Elizabeth Shuler, the president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), sent a letter to Exxon’s officials, asking the company to lift a lockout it had placed at its refinery in Beaumont, Texas, since May 1. Under the lockout, Exxon prevents permanent employees from entering the facility, fearing a strike following the end of a labour contract. Since then, Exxon has deployed temporary workers to run the refinery.
However, Shuler argued that temporary workers lack the experience and training, which could result in the risk of an industrial accident. However, Exxon spokeswoman Julie King rejected the concern, saying that the company has maintained safe and reliable operations at Beaumont with competent engineers and supervisors.
