The Teamsters had gone on a one-day strike in January over safety at the refinery and as a result were locked out by the employer ever since. Throughout the six months, energy on the picket lines remained strong, and rallies were held bringing out many unions and community members is support of the workers’ fight. Throughout the strike and lockout, the union highlighted grave dangers to much of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area in the case of the type of disaster which they were fighting for safety measures to prevent.

In recent weeks, the union members voted to overwhelmingly reject an offer from Marathon management that did not address enough of the key issues for the workers to be willing to vote yes to accept it.

Now their commitment to this fight has paid off and management moved off of that offer and came back with a new offer in which they moved on some of the sticking points, and the union members voted to accept the new offer and ratify the contract.

One major win in the new contract is language that significantly limits the company’s ability to subcontract work traditionally done by the permanent maintenance personnel. The union cites training and experience as a real reason that subcontracting would pose a danger to the lives of the workers and community.

Teamsters Local 120 Business Agent Scott Kroona said, “From the start of the work stoppage, Teamsters Local 120 members made it crystal clear that safety was their top priority. While this new contract addresses some of our concerns, it does not address them all, we will continue our advocacy for a safer refinery.”

#StPaulParkMN #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #TeamstersLocal120 #MarathonRefinery

St. Paul Park, MN – On March 1, the lockout of Teamsters at Marathon’s Saint Paul Park refinery entered its sixth week, after a 24-hour strike by the Teamsters on January 21. Marathon is pushing an agenda of job cuts and attacks on safety, so little progress has been made at the table.

Teamsters do not appear to be backing down and say they will keep fighting for as long as needed to keep the community safe.

The union members have been picketing at entrances and other key locations around the refinery. They have set up headquarters at the Saint Paul Park American Legion building, as well as encampments around burn-barrels to stay warm through some of the coldest stretches in recent history.

Members of many unions have been showing up to picket with the Teamsters and to drop off supplies like food and much-needed firewood to keep them warm through the cold nights. As temperatures begin to rise with the coming spring, the Teamsters remain in high spirits. One thing is clear: the Teamsters are dug in, not going anywhere, and are ready to stay out for the long haul if that is what is needed to get across their message of safety.

#SaintPaulParkMN #PeoplesStruggles #Strikes #TeamstersLocal120 #MarathonRefineryPark

St. Paul Park, MN – The Teamsters at Marathon Refinery in Saint Paul Park have now been locked out for more than 28 days and the two sides remain far apart. Negotiations resumed on February 15 and February 17, but the Teamsters saw little movement from management.

Marathon management has brought in a union-busting attorney from the Jones Day law firm, but the picket lines remain well staffed and spirits are strong. Trade unionists from many unions join the lines daily and cars driving by honk and wave constantly keeping up a festive atmosphere despite the cold of winter.

Ryan Bierman – a union steward with the Teamsters – says “We are just out here doing our deal. We’re pushing forward and really appreciate all the support from other unions and the community.”

Tylor Sardeson is a ten-year employee at Marathon and is one of the locked-out Teamsters. He had the following to say, “We’re 28 days in and that’s just the tip. Spirits are high as we’re fighting for a good contract.”

It appears that this lockout and contract dispute may continue for a long time to come.

#SaintPaulParkMN #PeoplesStruggles #TeamstersLocal120 #MarathonRefineryPark

St. Paul Park, MN – More than 75 vehicles joined a Valentine’s Day car caravan, February 14, to show support for members of Teamster Local 120, who are locked out at Marathon oil refinery after a one-day strike. Safety is the big issue. Marathon trying to contract out vital work at a lower cost, increasing the chance of major industrial accidents.

Teamsters have received broad backing from the trade union movement.

The February 14 car caravan took place in subzero temperatures. “No weather can stop Minnesota’s labor movement,” stated Claire Van den Berghe, the event co-planner and UFCW 1189 organizer.

#SaintPaulParkMN #PeoplesStruggles #TeamstersLocal120 #MarathonRefineryPark

St. Paul Park, MN – On February 4, with wind chill readings below zero, members of a wide collection of unions gathered for an evening rally at the Marathon Refinery picket line, where Teamsters who work at the refinery have been locked out for two weeks after a 24-hour strike.

Union leaders took to the stage and spoke in solidarity with the locked out workers, including several leaders from Teamsters 120, which represents the refinery workers, along with speakers from the Minnesota Nurses Association, SEIU Healthcare Minnesota, Laborers Local 563, The Awood Center, AFSCME Local 3800, UFCW 1189 and others. Members of Minnesota Workers United were among the rally participants.

Cherrene Horazuk, president of AFSCME 3800, which represents clerical workers at the University of Minnesota, said, “The pandemic has laid bare the corporate greed for all to see. Workers are risking their lives while the big companies are raking in profits, showing no concern for worker safety, especially if they can turn a faster buck. But when workers stand together, they have power to turn things around. We’ve seen that with healthcare and education workers especially demanding safe workplaces. And Teamsters 120 members are setting an example for the labor movement as a whole that, when we stand together and fight back, we will win and we will make sure workers are safe on the job.”

The cold temperatures and blustery winds did not stop hundreds of union members and supporters from showing up to the rally and has not stopped the Teamsters 120 members from keeping their picket lines strong. The Teamsters 120 members say they are fighting to keep the community safe and avoid accidents like the explosion at the Husky Refinery in 2018 that caused an evacuation in the city of Superior, Wisconsin.

#StPaulParkMN #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #MinnesotaWorkersUnited #TeamstersLocal120 #MarathonRefineryPark

St. Paul Park, MN – On January 21, nearly 200 members of Teamsters Local 120 who work at Marathon Petroleum Refinery in Saint Paul Park walked off the job, beginning an unfair labor practice strike.

In the lead-up to this strike, bargaining broke down when Marathon management refused to continue bargaining in good faith.

Management is trying to outsource some parts of the work that these union workers do. Additionally, they want to further increase the workloads of the union members who are overworked already. This will mean they will need to cut corners and put themselves and their coworkers in danger just so that Marathon can increase its profits.

The Marathon workers are demanding a safe workplace, which is only possible with manageable workloads so the work can be done safely and be done right.

Teamsters Local 120 President Tom Erickson states Marathon workers “won't stand for it.” Teamsters Local 120 Business Agent Scott Kroona says, “Marathon wants to use lowest bidder subcontractors for jobs that are safety sensitive.” He went on to add that “especially after the refinery explosion in Superior, Wisconsin a few years ago, we aren’t willing to take those risks.”

This is a developing story. As this strike goes forward you can look for more updates by following Teamsters 120 on Facebook or look to Fight Back! for further coverage.

#StPaulParkMN #MN #PeoplesStruggles #Teamsters #Strikes #TeamstersLocal120