ConocoPhillips building in Anchorage on Monday, July 8, 2024. (Bill Roth / ADN)
About 250 oil field workers with ConocoPhillips’ North Slope operations in Alaska voted Monday to unionize, amid concerns that included the company’s global layoffs, a person involved in the effort said.
The workers voted to form two unions, according to the National Labor Relations Board.
Out of 220 ballots cast, 165 workers voted to form a union associated with the Kuparuk and Alpine fields, the agency website shows.
Out of 25 ballots cast, 20 workers voted to form a union associated with the Willow field that is set to begin producing oil in 2029.
The United Steelworkers originally filed the petitions that led to vote on behalf of ConocoPhillips’ employees.
“This is a great day for all Slope workers — union and nonunion alike,” said Will Kholeif, a production operator with ConocoPhillips and a participant in the effort to unionize. “It shows we will not be undervalued by Outside corporations that value shareholder returns over employee welfare and safety.”
Employees sought to unionize for several reasons, including job security and protections for safety and health, along with wages and benefits, during a time of higher living costs and changes of ownership in the oil industry, people involved in the effort said.
ConocoPhillips also disclosed in September that it planned to lay off up to a quarter of its global workforce, or about 3,250 employees.
In October, ConocoPhillips acknowledged that it had begun sending layoff notices to some employees on Alaska’s North Slope as part of the reduction.
ConocoPhillips Alaska is the leading oil producer in the state and reported earning net income of $1.3 billion last year.
A spokesperson with ConocoPhillips said in a statement on Monday that it will bargain in good faith as employees pursue agreements with the company over wages, benefits and other terms.
“A majority of the North Slope operations and maintenance employees who participated in the union election voted to join the United Steelworkers,” said Megan Olson, in the emailed statement.
“While this wasn’t our preferred outcome, ConocoPhillips respects employees’ rights to participate in this process and is committed to bargaining in good faith,” Olson said. “From the beginning of this process, ConocoPhillips aimed to encourage participation and ensure our colleagues had the information they needed to make informed decisions. While aspects of our working relationship will evolve, our commitment to the safety, success and well-being of all our employees — and the strong future of our Alaska operations — remains unchanged.”
The effort comes amid an increase in unionizing efforts nationally in recent years.
During the effort to unionize, ConocoPhillips had created a website criticizing the United Steelworkers.
An official with the United Steelworkers called the company’s arguments “propaganda.”
Kholeif said “one of the biggest misconceptions” from ConocoPhillips was that United Steelworkers had led the effort.
“This was our homegrown effort,” he said. “Management did not want to value us as employees, and we felt that it was unacceptable for our value to not be recognized.”
“This was something we were driven to by Conoco’s lack of concern for us as workers,” he said.
He said the vote will have benefits beyond members of the union. It sends a “strong message” that employers should listen to their workers when they raise concerns about such items as pay and safety, he said.
United Steelworkers also represents about 300 Alaska oil workers who were previously with BP.
Those jobs and conditions of employment were contractually protected when BP sold its Alaska operations to Hilcorp. The $5.6 billion deal closed in 2020.
