Looking Brighter

Tonight's news is much better than the last post. No one is walking out tonight. ConocoPhillips is back in line with National Oil Bargaining and our Sister locals are going on Rolling 24's.

According to my second hand information (I was not at the teleconference) the latest proposal has a 3% raise for the next three years and also a signing bonus. This is better than we were offered before.

Gary Beevers, and our other representatives, are still negotiating on important issues, but for the time being our brothers and sisters that have contracts ending at midnight tonight, will remain working on a rolling 24 hour basis.

I will up date again when I have more news.

Thanks.

Where Things Stand (at the moment)

Our Local union leaders are in contact with USW leaders at other ConocoPhillips refineries around the country.

Today we learned that ConocoPhillips may be looking at breaking with the National Oil Bargaining program. COP has not yet agreed to the last Shell offer. The last Shell offer was turned down, but COP, as of these five minutes, appears to be hedging on some aspects of that offer.

COP refineries whose contracts end on February 1 are all those in California (including -Rodeo and Santa Maria), Ferndale (in Washington State), Billings (in Montana) and Trainer (in Pennsylvania). As of now, they may be on strike, before the weekend is out. This is a very real possibility if ConocoPhillips does not step up and match the rejected Shell proposal.

Let's pray for our co-workers/union brothers and sisters at these sights. Let us also pray for all those involved in these negotiations, that they will act wisely.

You can read Bloomberg's take on things HERE

I will give updates as they become available. I also hope you will check out the blog or our sister local in Billings. It's HERE

Thanks,

2% + 2% + 1% = Not

Shell's initial offer of 2% + 2% + 1% has been turned down, which is no surprise to anyone. Shell is supposed to came back to the bargaining table with a new offer next week.

As we learn more it will be posted here first, so don't forget to check back again soon.

Later,

Negotiations Have Begun

Tonight's meeting was very interesting. National Oil Bargaining has begun in earnest. This go round the bargaining is with Shell Oil. We all saw the USW starting position before we voted on it several months back. Shell did make a wage proposal, and As I'm sure most people expected, it was a low ball proposal of 2%, 2% and 1% for a total of 5% for a three year agreement.

Several COP sights have also started local negotiations. Claude and Leon are keeping in touch with union leadership at other COP sights, so we should have more specific information about these things in the near future.

Here at the LCMC we will not start "official" negotiations for several more months. If you have concerns or issues that need to be looked at, please contact your steward or committee man. You can also email them to me and I will pass them along.

Thanks,

Monthly Meeting

This is a reminder that tomorrow (13 January) is our regular monthly meetings. You can see the times on our Local website HERE.

See you there,