The United Steelworkers union (USW) seeks this week to renew talks with Chevron Corp (CVX.N) over a six-week-old strike at the company's Richmond, California, refinery, said a USW official.
https://www.reuters.com/business/union-seeks-renewed-talks-with-chevron-california-refinery-strike-2022-05-03/
Hmmm...the same union leaders and members that spout to anyone that listens how unsafe the work conditions are at CHEVRON and how the team members here are abused and overworked have their family members and friends working here. So let me pose a question, why did you refer them and help get them hired ?
Supposedly management is thinking about hiring some union negotiators. We shall see.
Sorry in advance for the long rant, but this strike sucks.....for everyone. I work in RTC (20 yrs) and haven't had more than a handful of interactions with union folks until recently. We used to have union carpenters at RTC, but they were the laziest, worst carpenters ever, so we got them out. For a short stint, the tubing and pipe fitters were union workers, but they didn't work out either; so goodbye. As far as I'm aware of, RTC doesn't have many union workers; but I may be wrong.
I understand the USW is trying to get what they think they deserve, but yelling at everyone and slowing everyone down that needs to go to work isn't the right approach. I have to report to work or else I get fired.....simple as that. There's at least 1000 other RTC folks in the same boat as me. Management told us to go back to work after 3 weeks of the strike and we don't have a choice about it. I understand that the strikers don't know who is coming through that gate to do their (old) job or who is working at RTC; so they attack everyone......fair enough. Calling me a scab or rat means nothing to me, but the aggressive nature is unnerving and unprofessional. Maybe that's what they're trying to do .....annoy everyone? Do they actually expect that if they reach an agreement with Chevron, everyone they yelled at is going to welcome them back to work with open arms? " Hey Bill, we really missed you buddy...Don't worry about calling me a mother F-kng worthless scab last Tuesday.....I'm just happy you're back". Yeah, I highly doubt that's going to be the attitude if these guys come back to the plant. If I was a refinery worker and saw the guys (I haven't been yelled at by a lady.....yet) report to work that was just cursing and yelling at me last week; he would not get a warm welcome from me. As an RTC worker. I need to report to work to support my family and these guys are making it hard for me. The raises they're asking for are far higher than the raises I've received over the past few years. I heard from one of their members that they start off (operator) at $120k/year. Well, it took me almost 20 years to get to their starting point and I'm edumicated.....WTF? They're complaining about their 12 hour work day. My buddy is an operator that "works" 12's. He sleeps at least 6 of the 12 hours. If I sleep for even a minute and someone sees me, I'll probably get a ROD(Record Of Discussion.....not actual rod). The one and only thing that I do agree with those USW guys on is that forced call out BS. That doesn't seem right to me and it never has. When someone has a weekend off, that's their time, don't bug them. One of my buddies has that schedule and it sucks. He'll have three days off, but he can't go anywhere or do anything because he might get called into work with only 8 hours notice. He-l, he's always scared to even get drunk with us (his lifelong friends) in fear that he'll get called in and will be hungover. Out of all the USW demands, i do agreed with elimination of that practice as it's not right and it's not aligned with Chevron's "Work/Life balance" culture that they preach.
Everything else they're asking for is just nonsense. I know a lot of those guys just want to go back to work as I'm sure this is hurting them a lot. I feel for those guys. If I was in their shoes, I'd have to abandon the union and go back to work. My paycheck supports too many people and I don't have the savings to keep everything moving for more than two months.
Lastly, they claim the plant isn't running safe without them. That's pure BS. They have all these pictures of flaring events, but the plant flared more when they were there. Flaring events have actually reduced since the USW left. They need to find a different safety item for advertising their need for existence.
Okay, that's all I have. Sorry so long, but I'm frustrated and wanted to voice my opinions to people that know what's going on. I hope the strike ends one way or another, with or without the USW. I'm frikin tired of getting yelled at every time I come and go from work. FYI.....if any USW picketers are reading this....yell all you want, but if you touch my car... I'll fk-you up right in front of all your brothers. Have a great day. Happy oiling.
@6wzy, speak for yourself, I and my coworkers in Richmond have decades of collectiive experiance dealing with them and will proceed in crushing their pathetic takeover attempts. thanks.
Chevron has no experience with unions so we normally just stonewall. The frozen stiff armadillo tactic.
Any Richmond union leaders what to share how well your negotiating strategy is going??? I understand the the refinery is running better than ever with the contingent staffing. Sad for those who are being improperly represented.
I feel sorry for the majority of the Union employees for being led by the poor “leaders” of the union. What an embarrassment. All refineries in the region have already settled…. What id--ts of “leaders” in the union. The majority should vote them out and bring in leaders who actually know how to lead….
When a Union group seeks renewed talks with Management, you already know they are playing from a position of weakness. NO UNIONS!!!
RLOP in Hydro has a handful of knuckleheads. This is where the current local Union leaders and stewards come from. Poor excuses for human beings. Complete bullies.. and not very bright either. They present risk to other union employee when they are working.
Is D&R still the ABU of bullies? They’re were like the Weather Underground when I was there. I was going to say B Panthers, but you know………
Those union members who cross the picket line will be threatened and picked on by those bully union leaders / stewards. So sad as those who cross just want to do a good job and provide for their families. If Chevron is so bad, they should quit and find another place of employment. Simple!!!!! If you don’t like it, get out!!!!!!! We don’t need or want you!!!
The Richmond Union leadership (within the refinery and the local chapter) are a group of bullies. The majority of Operators who come to work daily do the best they can as they have moral and ethical values. The few percent of those in the union are bullies who threaten those wanting to just do a good job. Those individuals perform poorly and sometimes behave in unethical and unsafe ways. Union members at the other refineries (El Segundo and Slat Lake) are professional and have good morals.
I have no sympathy for a union that funds politicians that want to shut down our industry. They pretend to care about workers while directly supporting the party that tried to get half the country terminated over a medical procedure.
https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/united-steelworkers/summary?id=D000000102
Chevron doesn’t need unions. They are nothing but trouble. Stick your neck in that noose and you won’t come out alive.
Richmond is being run by management with help from all over the corporation. That model is not sustainable!
CA law is that you cannot permanently hire someone until 90 days after a strike. So expect it to go 89 days.
The union may end up imploding as they are striking and will get NOTHING for it. I would not be surprised if the workers drop the union after they realize they got hosed.
Woke Picketers are at odds with their own Union:
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2022/04/15/chev-a15.html
Now that’s a Cal mindset, strike a blow for social justice by stepping on your own D
They are finished at Chevron. No deal!
Overpaid babies still complaining. Goes to show you they aren’t needed to run the facility, the automation takes care of that. All they do is babysit and write permits.
Never a Texan, my kids both have college degrees from Cal schools.
They are “Special” by virtue of their California education
Yes, hopefully this will result in layoffs so that at least some of the fodder and rubbish submitted to this forum will be legit and less of a playground for the people with no social life and no friends who are gainfully employed.
F em. They are the only location out of 35 locations to not make a deal. They want special treatment. I would love for Chevron to give them a 2 week deadline and then say anyone who doesnt report to work will be terminated.