BP said on Friday its Whiting refinery returned to the bargaining table with the United Steelworkers Local 7-1 bargaining committee and presented a revised proposal intended to move the parties closer to an agreement.
The company added that the current settlement offer includes a withdrawal of the proposed voluntary reduction of up to 42 maintenance craft employees in response to the union’s concerns.
BP added the proposal includes an average 13% pay increase over the first four years of a proposed six-year agreement, with pay increases in the final two years to match those set in the 2030 National Oil Bargaining.
However, United Steelworkers Local 7-1 disputed BP’s characterisation of the proposal in an email to Reuters, saying the company is “misleading” workers and the community.
The union said BP still intends to cut dozens of local jobs and criticised the offer as “concessionary,” arguing that headline pay increases would come alongside wage cuts, reduced bonuses and a loss of bargaining and seniority rights.
“The Company’s public statement talks about raises, bonuses, and lump sums, but it leaves out the wage cuts, job eliminations, loss of rights, and reductions in earning potential that come with them,” said Eric Schultz, president of USW Local 7-1.
(Reporting by Pooja Menon and Anmol Choubey in Bengaluru)