Overview
- An exchange at a House spending hearing Thursday saw Rep. Frank Mrvan scold Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for laughing as he described about 1,000 union families out of work from a BP lockout.
- After the rebuke, Lutnick said he supports union jobs and agreed that asking the President to push BP back to the table is a fair request.
- BP said it tried twice this month to restart talks and argued its proposal would affect 65 positions with generous compensation, adding it is ready to resume bargaining.
- The lockout began March 19 after contract talks failed, and the Whiting, Indiana refinery has kept running with replacement workers as one of the region’s main suppliers of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
- The hearing drew fresh backlash for Lutnick on social media and added to local bipartisan pressure, which Mrvan noted includes Gov. Mike Braun visiting the picket line.