BP employees in danger?

For proud BP employees, an awkward new reality

news.yahoo.com

HOUSTON – The green-and-yellow logo that BP employees normally wear with pride is meant to evoke an environmentally friendly sunflower. These days, it feels more like a bull's-eye.

Far from the spill in the Gulf of Mexico and their bosses' frantic attempts at damage control, workers for the oil giant are dodging awkward glances and tactfully avoiding any mention that they work for what may be America's public enemy No. 1.

"I don't wear BP logo shirts outside," said Timothy Hagler, a BP well site leader from Richmond, Texas, who has worked for the company and its merger partner Amoco for three decades. "I try to avoid any discussion about the matter."

(visit the link for the full news article)

A few more quotes from the article...

Most of the 150 BP employees reached by the AP declined to talk, saying they were following the orders of their superiors — BP has gone to great lengths to try to control its message — or were worried about fanning the flames surrounding their company.

And they are intense. The spill has made BP the butt of late-night comedy, Internet outrage and the confab around just about every water cooler in America, not to mention constant chatter in the media.

The attention frustrates some BP employees. Hagler said he is dismayed that the oil industry has done a poor job educating the public about the difficulties inherent in offshore drilling. He said that is leading to people's misconceptions about his company.

"We're not going to destroy the planet," Hagler said. "The planet has a way of taking care of itself. If the planet gets tired of humans, it will find a way to get rid of us all."

I'd think it safe to say that BP employees might be in danger from people who are overly frustrated and probably mentally unbalanced. Looking for a way to "pay BP back".

Outside of those directly responsible, I hold no ill will towards BP employees. And I personally wouldn't wish death on them. But I do hope they are held criminally liable.

I particularly liked the last quote, with all the doom talk, maybe the planet has started its eradication program.

I do not think many thinking people are going to go after BP employees. I just do not see it happening.

People want answers and are angry, yes but even the strongest protesters know not every BP worker is to blame or even had anything to do with the situation in the Gulf.

This quote, " The attention frustrates some BP employees. Hagler said he is dismayed that the oil industry has done a poor job educating the public about the difficulties inherent in offshore drilling. He said that is leading to people's misconceptions about his company.

"We're not going to destroy the planet," Hagler said. "The planet has a way of taking care of itself. If the planet gets tired of humans, it will find a way to get rid of us all."

- is just silly. it's as if people were more educated about the dangers of drilling they would all say " Ohh. I see now, well that makes everything o.k."

What misconceptions?.. that BP's drilling is safe? That's funny when you have over 700 violations in just two BP plants alone as well as all the past oil spills they have had and the Gulf Disaster. They are the leader in being fined for unsafe practices.


This guy does not know if they are going to destroy the planet or not. BP is doing some deep water drilling that has never been done before. They do not know what will happen at those depths or what kinds of horrors they will cause to happen.
These are facts.. Not misconceptions. This guy is a Company Man saying these things designed to gain sympathy from the public. I have to tell you, people are smarter than that, and they will not buy it.

That quote about the planet getting rid of us makes it sound like humanity is the one in danger.


If BP execs send out the message that it can go either way, then they certainly aren't as urgent about this mess as they need to be.


They should treat it like life or death, and act accordingly.

What other approach makes any sense?

"Getting rid of us" should not be quoted as a possible outcome, imo.

This is the BP marketing folks trying to soften the public's stance on BP itself by personalizing the event to the employees who had nothing to do with policy, practice, and exploitation.

For weeks the media here and in the UK have been trying to create the illusion that Americans are at odds with the UK, refusing to accept that the defect is theirs alone.

I have never heard a single person give grief to a BP employee, I have never heard a person malign the British or even the employees. But the media insists on presenting a story to inflame the senses and confuse the issue of responsibility.... this is NOT a BP thing, its an Energy Cartel thing. BP was doing exactly the same crap as the others have been doing all along. They were simply unlucky enough to be the one's present when the camel's back finally gave out.

[edit on 18-6-2010 by Maxmars]

reply to post by Maxmars


I've heard many news comments and forum posts blaming Britain and British people for the disaster. How one makes those links are beyond me. I guess in the same way the American people are responsible for the actions of the American government. I don't agree with either statement.

I've personally heard people saying they would burn down every BP station in the US if they could, rather or not people were inside. I'm not saying this is a widespread thought process, but to say it doesn't exist and some overzealous nut wouldn't go crazy on some BP employee is hard to imagine.

I personally don't think on average a BP employee is at any major risk. But as tensions mount, people always look for a way to vent their frustrations, and sadly its only a manner of time....

reply to post by ThaLoccster


Well I'm sorry I missed that; I would have had to interject with some terse words. I have only seen it coming from the MSM on both sides of the pond; but no person I have come across agrees with the anger the media seems to be conveying. Sure people are angry about the disaster this turned out to be... wouldn't that be expected? After all the knee jerk reaction of both he corporation and the government was to pretend it wasn't a big deal.... That's why people are angry at the government and the corporation.

Sometimes it is amazing how effective the blame game is at confusing people.

I know the employees are nervous, their employer has made them so, and of course they are not talking... they have been directed not to. Guilt, innocence, liability, or fault aside, when you expect litigation, such precautions must be taken.

[edit on 18-6-2010 by Maxmars]

LAWSUITS PEOPLE, LAWSUITS!!!!!

Companies that are NEGLIGENT in causing SUFFERING to anyone MUST be held RESPONSIBLE!!!

The way to do this is via LAWSUITS. Thats the ONLY thing that will cause them to understand and realize their NEGLIGENCE.

THE ONLY WAY!!!!

LAWSUITS PEOPLE.

reply to post by JohnPhoenix


People don't think rationally, when they are angry. Everyday I see Post blaming BP, and wanting to hold everybody who even does business with BP's feet to the fire. Environmental whack jobs just need a little push. The next thing you know we got the Army of the 12 monkeys... People who want to save the Environment at any cost...

reply to post by Target Earth


I think we already have that with organizations like the ELF. I lived in SoCal. a few years ago while the ELF was busy burning down car dealerships among other things. I believe people died or were seriously injured due to some of their actions.

reply to post by Maxmars


I do think the blame game is highly effective. Just take a peek at the threads on here. It's Obama's fault, Bush's fault, Clinton's fault, BP's fault, Halliburton's fault.... Its never ending.

People fail to realize while they type on their plastic keyboard made from oil products that it is all of our fault.

Ah, now this is so sad. The average Joe working for BP wasn't directly responsible for this catastrophe in the gulf (although they are engaged in an industry that is destroying our planet). Of course, right now, one is only begging for trouble if they go out and about wearing the BP logo on their clothing (unless it is demeaning BP, ha).

Anyhow, I just wanted to mention that, while I do support the boycott of BP itself (if you don't boycott them, it will be YOUR money that they will be using to clean all this up and settle upcoming claims against them), you can still support your local BP franchise owner and employees by ONLY stopping there to buy their bread, milk, sodas, smokes, etc.

Station owners make very little profit on their gas sales. I spoke to the manager of a Super America station just down the street here this morning and he said they make about 8 cents per gallon on their gas sales. I assume others are about the same. He also said they make very little on their smokes too. It's the other stuff they make money on (i.e. I drink energy drinks like they are going out of style, and they make about a buck profit on the ones I buy there, which means they make about $4 off me every day on that, ha).

Boycott BP gas itself, because if you don't, they won't be paying for any of this mess -- it will be YOU all that will be doing so.


[edit on 18-6-2010 by Divinorumus]

reply to post by Divinorumus


I remember years ago a station owner here saying he only made about 3 cents per gallon of gasoline due to the costs, plus taxes.

The gas is generally a draw to get people in the store, they are then likely to buy some drinks, snacks, cigarettes, etc...

If you must boycott, boycott the gas, not the station.

Oh, I should add this too: of that 8 cents they make per gallon of gas does not include any offset when people use a credit card to pay for their purchase. Using a CC can wipe out that 8 cent profit, thus why they would prefer cash or debt card. Of course, this is easy for me to do, because I DO NOT believe in using credit except for dire emergencies, thus I only use my debt card. (credit is EVIL EVIL EVIL and I've not used a credit card since the early 80's). So, if you buy gas at BP with a CC, you're not even helping the franchise owner, not a bit, and in some cases your CC fill-up is costing them!

[edit on 18-6-2010 by Divinorumus]

reply to post by Divinorumus


When I worked as a cashier, we only allowed debit purchases of so much $. Everytime you used a debit card, the store was charged a certain amount. It could have been credit and I'm just confusing the 2. But using one charged the store, using another charged you.

A big corporation hiding behind its acronym/name while letting the "small people" take the heat for its actions.

What I don't understand is why some folks get upset when BP is referred to as British Petroleum when clearly, thats where the name originates from.



That's like saying KFC doesn't stand for Kentucky Fried Chicken.

reply to post by ThaLoccster


When you use a credit card, the vendor pays the fee (and you pay any interest on any outstanding balance). When you use a debit card, you pay the fee, if your bank charges one (I don't use evil banks, been a member of a credit union and the same one since the early 80's, and they don't charge such a fee .. in fact, I can't understand why anyone would choose using a bank over using a credit union in the first place, but then again there are people out there that charge their lifestyle on credit cards so they ain't very logically to begin with I guess, ha).