June 27, 2007

OSHA VPP Certification Effort Ends

At a VPP Steering Committee (the site managers and Union leaders) meeting in late spring of ’06, two OSHA special government employees explained to the committee that the relationship between the Management and the Wage personnel at the Baton Rouge site was bad and they would wait until we worked out a solution to this problem before they would come back to do a pre-certification assessment for OSHA VPP Status.The Union leadership has brought this issue up over the last year with the ExxonMobil Labor Relations manager and the site managers.The plant manager told me that the USW could not guarantee the company any benefit to the company as a result of a better labor/management relationship. The managers do not care whether we are a VPP Site or not!Management has not found a use for “U-Two”, Union Total Work Observation.The wage earners did the work but management did not address the results of our observations.When your “partner” does not want to “dance” what do you do?We have tried to dance now for 7 years.This site has broken all records for time spent applying for OSHA VPP certification.The normal time for beginning of application to achieving Star or Merit status is generally 1-2 years, large facilities like our own 3-4 yrs.

Now, do I think management is not committed to safety?Indeed not!I do not think there is one employee at the Baton Rouge site who does not want a safe worksite, especially managers.The problem is manager’s pockets are no longer “deep”.Money is stretched to run safety programs, maintain equipment, hire an adequate workforce, etc.Why is this when ExxonMobil is the most profitable company in the world?If the heavy investment in Asia/Pacific and Middle eastern ventures in up-stream and production facilities causes these issues in the U.S., it shows that where the monies go, so go the jobs.“Manage the risks” and find “efficiencies” (job consolidations) is now the operating strategy for the U.S. and our site.Risk assessing away jobs is not safety.

At a Steering Committee meeting in the fall of last year (’06), the Union leadership offered to jointly withdraw from the VPP certification process.The company refused, not willing to receive criticism from the workforce.At the JHSC meeting yesterday, I gave notice that USW Local 13-12 would withdraw from the VPP process. If someone has to get a “black eye”, I am willing to take it.Safety committees will continue.Assignments to committees, meeting schedules, time given to meet, observation process, and attendance at safety conventions will be determined by the company.Health and Safety issues that are not easily addressed by local committees will be handled by a hopefully revised JHSC or by the Local’s elected Safety Chairperson, Kenn Duke.Why no vote of the membership?VPP was set up with each of the three Unions Presidents’ signature in control of the application.As USW President, USW has formally withdrawn and notice has been sent to OSHA.

The Site Managers for the complex were informed prior to yesterday’s meeting and management gave their commitment to continue funding the departmental committees and to work safety according to VPP “principles.”The decision to withdraw from VPP was made over a long period of time and mostly based on the realization that the company, OSHA, and the Union are not in a partnership, thus, there is no VPP process at this site.

Thanks to all of you who have worked hard on the Union’s committees and I hope that all of you will continue to contribute to the safety for everyone in the work place.

Bob Landry