49 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
49 lines
2.7 KiB
Markdown
The **Aruba Oilworkers Strike** was a
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[strike](List_of_Strikes "wikilink") in
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[2006](Timeline_of_Libertarian_Socialism_in_the_Caribbean "wikilink") in
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Aruba, a territory of the [Netherlands](Netherlands "wikilink") in the
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Caribbean.
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In 2004, Valero, the largest independent oil refiner in the United
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States, bought a refinery plant on the coast of Aruba. The workers of
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the refinery were a part of the Independent Oil Workers Union of Aruba.
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In September 2006, they signed an agreement to become members of the
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United Steelworkers International Union. At this time, Jay Jeffries, the
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lead negotiator from the United Steel Workers, met with Ray Buckley,
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vice president and general manager of the refinery, to discuss a new
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contract for the refinery workers.
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Although Union officials and Valero worked on a new agreement from
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September on, they failed to finalize a contract. On Tuesday November
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28, half of the workforce, about 385 workers, went on strike and asked
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for higher pay and more benefits. Since the non-unionized workers did
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not participate in the strike, the refinery maintained operation at
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normal pace while some of the workers went on strike.
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On Wednesday November 29, 15% of the workers (about 50 workers) returned
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to work. Despite this partial capitulation, the strike remained strong.
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Valero executives argued that union workers had no right to strike
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because the company gave its workers very competitive wages and benefit
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packages compared to other jobs on the island. Their previous contract
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included a 47% increase in salary and benefits over their five-year
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contract, as well as a 12% boost in salary and benefits the first year
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of working for Valero.
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Valero attempted to convince employees that their contracts were fair.
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They reminded workers that they no longer had to pay three percent of
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their income to their pension plan, as Valero covered those costs.
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Valero also invested $360 million to make the refinery safer, more
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reliable and more environmentally friendly for its workers. However,
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workers insisted on a three to four-year contract instead of a five-year
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contract, better wages, and more vacation days. Employees asked for
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vacation days that were in accord with the island lifestyle, but Valero
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wanted to give them the same vacation time that they gave to workers in
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the United States.
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On December 4, 2006, union workers ended the strike by signing a
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five-year contract with Valero. Jerry Rasmijn, a mediator from the
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Aruban government, helped both Buckley and Jeffries come to an agreement
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for the workers and the company. The package included significant wage
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and shift differential increases, improvements to their pension plans,
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and enhancements to insurance programs. 95% of the employees accepted
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the agreement and planned to return to work the next day on December 5. |