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Hammond council unanimously backs United Steelworkers Local 71, urges BP to end Whiting lockout
Summary
The Hammond Common Council passed Resolution 26‑R‑12 supporting about 800 locked-out members of United Steelworkers Local 71 at the BP Whiting Refinery and urged British Petroleum to return to good‑faith bargaining. Union leaders and members addressed the council during the floor opening.
The Hammond Common Council voted unanimously May 26 to adopt Resolution 26‑R‑12 expressing support for nearly 800 members of United Steelworkers Local 71 who the resolution says have been locked out of the BP Whiting Refinery.
Mayor (presiding) and multiple council members described the lockout as causing “significant financial and emotional hardship” for local families and urged BP to return to the bargaining table. The resolution text, introduced under suspension of rules, asks BP to end the lockout, protect local jobs and prioritize safety at the refinery.
Eric Schultz, president of United Steelworkers Local 71, addressed the council during the open floor, thanking Hammond for the show of support. “On behalf of our nearly 800 locked out members and their families, I want to sincerely thank this council for standing with working people,” Schultz said. He described the lockout’s financial and emotional strain and said members want to “get back to work safely under a fair agreement.”
Other speakers recounted the effect on households in Northwest Indiana and urged continued public pressure. The council recorded a roll‑call vote in favor and the mayor added the council as a whole as co‑sponsor; the clerk announced 9 in favor, 0 opposed.
The resolution does not bind the city to legal action; it is a formal statement urging BP to end the lockout and return to negotiations. No BP representative appeared to respond at the meeting.
