Thousands of union workers given option to either attend Trump speech at Shell or lose out on wages: reports

Union workers at the Shell petrochemical plant in Pennsylvania where President Trump

DONALD JOHN TRUMP
Trump watching 'very closely' as Portland braces for dueling protests
WaPo calls Trump admin 'another threat' to endangered species
Are Democrats turning Trump-like?
MORE
spoke earlier this week were given the option of attending or losing out on wages, The Pittsburg Post-Gazette reports.

According to the newspaper, a contractor with the plant told workers attendance at the event was “not mandatory.”

But the contractor added that only the employees who were onsite at 7 a.m. and prepared to have their identification cards scanned and attend the speech would earn money for the time, the newspaper reported.

In a statement to The New York Times, Shell spokesperson Ray Fisher said “it was understood some would choose not to attend the presidential visit and were given the option to take paid time off.”

“As with any workweek, if someone chooses to take [paid time off] they are not eligible to receive the maximum overtime available,” he continued.

Fisher explained that the day “was treated as a training (work) day with a guest speaker who happened to be the president,” adding that workers also took part in “safety training and other activities” on Tuesday morning.

“It’s not uncommon for us to shut down the site for quarterly visits from VIPs — popular sports figures like Rocky Bleier and Franco Harris have visited the site to engage with workers and to share inspirational messages. Shell/Penske NASCAR driver Joey Logano was another guest at the site,” Fisher also said.

The workers were also reportedly warned that “no yelling, shouting, protesting or anything viewed as resistance will be tolerated at the event," according to The Post-Gazette.

Ken Broadbent, who works as a business manager for Steamfitters local 449, one of the unions working at the construction site, told the paper that “this is just what Shell wanted to do and we went along with it.”

“We’re glad to have the jobs. We’re glad to have the project built,” he said. “The president is the president whether we like him or dislike him. We respect him for the title.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-...er-attend-trump

smh

I'd have to take the financial loss.

Overtime is not mandatory.
Standard pay was not docked.

There is nothing illegal, unethical or against the Master Agreement about this condition.

A private employer has it within his rights to set these conditions.



I'd be fine enjoying the unpaid downtime.
Not hearing that voice say that stuff would be bonus enough for me.

For years the IBEW took my dues and gave it to the Democratic party. And I didn't whine about it.....OK maybe a little.

As a teacher, I was forced to attend, view, read, etc a ton of events, speeches, lectures, etc than I can count. We didn't even have an option. They just said we had to show up.

At my last school, we had to attend a series of Equality and Equity lectures where we were told that treating each student equally was not enough. Instead, we were instructed to ensure that our AA students achieve the same as other students and that we had to make accommodations to make that happen, including easier tests/quizzes; different grading criteria; more one-on-one instruction; more technological opportunities, ignoring behavior issues; few rules; etc. We didn't complain. We showed up and tried to follow their directives no matter how unjust they were.

Of course, stories like that never make the news.

Every one knows why this was posted.

I was in OCAW and although I'm sure they donated to the Donks, I never had to deal with stuff like this- attending speeches or political functions.

I'll attend the speeches and functions I choose to attend.
Money isn't everything. For me, it's not even the most important thing.

So.

Corporate sponsored rally. It’s nazi’s forcing political views down the throat of their workforce. Deplorable is as deplorable does. Moving on.

Here is a link to the memo that was handed out.

https://twitter.com/EdwardTHardy/status/1162695569732587520?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1162695569732587520&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fdrudge.com%2Fnews%2F234644%2Fshell-workers-skipped-trump-speech-took

I believe most on that site are working 56 hour weeks. so if they don't scan on a Tuesday "safety" day in the morning with breakfast you dont get OT on Friday.

Reading the memo, it was also told that no screaming, yelling or booing would be tolerated. I don't know how they would have policed that-there are somewhere around 5-6 thousand on that site on any given day. It probably goes back to the "being part of the team".

Trump also said that Shell would have never built that cracker without him. That is a crock, i was working on pricing the beginning projects at that plant in late 2013 and by the time Shell had announced they were going to go ahead with the project, they had already spent about 100 million on land acquisition and site work and they were already working on it for about 9 months before they announced.

There is supposed to be a bunch of new facilities coming to the area around the cracker. i was talking to one of my sales guys about 2-3 weeks ago and he seems to think that for now everything is drying up-he thought it was because of the possible downturn and the tariffs-more so the tariffs

" instructed to ensure that our AA students achieved the same"

I don't know what AA students means,

maybe that makes me one of them.

Thank-you. A balanced reply even if you disagree with the messenger.

We need more of that in this country.

As for protests, there is a time for that, but not in a disruptive way while people are talking. Protest after or before. Not during.

It's called common courtesy.

Protest how and when we say and then we can be comfortable ignoring the issues. I call BS! Nobody has the right to say when and how to protest as long as nobody that is protesting intends physical harm to others.

These guys took pay to play along, that was their choice but it has nothing to do with protesting. Interrupting Trump and his fascist supporters while delivering their message is the most patriotic thing an American could do right now.

j/c:

I think the constant terms such as "fascists," "Nazis," and "Racists" are being overused and will only dilute the intended message.

Many people don't walk around w/hate and vindictiveness in their hearts. They see a word like "Nazi" applied to a situation that does not warrant such a term and they cannot help but think that one's message lacks substance and is better off being ignored.

So according to you this pos potus consistently calling other Americans names should just be ignored. LOL ok bro. We didn’t start this dumpster fire. Those who vote for trump are the real problem.

Why use 'j/c' when it's obvious you are once again talking about me? I mean I just used fascist in the post you clicked on! But let me tell you what I think, I think Trump and his racist white supremacist buddies are jackbooted thugass fascist Nazis! If you don't like that don't read my posts. It's that simple.

How long were you a teacher? I hope like hell you didn't try to teach all your kids to think and talk ONLY like you... poor kids.

And that post has a lot of substance. Another trump supporter just tried to tell us on the left when it's acceptable to protest! He doesn't get to do that, just like you don't get to do this! Y'all are full of yourselves. smh

Why do you insist on attacking me when I am simply voicing my opinion on the subject? Yes, you used the word "fascist," but Perfect used the word Nazi earlier and the Racist term is used repeatedly.

I don't think it's a good idea. That is just my opinion and I should be able to voice it w/out all the personality crap. It seems like some of you want to suppress the opinions of others, which is incredibly ironic when you just used the word "fascist."

I refuse to allow you to intimidate me. I will voice my opinions when and how I see fit. I did not insult you. I just said that a lot of folks are turned off by the constant labels that "both" sides continually throw out there.

I agree! I've been around this site for a long time and do not comment much on any subject. I am truly sick of the way people are acting today.
Everyone has a right to their opinion but sometimes it's best to remain silent. I absolutely despised Obama but I never publicly voiced my opinions, I never would have wasted time protesting him as some of us have jobs and families that take our time.
If Obama was visiting my place of employment I guess I'd be enjoying the day off without pay and keeping my comments to myself because I would not be attending with the hope to protest.

Ignored? No... but the left has been given a very low bar to appear as the adult in the conversation... and collectively they are failing miserably at capitalizing on that opportunity by their excessive use of hyperbole and calling everybody who disagrees with them a fascist/nazi/racist.

I agree with Vers.. I see those words in here, on social media, on mainstream media.. and it elicits little more than an eye roll as a response.

to comment first on the actual topic, i could care less what happened at shell. anybody in the military knows what "Voluntold" or "mandatory fun day" is.

for fence riders and right leaning people such as yourself, sure.

but lets try an exercise, shall we?

"is the time we are going to send Mr. Obama home to Kenya or wherever it is."

- Mark Meadows, republican.

what would you describe that comment as? cause the majority would call that racist.

<insert anything Steve king from iowa, a republican, says>

what would you describe his comments as? cause the majority would call that racist.

"the media is the enemy of the people" and <insert anything trump says/does about the media and limiting them>

what would you describe his comments as? cause the majority would call that fascist.

you and Vers with this PC nonsense is laughable. yall are upset because people are calling these clowns by the name they most certainly live up to.

but apparently, stating the first black president should go back to kenya, or referring to him as a foreign born kenyan muslim isn't racist at all. its simply an "eye roll" response, according to you two.

if you have a problem with people calling things exactly the way that they are, then its YOU with the problem, not us.

i mean good lord, we got people actually upset that people are calling it EXACTLY how it is?

whats next? cant call klansmen racist? they're just "forgotten americans"?

DC and vers peddling fox new propaganda nonsense, respect draining like a toilet flushing by the post.

oh, and by the way, we're all still waiting for an explanation as to what a "watermelon smile" is from boris johnson.

im sure DC and Vers can come up with a super cool PC explanation for it. BpG completely dodged it so maybe somebody else can give it go.

Can there actually be a lower bar than supporting Trump?

yes.

claiming to not support him while simultaneously trying to excuse the trash that comes out of him and his party's mouth.

atleast you know where the MAGA hatters stand. the glorified centrist are the bigger problem. they're the ones who make asinine statements such as "your attitude is why trump won"

it would be hilarious if it wasn't so destructive, especially since most of the centrist whining didn't even bother to show up and vote.

no matter how hard i try, at the end there is no way i can truly listen to anybody who let OTHER people decide their fate, then whine about it afterwards.

didn't even bother showing up, yet got the nerve to complain about the people who did. way worse than supporting trump.

I find it funny that when someone says racist things, that some seem to find the problem is pointing that out. That when a president abuses his power against anyone who raises any opposition against him, pointing out that more resembles a dictator than a president, the problem is pointing that out.

That when a president incites people, divides our nation and acts as an agent for hate, the problem is pointing that out.

But then many of them are the same people who thinks those standing against the Nazi's and white supremacists on the streets of our nation are no better than the those they are standing against.

There was a time not long ago in our nation that would be considered patriotic. Now it seems those fighting against the very thing that almost took over the world, that millions of our soldiers fought and died to stamp out means very little and we're supposed to be "PC about it".

Isn't it funny how the very same people who helped vote this nasty man into power because he "wasn't PC", suddenly rail against the other side for the exact same thing?

I think one of the funniest things is when Trump was running for president, so many folks said that one of the things they liked about him was that he spoke his mind.

Now its those very same people defending him when he says something dumb... they say, he didn't mean it... LOL

Cracks me up

That and his mean rants every day. Then when the other side does it, "Why you being so mean?"

You couldn't make this crap up if you tried.

LOL

You seem to be having trouble differentiating between the opinions that ....

"nothing is racism/fascism"

and

"everything is racism/fascism"

and you seem to resent the hell out of anybody who sometimes sees racism/fascism in things but not all the time like you do...

If you think I'm more dangerous than a hard core Trump supporter, then you roll with that brother..

ill roll with that all the way to the voting booth, a place you seem to be allergic against.

You know, I think its safe to say that Trump and his minions are cry babies.

Funny, I didn't hear anyone call his kids "monkeys". And Obama said nothing that I can remember on the subject.

I swear, if you add Trumps IQ to Obamas, the result would be Obamas IQ. LOL

I think some folks are a bit confused on this thread.

This was from the OP on this thread:



I don't think that company deserves to receive labels like "Nazis," "Fascists," and "Racists" for what their policy was.

I provided an example of how teachers at our school were forced to attend a series of lectures on how we treat African Americans. No one complained. We just went to work and didn't start shouting words like Nazi, Fascist, and Racist at our employer.

Thus, when I spoke up, I was not defending Trump at all. I think he is a pig and most folks know it. However, folks are no better than he is when folks lower themselves to the same guttural standard.

There is far too much labeling and far too little understanding of one another.

It’s pretty telling that employers have to actually put pressure on their employees to attend a visit from the POTUS. Pretty much sums up this administration’s popularity.

A lot of things are "telling," Perfect.

I thought it was "telling" that we had to use a different grading scale for black students. I thought it was "telling" that a black student could tell a teacher "F... you" and we were not allowed to discipline him because the number of black male disciplinary violations was not proportionate in the minds of those who forced us to accept their beliefs.

I'm just saying I didn't call them "Nazis," "Fascists," or "Racists" even though they were far more guilty of those things than the Shell folks were.

It's all about perspective, Perfect. Might want to open up that mind just a teeny little bit.

Undisciplined black children were more "Nazis," "Fascists," or "Racists" than shell?

That is not what I said. You continue to reach new lows.

So the people that created the school guidelines were were more "Nazis," "Fascists," or "Racists" than shell? You worked for Nazis, Fascists, and Racists?

I don't believe I called them Nazis or facists... not sure where that came from.

But there are ways to accomplish things that they wanted to accomplish. Clearly, the company wanted the crowd to be there for Trump. I don't think there is a question about that.

Clearly they didn't want them to oppose Trump in any way.. No Protesting, I think that was made clear.

And yes, they said going wasn't mandatory, but then if you didn't go, you lose potential full OT. So, in a way, it's a bit like a a threat.. Legal yes, accurate, yes, but a threat just the same.

Corporate America loves trumps Economic plans.. Why wouldn't they? They got a huge tax break and didn't have to agree to do anything to get it.

We were told that corporations would hire tons of people, that they would create many jobs.

Some of that came true, but mostly, they used that extra money for stock buybacks..

Then you have GM and Ford,,, huge tax breaks and they cut over 20,000 jobs and close 5 plants...

No, I said I didn't call them those names and I'm still not. I am saying that there are too many people who are too quick to slap disparaging labels on people.

It continually baffles me how you can read a thread and then say things like "not sure where that came from."

hey Vers, when somebody says "were gonna send obama back to kenya or wherever it is", what do you call that?

Racism.

I would call that racist, ignorant, and hateful.

so if you readily admit that, then why the drama about calling losers like this out?

we got two guys who have said card carrying racist crap CURRENTLY sitting in congress.

don't get me started on King. im atleast willing to cut meadows SOME slack, as he's just another tea party crazy who was trying to ride the wave.

when the president keeps calling the media the enemy of the people, then does stuff to keep the mainstream media out while holding conferences for the conspiracy theorist and breitbart's of the world, and then looks to take steps to limit the media....

why the drama when we call it fascism. is that NOT a level of fascism?

and thats the bigger point being made here. it seems like some of you guys are upset with the labels....but not because its the wrong label. its because you simply dont like the terms being used.

i dont call trump hitler. i call him mussolini, and have been doing as such for a while now. the language and overall atmosphere is strikingly similar.

i dont understand why people get mad at OCD and i calling it like we see it.

i mean damn, we got people chanting "blood and soil" while rallying around a confederate soldier, but calling them racist is the bigger problem?

thats the message being received from you and vers. and it might not be the message you think - or WANT - to send, but its certainly the one being received.

like when white people got more upset over black nfl players protesting in the name of civil rights than the white people yelling that they're superior to non white and support the confederacy.

the message yall THINK you're sending isn't the one being read.

I think there is a disconnect in communication here. I was not defending Trump. I don't want to speak for DC, but I don't believe he was either.

We were talking about what Shell did and that they did not deserve labels such as Nazis and Fascists.

well there's nothing racist shell did.

i dont really agree with the fascist label, but i can most certainly understand why it appears that way.

as i stated in my first post, i really dont care one way or another. show up for the dog and pony show and get paid. thats been a human practice since even before recorded history i bet.

but i also understand OCD's bigger point.

The point is rather simple. Shell put pressure on their employees to "walk a political line" or they would be forced to forfeit certain overtime pay.

Show up, don't say anything or it will impact your income.

It isn't anything close to the example Vers is using that is a change in policy being taught to employees.

He may have not liked the new policies or having to attend meetings that helped address the new policies, but he wasn't forced to "appear" to support the president of The United states in a media covered event for the entire world to see.

Apples and oranges.

It continually baffles me that you bring up such stupid stuff and wonder why your baffled by it.

riiiiggghtttt, and unions haven't done that for decades.....

they were not forced btw, you keep missing that point. they could choose to attend and get paid EXTRA, or not attend and don't get paid EXTRA. Forced would be "attend or get fired". Their normal pay was not withheld.

Fake news.

No, you missed it. Had they not have shown up, it would have impacted their overtime pay. The only "force" I mentioned was as it pertained to pay, not forced to go.

A vote is taken by workers as it pertains to unions being there or not. The employees didn't get to vote on this.

I really dislike how you twist my words around to win arguments that you create. I'm not even going to bother correcting your perceptions of my intent. You constantly spin them into something they are not.

I am simply going to reiterate that I do not think Shell deserves labels like Nazis, Fascists, and Deplorables because some people don't like their politics.

Overtime pay is not guaranteed. Not showing up had no effect on their regular pay.

Overtime is not mandatory, neither was this.

Carry on.

Yeah, "Show up and don't say anything bad or you will lose your overtime pay!"

People only support that in the land of trump!

I didn't spin anything. You put the two in the same context and they don't apply. Actually, if you look at my post in its entirety, I didn't use any of the words that seem to touch on your sensitivity scale.

Maybe, just maybe, if they didn’t put pressure on their employees to attend a rally and photo op with a deplorable racist, a fascist, and a bigoted pos potus they wouldn’t pick up those labels.

No, actually is commonplace. I remember I used to work as admissions rep for a college years ago. A Democrat Sen. came to speak to us, and we were offered the same deal. Show up and get paid, or don't come and don't get paid. Its pretty commonplace for any business that is being visited by a political figure that is going to get media attention regardless of political party that is there. Its not a Trump/Dem/R thing, it happens all the time. You just haven't heard about it or cared before because...well. Trump!

My point wasn't actually party relayed. It was about supporting it. I wouldn't support it no matter the party that was involved. I do not believe in using a financial reward or lack there of to pressure anyone into giving the appearance of support for a politician they do not support.

Stating what is required of employers is really no excuse for these actions. I'm sorry you were placed in a similar situation. It was no less wrong in that case than it is the one this thread addresses.

Fair enough.

Why? I got paid an overtime to stand there and play on my phone while some schmuck talked ( I was 22 - I call him a schmuck because EVERY politician at that time to me was - not because he was Dem ).

For guys working manual labor, in a hard field as that, I bet more than not were willing to sit down, get paid, and not pay attention to the schmuck talking

Its really not a big deal and I think people are overblowing this because well....Trump!

Once again, it's really not about Trump for me.

In this case, the media was covering it. And as with any president it's covered on a national scale. The parameters were that not only did you have to show up to be paid, you had to keep your mouth shut.

So you had to appear to go along with anything and everything he said without being able to speak out about it. That's using your employees as political pawns to promote a politician in a nationally covered media event.

I would speak out against that no matter who was president.