Co-OP refinery strike- why so quiet?

[Ken07AOVette]

I saw a 'we care about our refinery employees' ad just now on tv, and looked online. Theres a bit of buzz but nothing extraordinary.

Why is it when there is an offshore rig goes down in the gulf of Mexico we see a 20c jump but a refinery strike 3 hours away and nothing changes?

[32-40win]

The union has radio ads out in Cgy as well, heard them over the last month or so for sure, calling to boycott Co-op gas.

[Nova]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Why is it when there is an offshore rig goes down in the gulf of Mexico we see a 20c jump but a refinery strike 3 hours away and nothing changes?

It could be because the refinery is still operating, potentially at a reduced cost.

[silver]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

Why is it when there is an offshore rig goes down in the gulf of Mexico we see a 20c jump but a refinery strike 3 hours away and nothing changes?

I am going to presume that the refinery is still operating as usual. There are enough Co-op employees to keep things going. I think the ones on strike are on the maintenance side.

[waldedw]

Originally Posted by silver

I am going to presume that the refinery is still operating as usual. There are enough Co-op employees to keep things going. I think the ones on strike are on the maintenance side.

As I understand it co-op has locked out 700 workers that are under Unifor Local 594, with management staff and replacement workers the refinery is still operating as normal, there was a deal on the news a while back that the union was blocking access to the refinery and co-op got a court injunction against that.

Workers were being transported into the refinery by helicopter to get around the road blocks.

There has not been much on the news about any of this, not sure why, saw some adds by the union on TV back in Dec so googled it.

[kingrat]

It's been on our local news for awhile now. Sounds like a bitter fight on both sides.

[Paintedblac]

Apparently plant reliability has increased since bringing in replacement maint workers. FCL prob not to bothered right now

[CaberTosser]

Around Christmas there were some picketers adjacent a Co-op grocery store on Macleod Trail, they were handing out pamphlets. Inside the store there was a very obvious sign placed dead center where you walk in saying ‘What up with the protesters?” Then it went on to note the strike action.

I can relate to people wanting things a bit better, but I have to say when I see strike actions in times like now when so many are completely out of work it seems rather tone-deaf. Being private sector I’m fine with it, they can deal with that themselves. What gets me though is seeing public sector unions striking, like the Ontario Teachers, now there’s a group of oblivious “me, me, me” people who are completely oblivious to the un or under-employed taxpayers who are paying their wage. They live in the province with the highest sub-national debt anywhere in North America yet they think the taxpayers should ante up some more.

[SuperCub]

Originally Posted by Paintedblac

Apparently plant reliability has increased since bringing in replacement maint workers. FCL prob not to bothered right now

Where would that info come from?

[EZM]

Originally Posted by waldedw

As I understand it co-op has locked out 700 workers that are under Unifor Local 594, with management staff and replacement workers the refinery is still operating as normal, there was a deal on the news a while back that the union was blocking access to the refinery and co-op got a court injunction against that.

Workers were being transported into the refinery by helicopter to get around the road blocks.

There has not been much on the news about any of this, not sure why, saw some adds by the union on TV back in Dec so googled it.

If the union is unlawfully blocking the road they should be rounded up and arrested. They are welcome to stand beside the road and wave their signs - lawfully.

If the union picketers begin to become unlawful nuisances, they need to understand, the average joe public person is less likely to support their cause, instead, becoming annoyed with their antics.

And, if these unionized maintenance guys are as valuable to the company as they say they are (and they might be), the company will negotiate a settlement.

On the other hand, If, in fact, the "management and scabs" who are supposedly doing a better job of running maintenance .....actually are ..... well guess what ..... the union may not get a deal and needs to take at look at itself and may need to stop protecting "sub standard performing, high seniority, trouble makers" whom they have protected for far too long.

Who knows what the case is here, but sometimes strikes serve to make long overdue corrections, either from the company, or from the union.

[fishnguy]

They were running those ads during the World Juniors at intermissions. I saw an ad and was surprised I hadn’t heard anything about it before (or since).