FROM THE UNION
March Update from the NOBP Chair
As we move closer to ratification of our on-date National Oil Bargaining Program (NOBP) contracts, I want to thank the policy committee members – Steve Bohney, DeVon Crawford, Robert Cammarn, Ryan Anderson and Clay Bonin – for their hard work and support during the bargaining sessions with Shell.
The members had not served on the policy committee before, so this was their first time being involved with the national bargaining process. They brought a lot of insight concerning the needs of the membership by conducting regular conference calls with their regions and getting that information back to Vice President Tom Conway and myself, as well as Mike Smith who assisted us at the table.
Click here to continue reading the message from NOBP Chair Kim Nibarger.
Three-Year Pattern Agreement Advances National Oil Bargaining Achievements
Oil workers joined in solidarity to achieve a pattern agreement that adds to the list of accomplishments the USW’s National Oil Bargaining Program (NOBP) gained over its 54-year history.
The pattern for the next three years advances wages, health and safety, fatigue management and training. It strengthens the use of USW workers for routine, daily maintenance, maintains health care provisions, and continues no retrogression on contract items the union has gained over the years.
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IN THE NEWS
Click to read more from From Hydrocarbon Processing
U.S. EPA ‘very likely’ to finish E15 gasoline rule by summer
Expect to see more ethanol in your gasoline this summer. Last October President Trump directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to allow year-round sales of E15. The EPA told U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue it would “very likely” finish its rule in time for the summer driving season. This same rule will include measures to curb speculation of Renewable Identification Numbers or RINs.
Click to read more from From Hydrocarbon Processing
Mexican judge rules against higher ethanol mix in gasoline
A judge in Mexico, concerned that increasing ethanol levels in gasoline could worsen air quality and negatively affect people’s health, ruled against a 2017 measure that increased the cap on ethanol in gasoline from 5.8 percent to 10 percent.
Click to read more from RigZone
Alberta Eyes $1.7 Billion Profit From Crude-by-Rail Project
The Canadian province of Alberta is taking advantage of a pipeline crunch to help its oil-sands producers get their product to the Gulf Coast via a giant crude-by-rail operation. The province will lease 4,400 rail cars over three years from Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. and Canadian National Railway Co.
The goals are to add 120,000 barrels a day of crude-by-rail capacity over three years and to shrink the Canadian crude discount by $4 a barrel over two years.
Click to read more from Gippsland Times
Esso protest ticks over 600 days
Solidarity from USW members in Texas is helping bolster former Longford Gas Plants workers in Australia as their “EssoUGLY” dispute numbers over 600 days. It is the second longest running dispute in Australia’s history.
The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union is lobbying Parliament to change labor law so a similar dispute does not happen in the future.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Has your local organized a group of workers, won an award, participated in a community event, won an arbitration, helped achieve a legislative victory, settled a safety issue, etc.?
Please contact Lynne Hancock at lhancock@usw.org, (Office) 412-562-2442 or (cell) 615-828-6169.
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