FROM THE UNION
November Update from the NOBP Chair
Brothers and Sisters,
As many of you know, Kim Nibarger has retired, and I have been named the Chair of the National Oil Bargaining Program. I would like to thank Kim for all that he has done for our members over the decades of his service to our union.
For those that do not know me, I was a hydro processing operator at the Chevron Richmond Refinery. I spent time there as the USW Health & Safety Rep as well as several terms on the workers’ committee. In 2012, I went to work as a staff rep for Local 5, working on political and regulatory issues as well as servicing the Chevron unit. In 2018, I was brought to Pittsburgh to work on the upcoming round of National Oil Bargaining.
Over the past year I have been able to visit locals with Kim before and after this round of bargaining, as well as attending many of our Council meetings and District conferences. For those of you that I haven’t met or worked with, I am looking forward to doing so. My goal is to continue the success that we have had in this industry over the decades of the National Oil Bargaining Program, as well as working through the new challenges that the industry has presented us.
Please save these dates! The 2020 National Oil Bargaining Program Conference is set for March 2-4, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pa. The 2020-2023 NOBP Policy Committee and Alternates will be elected at the conference for each oil region. The official call letter with details will be mailed to your local union officers in the very near future.
You can also check out the links below for important news about our sector from the past month.
In solidarity,
Mike Smith
NOBP Chair
mjsmith@usw.org
USW Members Featured in "Fight for Workers' Lives" Video
Members of Local 675 in Carson, Calif., were featured in an important, new video produced by UCLA’s Labor and Occupational Safety and Health (LOSH) program focusing on process safety management. Click here to see the full video.
IN THE NEWS
Marathon Plans Change in Leadership, Speedway Spinoff
Marathon announced late last month that it would be undergoing several serious changes, including the departure of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Heminger and Executive Vice Chairman Gregory Goff. It has also been reported that it will spin off its retail fuel, which largely operates under the Speedway brand, and review its pipeline business. This comes amid pressure from investors, notably Elliott Management Corp. To read more, click here.
Limetree Announces Restart of Refinery on St. Croix
Limetree Bay Ventures, a large scale energy complex located in the U.S. Virgin Islands, announced last month that they will restart oil refining on St. Croix by the end of the year. The facility, which was previously owned by the Mapp administration, was shuttered in 2012. Limetree acquired it in 2015. To read more, click here.
EPA Seeks Additional Comments on Renewable Fuel Volumes
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced last month that they would be seeking comments on the way renewable fuel percentages are calculated, as well as projecting the amount of fuel that will be exempt in 2020 under small refinery exemptions. The EPA held a public hearing Oct. 30, which will be followed by a 30-day window for the public to give its input. To read more, click here.