Conoco Group
NEGOTIATION UPDATES
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April 1-20, 2002
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April 1, 2002
We are still waiting for the talks in Ponca City to progress to the point that the Conoco negotiator can make his way to this facility.  Our friends in Ponca had a long day of talks today with another one planned for tomorrow.  The bargaining unit still has many issues to address before they can affect a tentative agreement.  We will keep you informed as news filters in.  Stay tuned!
April 1-20
April 2, 2002
The news wires today reported that Ponca City had reached a tentative agreement for a contract.  This was a premature or false press release.  The Ponca folks appear to have reached some tentative agreements in their Technology group concerning a four-year deal that may include the National Package.  At this time, however, agreement has not been reached with the refinery group.  Also, reports that we will meet to negotiate in Billings on the 8th are also incorrect, as your Committee has scheduling conflicts.  Stay tuned, we will keep you up to date as we get the details.
April 4, 2002
It now appears to be official.  The Ponca folks have reached a tentative agreement for the entire bargaining unit.  As of this moment, their future looks something like this… some time early next week they should have some informational meetings to fill the membership in on the proposed contract.  They should then have a ratification vote somewhere around the 18th.  Congratulations to the folks in Ponca City!

We hope to see the next round of negotiations moving north and west shortly.  We’ll let you know as soon as we find out.  Stay tuned!
April 8, 2002
As of this update, details leading to what we hope will be meaningful talks aimed at reaching an agreement are still being worked out away from this facility.  Evidence points to a pattern showing local management is sitting on the sidelines while someone from the corporate Human Resources arena is calling the shots.  For this reason, it would appear that we are having to wait for schedules of people not associated with this facility to clear before we can get back with management to work out an agreement.  Stay tuned for updates.  We will let you know what is going on as soon as someone takes the time to tell us what is going on.
April 15, 2002
The news hasn’t changed much since our last update.  Talks are still taking place in Ponca City on behalf of both the Denver and Billings refineries.  These talks are geared toward getting your Committee and management back to the table later this week in an effort to hammer out a new contract agreement. 

When was the last time you hugged a PACE International Representative?  At a time when the Company is absolutely refusing to talk with your Committee, and the Plant Manager avoids your Chairman, your International has found a way to keep the dialog going and ease tensions.  This membership owes a big Montana “thank you” for the efforts of our International Representatives during these tough times!  

News is still breaking and we will tell you more as stuff happens.  Stay tough!
April 20, 2002
First, your Committee would like to congratulate the folks in Ponca City on their ratification of a new labor agreement.  Though we are unable to tell you just how successful their efforts were, due to a mix-up in the exchange of information, we understand that the membership thought enough of the tentative agreement reached by their Committee and the Company that the ratification vote passed by a wide margin.  The Denver and Billings membership should give themselves a big pat on the back.  The folks in Ponca City absolutely would not have gotten a decent contract offer without us! 

We understand that talks should return to Billings in the near future.  Our information is that management is poised to offer some adjustments aimed at reaching agreement here and in Denver.  Some information has been filtering in over the last few days and your Committee is trying to make sense of it all.  Some of the items we are seeing will require explanation.  We are now trying to figure out who will talk to us to facilitate clarification.  Your Committee will be meeting again on Tuesday evening in an attempt to decipher the newest information.  We will keep you informed as we find out.

Stay tough and stay tuned!
April 26-May 4
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