To begin with, Happy Juneteenth Day. Well,
well, prejudice does go with the “Territory”. OK, by the 70s it was some tough
going 11-years in the making since Alaska last enjoyed that “Territory” position,
as by then a bonafide “State of the Union” status, a state with its own flag. Not
to forget the Jack Marler days of “No Taxation without Representation” no
longer a valid 1030 write-off option! Yes rough going for the first few years when
trying to wean away from Uncle Sam’s welfare addiction, until ARCO hit “paydirt”
then that “We’re In” of 1959 held new meaning heard all the way to the “Capitol”.
With 4200-miles away momentum, and then on through those Halls of Congress and
eventually the legislation that allowed for the building of an “Alaska Pipeline”
wrought with controversy from environmental issues to Native Alaskan “land
claim” rights. But in some respect by then after the dust of statehood had
settled, the 49er was still functioning as a “territory”, so it takes time for
things to sink in. And with that way far and away from everything so far
removed, so was “Equal Opportunity” oversight just a suggestion. With this “new
territory” calling for citizen Kane to step up to the plate, prejudice and
discrimination is probably one of the last things on the agenda to get a “fixed”
position, a reckoning in the right direction as we are creatures of “habit” good
to bad to good again. And with that “paydirt”, Alaska became a land of
opportunity like “overnight” - for all things considered. It was like the
Beverly Hillbillies on steroids “North to Alaska” this “Call to the Wild”, when
people from all walks of life decided to jump ship, or bail skip, away from the
restrictions of the lower-48 lifestyle and follow instincts to “Go North Young
Man”. And with that, the Beaver Creek border crossing saw people from every
state of the “Union” seeking out Alaska as a “new life” adventure and with that
“dream” so too were past “prejudices” in baggage carried along - one of those
things tough to leave it all behind. Alaska was still “lawless”, so it was
anything goes and discrimination was part of the scene, still today. Look, why
would a Native Alaskan company still have the “Eskimo” by its name when we can
no longer use that derogatory name for an ice-cream bar? What’s good is bad and
what’s bad is good - thank you Bob Dylan for Idiot Wind! But with the “Green
Light” in Alaska a good place for bigots to felons to find a job, there came
families from places like Macon County Georgia, when oil was first being
discovered in Alaska - where southern hospitality “segregation” was so damn proud
and part of the “white man culture” it was allowed through inbreeding for
future generations to enjoy, wherein even the kids’ playground in downtown
Macon found signs to discourage the “black folk kids” from using the see-saw or
slide. And during this same time period, when a court ruled against that “segregation”
wherein the Augustus Octavius Bacon park “could no longer exclude Negroes” due “racial
discrimination” and man was on a roll to “equal opportunity modernization”, well
the “white culture citizens” went to court and the land was given back to Senator
Augustus Octavius Bacon’s heirs, who originally “left it in trust for the use
of the town's white residents only”. For real, the court ruled that this “Open
to Blacks” would violate the conditions of the late Senator
Bacon's will and that the property, which had been operated as a “white‐only” community park, revert
back to the heirs for “white only” safekeeping - it was the 70s! No doubt about
it, that “carry over” in prejudices found new life in this new found friend frontier
called “Alaska”, and new formed companies to help get that oil from the Prudhoe
Bay oil fields did not really care yet about “prejudices” nor discrimination at
the workplace - nobody of authority was watching! And mind you we do this on
our own accord, it takes “oversight” still MIA in Alaska.
Alyeska
surely maintained a “culture” that held roots in a “prejudice mindset”, the
reason it was some 10-years
before an out-of-the-closet known “White Supremist” employer was “Terminated”. Yes,
10-long years for those of us that had to endure the hardships of seeing our
brothers and sisters of skin color different put up with such face-to-face abuse.
In the U.S. Department of Labor’s “final verdict” of 1993 upon a lawsuit “denied”
for “Wrongful Termination” by a Robert Scott, the report sounded in the “N”
word a sickening tune how this individual went about his daily business, to abuse
“minorities” on the job - and get away with it far too long. He was finally “fired”,
and that lawsuit was deemed without merit worthless to frivolous - due his
bigotry so Alyeska was off the hook for his “Termination”. But the fact his “bigotry”
and use of the “N” word blatant for so many years, well Alyeska’s management
promoted its survival, maybe even benefitted from it as why else would a
company allow it to continue on day after day for - well like I said far too
long. For real, some managers who witnessed this abuse on a daily basis, many with
southern roots thought it was harmless “clowning” around…just ask the black kid
summer hire! Had it not been for other workers finally enough of Mr. Bigot’s “filth”
and desecration and defecation upon fellow workers a different skin color, and
that “enough” meant going “Union” for a ways and means to fire “Bigotry” did
the Alyeska management decide to take action. Yes, by letting this Bigot survive
far too long all the while other workers filed complaints with the Alyeska HR,
it was abuse condoned by the Alyeska management - as the rank and file of that
management style in the late 70s and early 80s came from the south - said again
to get the point across. It wasn’t abuse
in silence by this one individual, but right in front of the local management’s
eyes and ears, and all we got in return was a fake laugh and no action. In that
Department of Labor hearing for this Mr. Bigot Scott upon a claim of “Wrongful Termination”
so denied, the Administrative Law Judge was dumfounded as to how such a “bigot”
with a documented track record of “N” word abuse had remained on the job! It
was the Alyeska way!
And at the time this pathetic individual was
raising hell at Alyeska’s Valdez Marine Terminal and getting away with it, at the
End-of-the-Line of the 800-mile Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, management “misfit-rejects”
were being transferred from the pipeline. For various reasons, like being
unsafe to the point other workers’ lives went compromised, sexual abuse,
on-the-job alcohol abuse…the list keeps on giving. But instead of “Termination”
like would happen with a normal company not so new, within the Alyeska
organization there was this sensation the upper crust management was infallible
because of the “bible” carried around in the back pocket, that they could do no
wrong their action and only harm in inaction, so the “rejects” awarded out-to-pasture
positions because the pipeline’s management was “sick”. Many of those misfits, sent
to Valdez to remain quiet make no waves until “Golden Parachute Retirement”
time comes around the mountain! See, just go south and keep thy mouth shut.
Some more examples shit flows downhill - or
south in an Alaskan pipeline? In an “obituary” of a manager that ran the
pipeline during the years of discrimination and prejudice “rampant”, a family member
wrote: “Alex’s leadership at Alyeska Pipeline is regarded as 'the good
years' due to his management style, guidance and support of his
co-workers." Whomever wrote this epitaph, it is far from the truth
NO disrespect the lard-ass six-feet under. The Pipeline People knew Alex, Fat
Alex as the co-worker force preferred in disrespect and sometimes referred to
as “Two Chairs”, yes a bible-thumping two-chairs in width man-about-town doing
the best things so conservatively, that also excelled in “Nepotism. Look, that
bull-crap about his leadership, “the good years”, only if sonny boy Chris and
in the “Club”! What “good years” and only in truth if one believed “Nepotism”
was good for morale, there was ZERO leadership from Fat Alex, especially in the
years around the mid-80s. Please let me
elaborate as to why no such “leadership in management” existed, when Fat Alex was
the “Pipeline Superintendent”. First and foremost, his son was being promoted
faster then blowflies gathering on caribou dung in the heat of the Alaskan
midnight sun solstice. And at that same time, this guy who had the highest
technical approval rating 8-years in a row, well because of my “vocal” Union activities
in Valdez I was being shown the door. That son of “Two-Chairs” and myself, we
started working for the company at the same time. See, I was a known and labeled
as a vocal “Union” supporter, engaging such interest in efforts to get rid of the
bigots and drunk tanker crews that were getting away with “murder” because
Alyeska’s management held out with a “boys will be boys” attitude in inaction, so
I was being targeted for giving a “hoot”. Yes, bigots and drunks roaming about
the Valdez Terminal having a heyday. And it was no different up and down the
pipeline, according to reliable sources. But I was a valued added employee that
Alyeska couldn’t just “Terminate” - as I held the blessing from the Owner
Company. See, Alyeska was a “Fake” like company, it was a consortium of the “Big
Oil” players in Alaska - like British Petroleum and SOHIO and ARCO, very
powerful companies to say the least and designed as an entity that could thwart
off any “anti-trust” litigation interest from outside interference. So Alyeska
was a cover, a convenient front. That “added value” I boast, with letters of accommodation
from the Owner Company representatives, it offered some semblance of
protection, for a time being. And I was also considered an expert in “Custody Transfer”
by the ARCO Measurement Auditors while I was assigned to Valdez. Custody what?
It is the technical term for accurate measurement of the oil for “ownership
right” consistent with the measurement motto by the Owner Company; “If
you can’t measure it don’t pump it.” So the Number One priority for
Alyeska as “Operator” of the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline was in the “measurement
accuracy” for accounting purposes, which besides the $money$ aspect of the “Black
Gold”, that “accuracy” was part of the pipeline wide “Leak Detection” criteria
- a condition to operate. Without a “Leak Detection” system in good health, the
State of Alaska “Permit to Operate” said shut it down! And when the “Custody
Transfer” systems at Pump Station 1 were found to be “fudged” and
out-of-control while under the responsibility of Fat Alex, well the “Owner
Company” auditors said get it fixed. Now since the executive seat warmers
within the Alyeska organization were usually reserved for “Owner Company
Loanees”, someone on the 5th Floor of Bragaw said get another
department to take over the pipeline’s measurement mess, and that was a black
eye for the Fat Man and the “Custody Transfer” was soon under the auspices of a
non-Pipeline department - which was bad for Fat Alex, as for once a piece of
the pipeline was out of his domain “bible thumping” control which he despised. And
I found a new home up at Pump Station 1, taking care of what Alex failed at. I
was hated by the local Peacock management, like another kind of discrimination
by Alex and his cohort in shame managers. But I took the challenge and in a few
months things were straightened out, the “Owner Company” once again content
they were getting their money’s worth in oil. But Alyeska was using me and it
would only be a matter of time as “once a Union supporter always a Union supporter”
and I was being spied on, by a “snitch” that had a front row seat with Alyeska’s
Human resources - to monitor my “Union” affiliation and attempts to continue to
“unionize” the pipeline workers.
And soon after all was well with the “Custody
Transfer”, Alex wanted it back and the only way that would happen or could happen
with the Owner Company blessings, if I was to transfer from the SCADA to the
Pipeline, to become one of Fat Alex’s whores. I refused, then it was forced
upon me so “Take this job and shove it” was my only reward. There was no way I
would work for a man that thought his son was worthy of “Daddy Dearest Nepotism”
and promoted to un-deserving positions, when others more worthy and dedicated capable
of accepting challenging positions in a career move bypassed. And since the drive to “unionize” the workers
due Alyeska’s front line attack against a “Union”, well the bigots and drunks
continued to run rampant and on March 24th in 1989, Joe Hazelwood binge
parked his tanker on Bligh Reef!
And one night after midnight while I was in
my bunk at the pumping station camp and somewhat sound asleep, a knock at the
door! Now due my responsibilities to maintain that “Custody Transfer”, it was
not unusual that I would get called out in the middle of the night to fix a
problem as my position was “on call”. But when I opened the door, in a somewhat
quiet camp wherein things can go without a challenge and un-noticed, it was “Double
Wide Oval” in a flimsy negligee…WTF? That is what she was nicknamed by the
station workers. WTF again! And when the crew change plane landed in Anchorage
a few days after that event and I was met by my wife and baby, this “blimp”
came by and said “thanks for the good time” and I had to explain to my wife
that nothing went on. But it did not look good nor did it sound good. And I
would come to find out that filing a complaint with the local management this
non-affair was no different then what I had come accustomed to in Valdez - that
boys will be…I mean whores will be whores!
But before signing off, Alyeska engaged in “preferential
treatment” border line “discrimination” with the workers, especially the “contract
workers” hired for projects. Maybe not an act identifiable as a bonafide discrimination
in segregation, just the “mindset” places Alyeska in a vulnerable position that
it practiced “prejudice” because it could get away with it. I was also witness
to that “preference” when I was working for Siemens and because of my past
affiliation with Alyeska, I was assigned to be part of the Siemens “Team” for
the Alyeska Strategic Reconfiguration Project in early 2000s. After I had quit
my affiliation with Alyeska as a “direct”. Now when this re-assignment came
about, as I was more interested in work back east because I could spend the
after work hours at Bukowski’s “Dead Writers” pub and not worry about “Double
Wide Oval” whores bothering my peace and quiet, well I made damn sure I was part
of the contract negotiations with Alyeska. And I made sure of two all important
things. Hazardous duty pay upgrades and when at a Pump Station camp, single
room status as the guys I would be working with from UK, heavy snoring was par
for the course. Now when we were deployed to Pump Station 4 as the first
station to get the major upgrade, I was a day behind my crew and when I showed
up, they informed me that my room was in Man Camp “D”. That means the “camp”
wherein screens have big holes and allows hordes of mosquitoes to follow that
sounds of snoring - then a blood fest commences. See, most of my crew was from
UK, the reason there came such prejudice. The camp manager was a total douche bag, so I
went along with his Fat Alex game and scarfed up the keys for my room, “D” camp
and its dilapidated construction camp history, hot and dingy smelled of “fromunder”
mold. This I would not put up with, so I told the crew to assemble in the shop
area that was reserved for our work, we set up bunks and stayed there all night
long. Why? Because we would remain on the clock until such time Alyeska abided
by the contract - single room status. So it took about a week before all hell
broke loose, when we gave the Alyeska project manager our time logs, as it was
about to cost Alyeska an arm and a leg for this abuse upon contractors - it
was like having “Union” representation!
Cha-ching! The bottom line, when a management mindset finds it is better off to
use resources to go after “Union Supporters” and at the same time the bigots
and drunks are allowed on the loose…
Alyeska’s Pride in Prejudice - Maggie’s Farm Revisited; My back pages, bringing it all back home.
End-of My Line!
