Action Alert for USW Members in the Northeast

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As many of you know, Sunoco and ConocoPhillips have arbitrarily decided to shut down three strategic oil refineries on the East Coast, all three in or near Philadelphia, Pa. All three of these refineries are USW workplaces, and if the companies follow through on their threat, 1,300 of our members will lose their jobs. Another 1,200 people, many of them members of other unions also will become unemployed. Tens of thousands more jobs will be lost. The whole community in that area will be devastated.

But this is not all. These three refineries make the majority of home heating oil, diesel fuel, and jet fuel in the region. This means consumers and homeowners just like us will be impacted all over the Northeast. If these refineries close, the home heating oil crisis next year will be much, much worse than in the recent past. Home heating oil prices could go to ridiculous highs. In some places it is possible people will not even be able to get heating oil. We do not think it is an exaggeration that people could freeze to death in their own homes if these companies get away with closing these three refineries.

What can We Do?

USW is asking you to please go to this link to sign a petition telling Congress and your state legislators to protect Northeast citizens and keep these refineries open!