Hundreds Rally at BP Whiting Refinery Amid Contract Dispute

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Hundreds of workers and their families rallied outside the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, as local United Steelworkers demand a fair contract after working three weeks without a long-term agreement. The union's four-year contract expired on January 31, and 98% of members voted to authorize a strike, impacting more than 800 workers. Union leaders say BP plans to cut over 100 jobs, reduce wages, and remove bargaining rights, raising concerns similar to the 99-day strike in 2015 over safety and staffing.

Why it matters

This contract dispute highlights ongoing tensions between oil companies and labor unions over issues like job security, wages, and worker protections. The potential for a strike at a major refinery like BP Whiting could disrupt fuel supplies and have broader economic impacts.

The details

The United Steelworkers union says its four-year contract with BP expired on January 31, and workers have been operating under 24-hour extensions since then, although the same courtesy has not been extended to pipeline workers across the Midwest. This week, 98% of the union voted to authorize a strike, which the union says is due to BP's plans to cut over 100 jobs, reduce wages, and remove bargaining rights - issues that were also at the center of a 99-day strike at the refinery in 2015.

• The United Steelworkers' four-year contract with BP expired on January 31, 2026.
• On February 14, 2026, hundreds of workers and their families rallied outside the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.