BP has short changed its long-term employees while also trying to avoid compensation payouts to victims of the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Dahr Jamail reports. The employees accusing BP of reneging on their pension plans by up to 75% and continuing to lie about this while actively work against them.
Former employees who quit out of frustration with BP are also warning victims of the 2010 Gulf spill that they should be cautious to receive their compensation payments. They warn that BP is trying to find ways to avoid or back out of the court ordered payments. As Jamail reports, although BP originally projected its settlement in the case would cost $7.8 billion, as of October 2013, it had boosted its estimate to $9.2 billion, and said this sum could grow “significantly higher.” BP now also faces a possible lawsuit from the workers at a Standard Oil of Ohio (Sohio) plant. BP bought Sohio in 1987 and made it cornerstone of its U.S. operation, BP America.
The corporate media is yet to cover anything regarding the pension disparities, but after recent reviews in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, US District Judge Carl Barbier has ruled to uphold all compensation payouts to the victims. Financial Times, the Huffington Post and Newsweek all reported on this court ruling in early March 2014.
Sources:
Dahr Jamail, “BP Employees, Outraged by Lack of Compensation, Warn Oil
Spill Victims”, Truthout, January 24, 2014, http://truth-out.org/news/item/21295-bp-employees-outraged-by-lack-of-compensation.
Jonathan Stempel, “U.S. appeals court says BP bound by Gulf spill accord”,
Reuters, March 4, 2014, http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/04/us-bp-idUSBREA230IR20140304.
Student Researcher: Jessica Heryford (Sonoma State University)
Faculty Evaluator: Peter Phillips (Sonoma State University)