It’s been nearly one month since United Steelworkers 7-1 members were locked out of BP’s Whiting Refinery amid contract negotiations, and both parties have provided updates.
“We only wish that British Petroleum would talk to our union as much as they’re talking to cameras,” a union statement said. “It’s unfortunate – but not surprising – that the London-based company is flat-out lying to their employees, our local media and our community about their proposal, so we’re happy to share the receipts.”
In a Friday negotiations update, BP shared that the two parties last met on March 17, saying that the “union has not responded to that offer or requested to meet” since that meeting.
“On Friday, March 27, the company became aware of media coverage in which union leadership made statements along the lines of how they had ‘consistently been asking BP to get back to the bargaining table’ and had ‘received no response,’” the update says. “The company has received no such request and sent a formal request to the union seeking clarification about what communication channels were being used and who was being contacted. The union declined to provide any response to that request.”
The company also claims that a letter was sent to union leadership on April 1, asking about their plans to respond to the March 17 offer and resume negotiations. The union responded on April 8, according to BP, but allegedly didn’t address the proposals, agree to meet or offer dates to resume discussion.
“Today, the company again reached out in an attempt to schedule a date with the union to resume negotiations,” the Friday update says. “Our hope is that the union will choose to engage directly at the bargaining table rather than continue to make inaccurate statements in the media.”
The union sent a letter to BP on March 18, according to its update. USW provided a letter sent to Thomas Hanson, manager of labor and employee relations at the Whiting refinery.
In the letter, USW 7-1 President Eric Schultz and Robert Lofton, USW District 7 and Sub 5 director, express the intent to continue to negotiate, and they ask to lift the lockout and allow members to return to work. The union claims the company ignored the letter and several requests by phone “for two weeks.”
“The company did not respond until April 1 but has made clear – they will not lift their lockout or resume negotiating unless we accept their demands to eliminate more than 100 local jobs, cut wages across nearly all job classifications and give up our bargaining rights,” the union statement said. “That’s not bargaining in good faith.”
The union also claims that BP is offering $127 per hour to “experienced Gulf Coast” refinery workers for “a six-month project” in Whiting. The job posting has been made on Facebook and LinkedIn, and the post does not name BP.
A refinery spokesperson said in a previous email that the post is not legitimate and wasn’t authorized by BP, and the company remains “ready and willing to continue negotiations.”
In the company update, BP confirmed that the refinery “has been transparent” about its strategy to shift work to “specialized third-party contractors.” When BP discussed changes with the union in early 2025, about 65 employees would be impacted.
The company’s current offer includes a staffing reduction of about 65 employees and “a separate, voluntary option for approximately 40 additional craft employees.” The choice to leave is within the additional employees’ discretion.
BP claims that impacted employees are offered “a generous lump-sum payment, with most eligible for one year of base pay.”
“Additionally, impacted employees could potentially return to working at the refinery through the third-party contractors that provide services at the site,” the company update said.
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BP also claimed the company’s offer doesn’t include base wage cuts for union-represented employees. Multiple job classifications would no longer exist under the company’s proposed structure, which would cause some employees to lose pay premiums received on top of their base pay.
The company will offer “one-time lump sum payments” up to $10,000 for impacted employees.
The union hopes that negotiations will soon continue, their statement said.
“It’s our hope that British Petroleum leaders will spend less time in front of cameras and more time focused on the bargaining they claim they are committed to,” the union statement said.
Negotiations updates from BP are available online, whitingnegotiations.com. USW 7-1 also has a website, supportoilworkers.com, for negotiations updates.