Bayway workers picket on fourth day of Linden lockout as contract dispute continues

Teamsters Local 877 members picketed outside Phillips 66's Bayway refinery on Thursday, Oct. 22, the fourth day of a company lockout. In original Jersey Alerts footage, workers display signs identifying themselves as locked out while activity continues across the street from the refinery.

Phillips 66 said in an Oct. 19 bulletin that the lockout began after a contract extension expired at 4 p.m. Monday. It applies to union-represented employees at both the Bayway refinery and the Linden Terminal. The picketing is a response to the company lockout, not the start of a union-initiated strike.

In a Jersey Alerts interview at the picket line, a man introduced only as Tom said members were trying to stay strong and wanted a fair contract. Asked how long they might remain outside, he said they would stay until they could get a fair agreement. The interviewer and Tom both described it as day four.

The Teamsters said in a Sept. 29 statement that Local 877 represents 385 process and mechanical workers at Bayway. The union said its priorities included wages, benefits, access to paid time off and preserving contract protections. It also objected to proposals concerning its Absence Control Policy and training and qualification standards. That statement announced a strike authorization vote, which preceded the company's October lockout.

In an Oct. 21 compensation bulletin, Phillips 66 described a rejected tentative agreement as including proposed base-wage increases of 3.5% in February 2027 and 2028 and 4% in February 2029, plus a $2,500 payment contingent on ratification. Those were proposed terms in a rejected agreement, not an adopted contract.

Tom raised concerns in the interview about managers working extended hours and their qualifications inside the refinery. Those are his assertions; Jersey Alerts has not independently verified staffing conditions. In an Oct. 21 employee bulletin, Phillips 66 said qualified personnel were operating the refinery and terminal and reported no operational impact or associated safety incident. That is the company's account, not an independent safety assessment.

The local stakes extend beyond the contract. News 12 reported Wednesday that Linden Mayor Derek Armstead sought a briefing from Phillips 66 on emergency staffing, fire and hazardous-materials response, and coordination with the city. Phillips 66 has said emergency-response resources remain in place.

No settlement had been announced in the sources reviewed as of publication.