BP Whiting Refinery Workers Approve New Contract
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Workers at the BP Whiting Refinery have approved a new four-year contract that includes a pay increase and no concession on the issue of providing months of advance notice if workers intend to go on strike. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report the deal includes an overall 12% pay increase with a 2.5% raise this year.
The employees, who are represented by the United Steelworkers union, voted by an 85% to 15% margin to accept the deal, according to USW Local 7-1 President Eric Schultz.
The contract also sets benefits and working conditions for the nearly 1,700 full-time employees who work at the refinery, which is the largest inland refinery in the Midwest. The refinery supplies gas to seven states and jet fuel via direct pipeline to Chicago’s airports.
The Times reports the contract raises workers’ pay by 3% in 2023, 3% in 2024 and 3.5% in 2025. Workers will also receive a ratification bonus of $2,500.
BP will maintain the current healthcare benefits and will contribute 80% toward the premium, according to the publication. The company will also provide one year of COBRA health benefits to the families of workers killed on the job, and provide laid-off workers severance based on their hourly wage rate for each year they worked with the company. Additionally, BP agreed to assign a USW Health and Safety representative to any unit with 150 union members.
BP had originally proposed the union give 120 days notice and train replacement workers if it were to go on strike.