The Briefing Room
General Category => World News => Topic started by: happyg on March 04, 2014, 03:53:02 pm
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Videos and pictures at link: http://englishrussia.com/2014/03/03/largest-oil-refinery-in-europe-is-on-fire/ (http://englishrussia.com/2014/03/03/largest-oil-refinery-in-europe-is-on-fire/)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usP4Ku1mkzk&feature=player_embedded (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usP4Ku1mkzk&feature=player_embedded)
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Wonder if they've got it under control yet? Those refineries are REALLY flammable (small understatement). My husband is a retired refinery operator, when they have a fire - while others are running AWAY from the fire - the firefighters and operators are staying right there to put it out, or else.
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Wonder if they've got it under control yet? Those refineries are REALLY flammable (small understatement). My husband is a retired refinery operator, when they have a fire - while others are running AWAY from the fire - the firefighters and operators are staying right there to put it out, or else.
A son and daughter-in-law work at the local refinery. And, you are right! They have their own fire departments. My dil just got back from Texas. She was teaching them how to put out fires and other associated issues. She goes all over the country doing that. I don't remember her title, but it has to do with safety and quality.
My son is an operator, like your husband. He's also Vice President of the union (Steelworkers). On top of that, he is a conservative. As expected, he is loved and hated.
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Russia wants to import 500,000 B/D of Iran oil | BRY Message Board Posts
http://www.investorvillage.com/smbd.asp?mb=4288&mn=129213&pt=msg&mid=13453380 (http://www.investorvillage.com/smbd.asp?mb=4288&mn=129213&pt=msg&mid=13453380)
Iran seeks new Russia reactor in exchange for oil - Yahoo News
http://news.yahoo.com/iran-seeks-russia-reactor-exchange-oil-131126268.html (http://news.yahoo.com/iran-seeks-russia-reactor-exchange-oil-131126268.html)
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A son and daughter-in-law work at the local refinery. And, you are right! They have their own fire departments. My dil just got back from Texas. She was teaching them how to put out fires and other associated issues. She goes all over the country doing that. I don't remember her title, but it has to do with safety and quality.
My son is an operator, like your husband. He's also Vice President of the union (Steelworkers). On top of that, he is a conservative. As expected, he is loved and hated.
A LOT, if not MOST of the guys in my husband's union were conservatives - just good-ol-workin' boys and girls. The younger ones tend to come in all union gung-ho, but after they see how much of their paycheck goes to taxes and union dues, they tone down a bit. I can't imagine running a refinery in cold Russia - the worst time for fires at our refinery was when the temperatures dipped real low. They always dreaded that, it was a dangerous time.
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A LOT, if not MOST of the guys in my husband's union were conservatives - just good-ol-workin' boys and girls. The younger ones tend to come in all union gung-ho, but after they see how much of their paycheck goes to taxes and union dues, they tone down a bit. I can't imagine running a refinery in cold Russia - the worst time for fires at our refinery was when the temperatures dipped real low. They always dreaded that, it was a dangerous time.
The temperature got as low as -45 degrees, and these guys have to "weather" the weather! I buy my son and his wife wool, arctic socks for Christmas. Very expensive!
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A LOT, if not MOST of the guys in my husband's union were conservatives - just good-ol-workin' boys and girls. The younger ones tend to come in all union gung-ho, but after they see how much of their paycheck goes to taxes and union dues, they tone down a bit. I can't imagine running a refinery in cold Russia - the worst time for fires at our refinery was when the temperatures dipped real low. They always dreaded that, it was a dangerous time.
So why are they still union?
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A LOT, if not MOST of the guys in my husband's union were conservatives - just good-ol-workin' boys and girls. The younger ones tend to come in all union gung-ho, but after they see how much of their paycheck goes to taxes and union dues, they tone down a bit. I can't imagine running a refinery in cold Russia - the worst time for fires at our refinery was when the temperatures dipped real low. They always dreaded that, it was a dangerous time.
Did Obama ever get it passed into a law or reg that union workers must prove they voted for the union endorsed candidate?
Side note: Palin and her husband are union and were just.starting.to.appeal to the union vote and Palin was taken out and Dan Quayled as STUPID.
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So why are they still union?
They do tone it down, but there is still a widespread perception that it is because of the union that they are making good wages. The thing that was always evident to me is that every time they went on strike - we lost money in the end. Union contract time was always an ugly affair, they really jinned up the company hate and it frequently got violent. But to do away with the union? Most of them think that would be cutting their own throats.
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Did Obama ever get it passed into a law or reg that union workers must prove they voted for the union endorsed candidate?
Side note: Palin and her husband are union and were just.starting.to.appeal to the union vote and Palin was taken out and Dan Quayled as STUPID.
My husband retired before Obama came to office, so I don't know what the prevailing attitude is there now. Most of the guys he worked with are now retired as well. My brother still works there and hates every minute he is there - he is just counting the days until he can retire. He says union morale is pretty low right now.
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They do tone it down, but there is still a widespread perception that it is because of the union that they are making good wages. The thing that was always evident to me is that every time they went on strike - we lost money in the end. Union contract time was always an ugly affair, they really jinned up the company hate and it frequently got violent. But to do away with the union? Most of them think that would be cutting their own throats.
They could simply form a limited liability partnership, with all union members becoming partners - the rank-and-file would be non-equity limited partners (the newbies could be associates, i.e., employees, until they achieved enough seniority to be admitted as partners) with the senior members and management being equity partners. If this sounds like the law firm model, it is, and I see no reason why it couldn't achieve substantially the same beneficial aims as a union but without all of the negative consequences unions cause.
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They could simply form a limited liability partnership, with all union members becoming partners - the rank-and-file would be non-equity limited partners (the newbies could be associates, i.e., employees, until they achieved enough seniority to be admitted as partners) with the senior members and management being equity partners. If this sounds like the law firm model, it is, and I see no reason why it couldn't achieve substantially the same beneficial aims as a union but without all of the negative consequences unions cause.
I think that is a great idea and I have a feeling that most of the older guys would go for something like that. I think the problem now is that most of the senior experienced union workers grabbed early retirement as soon as they could get it. Twelve hour swing shifts are the norm now - no quality time to spend with family anymore and working in those conditions is not very healthy, it's dangerous and always the possibility of lethal exposures to chemicals and fire. Most of the older guys get out as soon as they can.
The younger guys - you could never convince them to do it without the union umbrella. Most of the smart ones open their own business ventures on the side eventually and move full-time to them when they take early retirement. That's pretty common, by the time they "get it" - they're out of there!
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My husband retired before Obama came to office, so I don't know what the prevailing attitude is there now. Most of the guys he worked with are now retired as well. My brother still works there and hates every minute he is there - he is just counting the days until he can retire. He says union morale is pretty low right now.
You are right again on the morale. The pay is good, but the hours can be grueling, particularly if there is overtime. When the local went on strike a couple years ago, staffff had to take over. The company brought in cots, tvs, and lots of food service for them because many could not leave. My dil was on the inside for a couple weeks, and then could come home for hours at a time. I saw it from both sides, and it was stressful for my son and his wife, since she is company and he union.