Operating Engineers working for Imperial Crane and Superior Construction at the BP refinery project in Whiting have collectively donated thousands of dollars to help striking members cover costs like fuel.

Members working for Superior have collected upwards of $3,500 and on learning of this donation, members working at Imperial have set their sights even higher, hoping to raise even more, Local 150 said.

“A little friendly competition is always great to see, especially when it is in support of our union brothers,” Local 150 Financial Secretary David Fagan said. “There is always a certain competitiveness among our members to see who can better support a good cause. Many of our members have made similar donations to our food bank to support struggling families.”

Fagan says that gas money is one of the biggest expenses for members manning picket lines. “Some members are driving 60 miles to the picket line and back, costing them about $25 a day on gas alone.”

Local 150 began the strike on June 9. At issue, Local 150 has said: the inflationary pressure on healthcare costs.

The Four County Highway Contractors Group—representing heavy highway employers—has said in response that less than half of the total economic-package increase demanded by Local 150 would go to healthcare.

“With the employers unwilling to come to the bargaining table, the strike has no immediate end in sight,” Local 150 said. “Striking members are still waking up early every morning and heading out to the picket lines, and with an uncertain road ahead of them, these members take comfort in knowing that they have the support of their union brothers and sisters behind them.”

The International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 150 is a labor union representing more than 23,000 working men and women in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.

Local 150 represents workers in various industries, including construction, construction material production, concrete pumping, steel mill service, slag production, public works and others.

Posted 6/17/2011