Sunoco Plans To Sell Or Shut Philadelphia, Marcus Hook Refineries
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Sunoco officials have announced plans to get out of the refining business, and that's causing a lot of concern at two local refineries.
Sunoco says it will try to sell its refineries in Philadelphia and Marcus Hook, and if that's not possible, they'll be shut down next July.
Dave Miller, president of United Steelworkers' Union Local 10901 at Marcus Hook, is feeling blindsided.
"Obviously everybody's in a panic," he told KYW Newsradio this morning. "We've got 400 down here at Marcus Hook, plus some outside agencies at Twin Oaks and quite a few drivers, and everyone's got the same reaction: a little peeved that she (Sunoco chairman and CEO Lynn Elsenhans) didn't give anybody, especially the local leadership, any heads up that this was coming."
Elsenhans has been shutting down plants since she arrived, so Miller admits this is disappointing but not surprising.
A closure would affect about 1,500 people at both facilities.
KYW's Mike Dunn reports that a spokesman for Mayor Michael Nutter says the administration plans to meet with Sunoco executives "to understand better the company's plans." This discussion, according to the spokesman, would include the potential of a sale of the plant to another refiner.
No date has been set for that meeting.
Reported by Lynne Adkins, KYW Newsradio 1060
