Porter County Commissioners Back BP Workers Amid Ongoing Lockout

When the Porter County Board of Commissioners gathered on Tuesday morning, the usual agenda was punctuated by something a little more personal: a public declaration of support for the 800 families still feeling the sting of the BP refinery lockout.

“It’s been almost six months and there are 800 families that have been affected by the lockout at the BP refinery, and I would imagine that many of those families do live in Porter County,” said Vice President Barb Regnitz, R‑Center, before reading the resolution aloud. She sounded almost like a neighbor sharing a neighborhood gripe—only this time it was a formal, written‑up gripe.

The lockout, which started on March 19 after the collective bargaining agreement between BP and United Steelworkers Local 7‑1 ran out in January, has rippled far beyond the refinery gates. The resolution notes that the dispute “affects not only these members and their families, but also the businesses, service providers, and economies throughout Northwest Indiana whose economies are intertwined with the refinery and its workforce.”

In a tone that mixed earnestness with a hint of exasperation, the board reminded everyone that organized labor and skilled trades have long been the backbone of Northwest Indiana’s economic health. “Good‑faith bargaining provides the best means of resolving labor disputes and of maintaining stable and productive relationships between employers and employees,” the resolution read.

Beyond the words, the resolution nudged both sides to keep negotiations moving – talks that resumed on September 14 – and urged BP to lift the lockout and let Local 7‑1 members get back to work as the talks progress.

To make sure the message didn’t get lost in the shuffle, the county auditor was tasked with sending copies of the resolution to the union, BP, Governor Mike Braun’s office, and the Indiana General Assembly.

While labor was the headline, the board also tackled a handful of other items. The highway department asked for $100,000 in payroll transfers and another $100,000 for fuel to wrap up the year’s work, a request sparked by recent storm‑recovery costs that had the department warning officials of tighter budgets.

In a show of financial muscle, the board approved a draft Financial Commitment Letter that pledges a $1 million county match toward a state Community Crossings Matching Grant—money that could help fund vital local projects.

On the infrastructure front, the Department of Development and Storm Water Management announced that a stretch of Furnessville Road, between Hadenfeldt and Schoolhouse Roads, will become one‑way westbound as part of the Marquette Greenway extension. “There are no residences on that stretch, so the change should be smooth,” said Executive Director Mike Jabo, adding that the project should be wrapped up in the next two to three years.

All in all, the meeting painted a picture of a county trying to balance compassion for its working families with the practicalities of budgeting and development. As the lockout drags on, Porter County officials hope their words will carry weight, and that the refinery doors will eventually swing back open.

— Shelley Jones, freelance reporter for the Post‑Tribune