Heard of folks being walked out at the research center earlier today. I guess positive financial results means layoffs. Negative results mean exercising the 5% rank and yank provision in the new performance system? Hopefully they give good packages if this is true…
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The reduction included 13 technicians, 15 PhDs (including two directors), and several administrative and frontline supervisory roles. This is significant given the research center now has only ~110 employees, down from approximately 550 ten years ago.
Entire labs often on have 1 technician and in some cases they were eliminated despite providing data that historically saved refineries millions of dollars. While the organization is still called a “research center,” the mission has largely shifted to business-unit support rather than independent or forward-looking research.
That said, Analytical retains critical capabilities, including fouling investigations, metallurgical and elemental analysis, and combustion analysis—functions that remain essential for diagnosing operational issues.
I hope Houston understands the long term impact this will have on safe operations at the refineries.
Were they all PhDs or Technicians included? If so, what’s the split?
@f3 can you share anymore about this: "the two “special” individuals who were retained and paraded as trophies."
How would you describe these trophy people?
I was walked out yesterday as an IT employee from downtown. It all felt incredibly sterile and cold.
Thirty-two people from ERI were let go. Many of them had spent years with Phillips 66, providing continuous support to refineries and gaining invaluable laboratory and pilot-plant experience. They were the backbone of multiple work areas, yet in the end they were treated as disposable; escorted out without even the chance to collect most of their belongings. Many of these individuals were far more capable than the two “special” individuals who were retained and paraded as trophies. Accountability has a way of surfacing eventually, for them and for those who supported these decisions. The damage done to the people laid off in October 2022 and now should not be forgotten. They will not be welcomed in the P666 club.
It’s a real shame they didn’t hammer L & D middle management.
Hearing around 40 in ERI and 20 in IT
@ep What is the breakdown by group? Any facilities folks in addition to ERI
I’ve seen a list of 32 names and the rumor is there were between 35 and 40 let go…. Between 20-25% of all onsite P66 staff (2x the percentage of Transformation without a warning).
I might sell my house to get on the front end of this. Bartlesville was a beautiful town until Houston su-ked it dry. What a shame ~~~
COP employee here. I feel terrible that your management is doing this. Between the DEI witches y’all hired, soy male execs, and teenage hormone driven CFO, I feel sorry for y’all. It’s surreal watching the downfall.
Instead of shutting down ERI they are setting it up to fail. Most people who knew anything about refining were walked out. Now you essentially have a vice president who is consultant and people like Gluten Free and his completely useless direct reports. The only silver lining is there day is coming.
Project 2030, the planned strategic closure of Bartlesville offices.
Chip away enough over the years so there is no WARN compliance. If any P66 official denies this they are lying through their teeth.
Under certain circumstances, the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers to provide notice 60 days in advance of plant closures or mass layoffs. The WARN Act is intended to offer protection to workers, their families and communities.
So much for GoGo saving the place where he started. T@ndra has been pushing this agenda and the intent is to whittle it down to nothing so they can shutter it. GoGo can't/won't say no, and Tractor Man is also an accomplice.
Bartlesville jobs will continue to be targeted so they can shutter it once and for all.
P66 -> P666 one step at a time. I feel bad for those who have to deliver the bad news while the execs in houston responsible for the severances ride their elevator up and down feeling important.
And the mob goon escort in a sport coat to the turnstile was just humorous
@bg I'd imagine that if you're given an ERI budget cut of ANOTHER 25% (just guessing as to that number) you have to make cuts somewhere. Exec Board is desperate to keep Elliott from forcing the breakup of the company into three pieces. Expect more juice to be squeezed from that turnip.
@dd I was walked out after 24-yrs. The lack of humanity displayed in the HR recitation is startling. Good luck to those left to do more work.
Is someone going to ask these brainiac execs who’s supposed to do all this work these people used to do? I thought the goal was to eliminate unnecessary work, not pile it on to another person. They’re pushing AI so hard it’s just a matter of time until we’re all gone. Soon it will just be the execs working for P66 managing a farm of robots and overseas contractors. What could go wrong!
Hmmm, I wonder if that's why each on the board just got granted $200k worth of stock last week? It was over $2 million worth in total. Now it seems like blood money rather than compensation for good work. Whatever, it's no longer my concern.
For all my fellow terminated coworkers, it has been a pleasure and honor working with all of you true professionals. I wish you continued success and good tidings. May God bless you and happy trails for us all.
@a3 Walked out of what dept?
I too was walked out yesterday. Fortunately I locked in the number in my 401k as stable value that I wanted to consider retirement literally 15 minutes before I got the call. Then the severance package, with VCIP included. I heard scuttle butt about some names also let go. It was crazy the amount and quality of the talent let go. Fortunately for me, I was already prepared to pull the plug. But it surprised the he-l out of me. I was out at the research facility. And for those that know, I am the guy building a retirement place in the Philippines.
I was let go yesterday, probably one of the first based on the timing of these posts. Texting with former P66 folks, the biggest department that was hit was Analytical Solutions and Lab Ops. We all got a similar severance offer: full 2025 VCIP in a few weeks, 20% of 2026 VCIP paid in 2027, three weeks severance pay per year of service.
To me, the only painful part was that at the end of decades of service, all I became was a number on a manilla envelope as they recited a script. No eye contact, no idle chit chat, no sincere words. Just tactical, precise career execution with indelicate indifference. I regret not leaving after transformation in 2021 and feel sorry for those left to pick up the pieces in Analytical.
After our last staff meeting, my supervisor was asking very specific questions about the positions and outcomes of ongoing (not completed) projects. For a person that never learned how to spell my name correctly for met than a year, they never were this interested and It struck me as odd. I now suspect direct supervision knew this was coming at least a week ago. I could be wrong but ultimately it doesn’t matter. Good luck and GodSpeed, fellow layoffs. ❤️
It's true. I was "walked" out yesterday after 13yrs and treated like nothing more than dirt on the bottom of their shoes. They let go of so many who were invaluable with their knowledge and experience. Many who were working on specific cost saving projects that only a select few knew how to accomplish, myself included. Loyalty means nothing in corporate America and especially with P66. Morale and confidence in leadership was already at an all time low out there and now this. But hey, safety, honor, and commitment, right?
Give specific departments or it’s just rumors.
@bn when my wife was laid off 3 years ago, there was a lady laid off at the PRC and her husband also worked out there. He was notified before hand to go get the car so he could pick her up. He was to not come back to work until the next day.
Some were let go over the phone, how cowardly is that?
Spouses were walked out almost simultaneously at PRC today. Dark clouds hanging over many families. Praying for them and the ones left in that salt mine.
@bc I heard somewhere around 50 between PRC and downtown so far and possibly more tomorrow
@bg yep, no research work going on. Mainly analytical. Current management has done a good job destroying that place. Quite a few in management got the boot as well
The last 3 VP/GM at the research center are responsible for the slow demolition. Horrible leaders. It’s just a matter of time before the PRC is renamed the CPC RC
I hope one day Bartlesville wakes up and gives a giant middle finger to Phillips 66.
@a7 l did not work at the research center and was walked out this afternoon.
How many did they get at the research center?
@b8 it's confirmed from one that was effected they received VCIP and a fair package.
I hope they still get VCIP!
Tractor Man is a Uncle Tom
That’s the Go Go and Tractor Man way. Layoff employees that don’t deserve to be laid off and not even considering finding them a different role. Just laying off to be laying off.
It’s almost like it’s how they get their chuckles.
To my fellow PRC coworkers. It is absolute horse sh-t that you got let go today. You didn't deserve it. Getting rid of one 2nd floor RF ja----s or any P66 exec fu-kstick would have saved multiple jobs but we won't talk about that. It su-ks now, but at least you aren't working for this shithole of a company anymore. Fu-k Phillips
@a4 100% tech support
Sorry B'ville, more coming.
In all seriousness, if you are there, you really should be looking to move and find another job in Tulsa or another city. Bartlesville will continue to just have a smaller and smaller presence of COP and PSX in the coming years. It has been eroding for the past 20 years and neither company wants to remain there but feels pressure from the state.
If you are in the research area, you should find something immediately. Multiple rounds of layoffs, scaled back research, down to base business support...the writing is on the wall.