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registered: 25.11.2020
State treasurers pressure Marathon to end lockout at Minnesota refinery
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state treasurers are pressuring Marathon Petroleum to end a lockout at a Minnesota refinery that has left 200 union members out of work for two months, according to a Tuesday letter the officials sent to the company.
Marathon has brought in out of state workers to operate its St. Paul Park refinery as it negotiates with members of the Teamsters Local 120 over new proposals by management that employees say threaten their jobs.
The union says the replacement workers have not been properly trained. The company denied this claim.
In the letter reviewed by Reuters, the Democratic state treasurers of Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Oregon told Marathon's sustainability chair they are concerned that the lockout will have a long-term impact on safety and reliability.
"With the potential for losses of lives there is great exposure for these companies in terms of lawsuits and reputational harm," said Illinois state treasurer Michael Frerichs.
Minnesota politicians, including Governor Tim Walz, have previously urged the U.S. refiner to end the prolonged lockout, saying it could create safety problems at the refinery.
