OCAW 1-591 History Series; Segment 4
as researched by Douglas W. Erlandson
"1980 Nationwide Strike
Against The Oil Industry"
On January 8th, 1980 newly elected International President
Robert Goss called a nationwide strike against the oil industry. Because
profits for the oil industry were skyrocketing, and the union accepted
a lesser raise previously due to U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s
7% anti-inflation lid, the union now wanted a substantial wage increase
over the two year package along with a dental plan, plus an improvement
in the vacation language. The oil companies were willing to move but
not as far as the union wanted so the union, nationwide, hit the bricks.
Locally, our membership voted 86% yes in favor of striking.
Walter Von Wald was our assigned
International Representative, with Tom Burkholder assisting him. The Texaco
committee was made up of: Darrell Hudson, chair, Vern Beirness, Rick Latham,
Bob Owings and Bob Mason. Shell’s committee was chaired by Wynn
Callahan, along with, Darrell Graves, Jim Vannice, J.B. Bartleson and
Don Parnell. The Local’s President was Frank Mann with Don Yates
as our Financial Secretary. 24-hour pickets were set up immediately. A comprehensive picket shift
schedule was put together. Picket pay was $25 a week. The brothers at
Allied Chemical assessed their dues an extra $20 a week to help support
the effort. The local’s secretary, Bonnie Riley took voluntary lay
off and donated her time to the union for free.
Early
strike support came from the Skagit San Juan Central Labor Council and from
the Teamster’s Union Local 411 out of Mount Vernon.
Both companies started sending numerous propaganda
letters to their employees that were obviously biased in an attempt to
weaken the membership. Everyone’s resolve remained strong and no one
crossed.
Early into the dispute, Shell decided to
take the stance that 80% of the $119,000 medical reserve belonged to them
and they wouldn’t agree to let it be used to pay medical claims
for the duration of the dispute even though the surplus was created by
increases from the hourly employees. The Shell Medical committee worked
out an agreement with Skagit Medical which would allow their members to
defer payment for three months but then the deferred payments would have
to be paid in double at the termination of the strike.
On March 23rd, Ken Kribs while legally picketing, was
thrown onto the hood of Texaco Plant Manager Phil Templeton’s
car when he romped on the gas as Ken walked in front of him. Templeton
then purposefully and viciously accelerated his car for the next 240
feet, then slammed on his brakes attempting to launch Kribs from his
hood. The union immediately called the Sheriff’s department. After
assessing the incident, Templeton was charged with 2nd degree assault
with a deadly weapon. Later at trial, Templeton pled guilty, was fined,
put on six months probation and was ordered to perform community service
work. Shortly there after, Texaco replaced him with Coleman Ferguson.
On March 22nd, Shell offered the "National
Pattern" and the Shell members voted to accept 79 for with 66 against.
They were back to work the following day minus J. D. Franulovic who had
received a 5-day suspension. Shell also informed the union that Paul Metcalf
was going to receive an "unsatisfactory work report" in his
file. Because settlement talks were going nowhere, federal mediator Ben Youtsey
was called in on March 29th to help facilitate negotiations between Texaco
and the union. Their best offer to date was a "me-too" that
was rejected earlier in the strike at all Texaco locations. All through the dispute Texaco disciplined quite a few members for picket
line misbehavior, with the most severe being Bill Fischer, who was fired
for busting out a back hoe window. These became a stumbling block to the
settlement because Texaco refused to discuss them. The union’s contention
was that not all were guilty of what they were accused of, albeit some
were.
At last, on April 12th, Texaco
offered the "National Pattern". The membership voted to accept
after the company agreed to reduce Fischer’s termination to 60 calendar
days. The union also got the company to reduce Butch Loesch’s from
90 to 30 days, Larry Brinson’s from 60 to 30 days, Jim Johnson’s
from 14 to 7 days but they wouldn’t reduce the 14 day suspensions
of Tom Livey, Ron Van Luven, Roy Smith or Bill Didway. On April 16th,
the strike ended for the Texaco unit. The gains won nationally by the union were a 5% pay raise, plus an additional
52 cents for the first year with a 10.5% the second year. And for the
first time a dental plan. The union also won a extra week of vacation
for employees with 30 years of service. The companies however, were able
to negotiate a pay freeze for laborers hired after January 8, 1981.
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