ConocoPhillips Refinery Shutting Down; 600 Employees Losing Their Jobs

There have been so many mass layoff stories appearing in the past few days that I am going to have a rare four-post day today. Much as it might clutter up the blog, I think it's important to document these articles.

Remember just a few days ago in his SOTU speech how President Hopey-Changey claimed that the U.S. is producing more oil than it has in eight years? Well, if that is an accurate portrayal of our current energy situation, why is a New Jersey refinery shutting down and laying off so many workers? Here is CBS News with the details:

At New English Style Pizza in Marcus Hook, Joe Salters enjoys a soda and slice of pizza as employees conduct business as usual, for now.

Layoff notices went out for Thursday and Friday at the ConocoPhillips Refinery in nearby Trainer.

“Officially we are finished work by the 31st of January,” said Dennis Stephano, President of the Steelworkers Local Union. He says not only are 190 union members at the refinery losing their jobs, but management and contractors too. He says the total comes to about 600 layoffs.

And let's not lose sight of the bigger picture:

“The consumers in the U.S. are going to be impacted by this, this summer. In the winter, heating oil is going to go up, gasoline, jet fuel,” said Stephano.

Conoco Phillips announced on January 25th earnings of $3.4 billion in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to $2 billion in the same quarter in 2010. Stephano questions the closing despite the company’s announcement in September that it would close this March if a buyer for the site wasn’t found. Workers knew then layoffs would come now says Stephano. He says they will be paid through March according to the union contract and given one weeks pay per year of service capped at 16 weeks.

With Sunoco closing refineries in Marcus Hook and potentially Philadelphia, US Senator Bob Casey is pressing both companies for more information.

“We’re asking them to do what they should do, be concerned about the region, energy markets, and consumers, not only about some bottom line,” said Casey.

Well, Senator Casey, thanks to 30 years of craven politicos like you bowing and scraping before them, they don't have to be concerned about anything BUT the bottom line. They know that it is going to cost a lot of money to upgrade and maintain aging refineries, even though there is going to be far less oil available for them to refine in the future. They may be heartless, but they aren't stupid.