Workers locked out at Bayway refinery as contract dispute sparks overnight picketing
Dozens of workers spent the night on the picket line carrying signs reading "Locked Out" and "Pay Up."
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Workers at the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery in Linden are picketing after union leaders say employees were locked out when a contract extension expired Monday afternoon.
Teamsters Local 877 President Jeff Sanford told News 12 the lockout began after an extension agreed to by both sides expired at 4 p.m. Monday. The extension followed the expiration of the union's contract with the refinery on Oct. 1.
Dozens of workers spent the night on the picket line carrying signs reading "Locked Out" and "Pay Up."
"Many of our folks will work extended shifts, 13 days on, 13 nights on before a single day off," Sanford said.
Union members say they are seeking a larger share of company profits, changes to the attendance policy and improvements to work schedules.
"The members want their slice of the pie," Sanford said. "A lot of these signs are saying, 'Pay up.'"
Union leaders told News 12 that negotiators are expected to return to the bargaining table Tuesday morning. In the meantime, members plan to continue picketing around the clock at all three refinery gates.
A spokesperson for Bayway Oil Refinery said that the company is “disappointed by this development.”
“Phillips 66 plans to maintain safe operations at the Bayway Refinery and Linden Terminal with properly trained and qualified personnel to meet all customer requirements. Personnel supporting operations include supervisors, engineers and technical experts with many years of experience working in refinery and terminal operations and are fully trained to operate the facilities safely,” the company wrote in a statement.
The union also sent a statement to News 12 about the situation.
"It is up to this company to do the right thing and end the lockout by coming back to the table and offering a contract that shows their hardworking employees the respect and dignity they deserve," a spokesperson wrote.
