A pub crawl to affect the 2,000 direct workers and 20,000 ancillary support-craft workers who staff the one already-shuttered Delco Conocophilips refinery and the soon-to-be shuttered Sunoco Refineries in Delco and Philly.
Forget politics, because both parties are roasting these American workers over the fire like a spit for their own selfish reasons.
We're talking jobs, people, community, and camaraderie.
I'll drink to that!
Tom McLaughlin, owner of Lefty’s Irish Pub, said Budweiser learned of his decision in December to hold the line on his draught prices after Sunoco idled the borough refinery and gave union members a 90-day layoff notice.
At the time, McLaughlin was mulling over increasing his prices after maintaining the status quo for three years, despite hikes from his beer and liquor distributors.
Initially, he thought he’d implement a quarter price increase Dec. 1 but decided to postpone that after Sunoco ceased making petroleum products at the Delaware County refinery.
McLaughlin’s distributor, Gretz Beer Co., decided to help out to make the Pub Crawl possible to help support the United Steelworkers Union Education Fund.
“I think it’s good for these guys,” McLaughlin said in between registering participants. “Conoco closed up a couple of weeks ago. A lot of Sun Oil (workers) come in here. They’re going to have to relocate, if they can even find something.”
John Antonius, area sales manager for Gretz Beer Co., was one of many sitting at Lefty’s bar Saturday.
“This is near and dear to our heart,” he said of supporting the oil workers. “We’ve always been really close-knit with the community. This is our core Bud drinker.”
