ST. PAUL PARK, Minn. — Some 200 Marathon Petroleum refinery workers, members of Teamsters Local 120, have been locked out by the bosses for over 12 weeks, but remain strong in their fight for safety on the job and for people who live near the refinery. Marathon — the largest refinery chain in the U.S. — has refused to budge from demands to bring in more nonunion contract workers and combining jobs. No union member has crossed the picket line.
Danielle Snyder, Dan Fein and Dean Hazlewood came from Chicago to join the Marathon workers’ picket line April 18, bringing greetings from co-workers at the Walmart stores where they work. Snyder and Fein work at the Villa Park store, and brought a message signed by 39 workers. Hazlewood brought a message from 22 fellow workers at the Darien store. They were warmly welcomed and thanked for the support as they joined the picketing.
The Teamsters are doing informational picketing about their fight at Speedway gas stations in Minnesota and Wisconsin owned by Marathon. The Chicago Walmart workers talked with Matt Foss, who has worked at the refinery for 22 years and heads up these pickets. Snyder, who lives down the block from a Speedway, told Foss that she and Fein will contact the Teamsters in the Chicago area to organize a picket at the Speedway in her neighborhood.