The
following is an interview between Patriotic Alaskan Chronicles(PAC) and
Ex-Alyeska Pipeline Company employee Michael Kelley on the root-cause leading up to the EXXON
Valdez “Wreck”. This follows a self-publication by Kelley titled the “Causeway
Rebellion”, as found on Uncle Al’s Closet - UncleAlsCloset.blogspot.com:
PAC Interviewer: So you talk about
an incident in Valdez, referred to as the Causeway Rebellion wherein you were
confronted by an unruly crew returning to their tanker, can you elaborate what
occurred?
Lead Technician Kelley: I was down at
Berth#5 performing some maintenance, looking at something at the end of the
loading and was existing the causeway…
PAC Interviewer: Can you explain this causeway, for the audience?
Lead Technician Kelley: The tankers coming
in to fill up with oil that is sent down the pipeline, these carriers are tied
up to berths that are off-shore and connected to land by a…let’s call it an
uncovered bridge about a ¼-mile in length. It is a narrow passageway, one
vehicle width and…
PAC Interviewer: And who has access to this these causeways?
Lead Technician Kelley: Well, it is
considered restricted, as is the Alyeska Marine Terminal in general, so the
berth operators and the maintenance staff. But when the tanker crews are
allowed furlough during the loading, the causeway is the only option from ship
to land, but that would be by foot traffic only or…
PAC Interviewer: Same with security?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yes, by foot only
as driving that “bridge” has some strict safety obligations, as one side has
pipes with crude oil and the other side high-voltage electrical cables, and not
to forget it is over open water.
PAC Interviewer: So you would get a call to assist getting
the crews back to their ships?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yah, that taxi
would show up from town, get right through security and drop the crew off at
the landmark where each causeway began its approach to the berth, as the TAXI
was not permitted. In fact we used to joke that the station wagon was the wagon
used in National Lampoon’s Summer Vacation, so a monster trickster that we did not see driving
on those causeways, just too damn dangerous especially if filled with a rowdy
gang of crewmen.
PAC Interviewer: Was it a common problem, getting worse over
time?
Lead Technician Kelley: It was hard to
say, as we only knew about it when we were either down at one of the 4-berths
or called to assist. What happened at night was anybody’s guess. My belief is
that when nobody was watching, that cab was allowed to violate the restrictions…this
was way before there were cameras everywhere. But it seemed to becoming more
and more of a problem, a real hassle.
PAC Interviewer: So who would call you, to ask you to assist
these crews?
Lead Technician Kelley: There was a supervisor
named Larry, and since I was the lead, I would get the radio calls, like in can
you do us a favor. And we did, until such time it was getting out of hand and
interfering with our work. I mean if I was on top of a storage tank, to climb
all the way down just to drive some guy back to a detox bunk...
PAC Interviewer: And how was that, the getting out of hand?
Lead Technician Kelley: It was the time
when more and more oil was coming down that pipeline, so it meant more tankers
in and out of Valdez.
PAC Interviewer: So back to the rebellion and please
elaborate why you had to show a pipe wrench in defiance, as that seems a little
far-fetched that you would have to resort...
Lead Technician Kelley: It was lunch time
and I was headed back to the maintenance shop when I approached the end of that
causeway and the Taxi man had just dropped off a crew, and they wanted a ride.
I had more important things to do, as my wife was in the Valdez hospital with
my first son who was having some medical issues.
PAC Interviewer: And?
Lead Technician Kelley: Well when I disregarded
their hand gesture request, they started getting pissed and I knew alcohol was
involved, as there was one individual who couldn’t stand up without help and
appeared to want a confrontation. I was outnumbered and at the turnaround at
Berth5, it was far and removed from help. Security was 5-minutes away that open
water was 5-feet away! And like mentioned already, the causeway was narrow and
this unruly crew had me blocked in. So I locked the doors, called my boss and
looked for protection.
PAC Interviewer: Then what happened?
Lead Technician Kelley: Well we had
prepared for this, as it was only a matter of time something like this would
happen. And this was well known by Ivan and the local management.
PAC Interviewer: Who was this Ivan, and did he do anything
to stop this worsening problem?
Lead Technician Kelley: Ivan was the Terminal
Superintendent. Being somewhat new he probably did not know the extent of this
problem and his underlings were telling him it was just “boys will be boys”
when it appeared alcohol was involved.
PAC Interviewer: So your boss Lynn showed up with some
helping hands, how did that end?
Lead Technician Kelley: Sure enough, Lynn
showed up with Miller, faster then if security had been called. And
when Lynn existed the suburban, with a pipe wrench followed by Miller jumping out
of the back seat, the tanker crew sobered up and walked past my truck and I
existed the causeway back to the shop.
PAC Interviewer: Did it end there, what happened next?
Lead Technician Kelley: No, matter of fact
we looked like the bad guys as we told the berth operation’s supervisor we
would never honor again a request for a ride unless a medical emergency. We told Larry to next
time call security for rides.
PAC Interviewer: Now you once stated
that things started to change drastically with the management of Alyeska, in
the mid 80s if I recall, what was that about?
Lead Technician Kelley: It seems that
following the defeat of the union and a second election sanctioned by the NLRB
that the management under George Nelson was going to get even with the union
supporters…
PAC Interviewer: And why was there a
second election?
Lead Technician Kelley: The I&E was
successful in electing to be represented by a collective bargaining unit, the
IBEW, this took place in 1979.
PAC Interviewer: And you stated before
it was a unanimous decision to go union?
Lead Technician Kelley: The final tally was
22 for and 5 against.
PAC Interviewer: But Alyeska appealed
that vote, correct?
Lead Technician Kelley: Well more then that.
The first appeal was thrown out, that what the union organizers were using as a
tactic was merely “puffing” and that did not violate a worker’s right so did
not warrant an appeal.
PAC Interviewer: And…?
Lead Technician Kelley: Alyeska filed a
second appeal and it was during the time unions were under the gun, as Ronald Reagan
did a recess appointee, a John Van de Water who was known as a union buster,
appointed as the boss of the NLRB. Matter of fact, when the senate came back
into session, even a republican majority could not get enough votes to confirm
Van de Water - because of his past record against organized labor.
PAC Interviewer: But this Van de Water
was able to remain in that position?
Lead Technician Kelley: That is the dark
side a recess appointee and he was quick to throw out the results of that first
election. And, and this was during union prohibition, when Reagan fired 1400 “union”
air traffic controllers.
PAC Interviewer: So the union was
bust?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yes. And that is
when the Alyeska management started realigning things, to separate the union
supporters, so that when and if another election was held, it would be very
difficult to find majority support as by this time the writing was on the wall
in kill the messenger. We felt it all around us, and more coming.
PAC Interviewer: Like a conquer by
divide?
Lead Technician Kelley: Exactly.
PAC Interviewer: And as far as the
causeway, did management ever even attempt to stop this abuse by the tanker
crews?
Lead Technician Kelley: No nothing. Matter
of fact, we were warned that we had become the targets and that they, the
management, were coming to get us, in early 83.
PAC Interviewer: How did you find that
out?
Lead Technician Kelley: My boss and I were
in Anchorage on company business and an engineering friend of my boss gave him
the heads up, a guy named Ron, that a task force had been formed in Anchorage
and manned by that Ivan, that was the superintendent in Valdez and well aware
of the causeway rebellion and our dissatisfaction at the drunks.
PAC Interviewer: And were they
successful, in stopping the union?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yes, as the vocal
supporters were reassigned and instead of concentrating on our concerns of
drunk captains boarding the tankers, we were targeted. And at the same time,
someone in the organization was sending out confidential information to some
guy named Charles Hamel. And that is why they targeted us, as we had that
information and since we were very disgruntled at Alyeska using political power to
bust our union, we were guilty by association.
PAC Interviewer: So the problem with the
tanker crews, the drinking problem, it never stopped?
Lead Technician Kelley: Well, not until
after the EXXON Valdez wreck. At least I assume it had found some oversight by
now.
PAC Interviewer: So who is to blame
for that wreck?
Lead Technician Kelley: Alyeska and the NLRB
and…
PAC Interviewer: Now I can see how
Alyeska would share some of the blame, but why the NLRB?
Lead Technician Kelley: Chairman Van de
Water. As had that election been certified in 1979 without objection, without
appeal, that is the first thing we were going to have the labor bosses address
with the Alyeska management. Fix the drinking or we STRIKE!
PAC Interviewer: And the talk of a
strike, that scared people?
Lead Technician Kelley: At the time 20% of
the oil needed to run the country was coming through Valdez, yes it scared the
dickens out of everyone, including the Alaskan delegation in Congress.
PAC Interviewer: But Alyeska
management did nothing, right?
Lead Technician Kelley: No, they did plenty,
accept they focused on the wrong damn problem. We were not the problem, we were
the solution, just listen to what we are telling you - alcohol and a tanker
just doesn’t mix.
PAC Interviewer: So the proverbial
plenty of blame to go around?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yes, and why we are
at it, surely Charles Hamel shares some of that blame.
PAC Interviewer: As in?
Lead Technician Kelley: He was a hypocrat,
he was an oil broker that went sour on the Alaskan oil scene and to further his
agenda of retaliation against the Exxons, he aligned himself with “trash”…
PAC Interviewer: Trash like in…
Lead Technician Kelley: Using a guy that worked
in Valdez who was a bastard bigot, a guy that would write “no niggers” on the control room chalk board…
PAC Interviewer: And get away with it?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yes! And not only
that when operating the pollution control stuff, purposely misalign things to
create “smoke” signals to get attention that Alyeska was messed up.
PAC Interviewer: Doesn’t seem like a
reliable source for any retaliation attempts by this Hamel?
Lead Technician Kelley: It didn’t matter, it
was a source and Alyeska then had to waste resources defending itself, and that
took the focus off the “drunk” tanker crew problem as now there was outside interference.
PAC Interviewer: Well it sounds that
Alyeska’s management had its hands full during the time before the Exxon Valdez
oil spill?
Lead Technician Kelley: Yes and no, they
took there eyes and ears off of the wrong damn problem, the union and this
Hamel thing, it was handled by a bunch of amateurs and the results well known.
PAC Interviewer: Do you have any
regrets you didn’t do more?
Lead Technician Kelley: Look, at the time
you could not find any state or government authority to listen and as a last
resort it was a union that could have helped us in our struggles, made a
difference through the power of a strike.
PAC Interviewer: You appear to have an
outstanding performance record with Alyeska, put you ended up quitting. Why
with such a record of achievement did you have to end your career with Alyeska?
Lead Technician Kelley: It’s called “black-listed”,
no explanation required.
PAC Interviewer: Thanks, for being so
candid and thanks for trying to fix a problem, as maybe had someone listened
up, this interview would be un-necessary as that EXXON “wreck” may have been
just a worst case scenario thought.
Lead Technician Kelley: Believe me, had we a union, it would have been
stopped and a “WRECK” like that, not on our watch.
PAC Interviewer: Now one last
question, why wait 30-years to bring this to the public’s attention?
Lead Technician Kelley: We tried, before the
wreck. And when it was not the if but the when was here, nobody would have
listened, as everybody was jumping on the bandwagon to glory in I told you so.
We were there, the frontline troops and were targeted for trying to unionize,
to stop this abuse by the tanker crews. Look, this was our home, but like the
pusher man, pushing oil at the expense of the environment was the Alyeska mandate. And I put it aside, the wreck, as it hurt as we had come so close and
wish we could have gone down in history like Lech Walesa, in our very own
Gdansk strike. They would have listened. And when Captain Joe Hazelwood and
EXXON got off the hook, through reduced fines, I knew there would come the time
I would speak up. But more importantly, many Alyeska workers are now in
retirement, and many that knew what was going on but kept so quiet, why in hell
should they deserve to enjoy a retirement? They shouldn’t and I hope it hurts,
in truth. As that wreck hurt a whole lot of innocent folks, and if Hazelwood
and Exxon are not responsible, here it is that who to blame.
PAC Interviewer: It that it?
Lead Technician Kelley: The pusher is a
monster, good God!
