? Unless they want to make it so hard that employees leave by self on a mass rather than having to pay severance.
Perhaps Kearl/Cold Lake/Scona on verge of sale Monday? Are they? Otherwise this whole Edm. move sounds like a sure way to tank the stock and destroy the company. I doubt the trust lost with this will ever be recoverable after this.
Would they cover for relocation costs or what does that look like?
@OP Considering this company is not growing and expats are essentially non existent, it would be a one way move to Deadmonton. Bad quality of life. Plus they can conveniently pay us lower and stagnant Edmonton wages, benchmarked against provincial government workers lol
Time to pull the ripcord!!
@at when did you start? Wouldn’t think such generic statements are defensible. Depending on the notice period they give, if you didn’t choose to move it could be constructive dismissal. Get a lawyer 100%. Also, any allowances or RSUs may be deemed as deferred compensation for the purpose of severance value calculation.
Anyone knows if this constitutues as constructive dismissal? I do see a clause in my employment contract that states:
The Company and its affiliates have offices and work sites throughout Canada. Although your initial assignment with the Company will be X-X, you may be asked to relocate or transfer to affiliates during your career.
However at the time I signed the contract, Edmonton was not one of the options for my role.
Probably best to consult a lawyer when it comes to that. Throwing this idea out there, in case the Edmonton relocation rumor is real and people want to get together for a little class action lawsuit.
I can guarantee that attrition with an upstream move to Edmonton will be much higher than estimates by execs and BCG. And most likely it’ll be in key skillsets with high performing individuals. Sound decision making there….
@a3 The "support hub" is Houston.
@a3 Big time. Sadly, it’s happening, and it’s EM and their little pawn JW calling the shots. We all know if there were real corporate separateness and actual board governance, none of these d-mb moves would be happening.
@a3 we make oil, not sense.
Moving Upstream away from Calgary where the support hub is for all functions would be a braindead move