C45

1s [SPEAKER_00]
I know it's a lot of vowels in it, but... Tongan.

14s Yeah, Tongan.

16s What's your local?

19s The local three.

21s Operators, engineers.

23s [SPEAKER_01]
Where do you live?

24s [SPEAKER_00]
I live in Antioch, California.

30s .

30s Over here, so we do forklift support, grade off support.

35s We also have some, they have some type of dirt equipment here.

38s They got some backhoes, large mini excavators.

41s We also use skippies, front loaders, whatever the job is needed when it comes to us, we will come there and perform, right?

51s And I believe that's why I'm still here, right?

54s I bring value to

57s , the place, the refinery I'm working at, and I bring value to myself when I do that, right?

61s So, and it keeps me working.

62s And as long as I feel like I stay on top of my game, I could, you know, hopefully I can stay longer than normal.

71s I enjoy it.

73s Every day is something different, something new.

76s It's not the typical nine to five where you walk in and sit at the office, keyboard and type.

83s I don't know.

83s For me, I've done it.

84s I've done security.

86s I've done a lot of other stuff.

89s But this right here, I mean, it's refreshing.

93s I feel like it's worth my time.

96s And I feel time is like of the essence.

98s So if it's not worth it, do I do it?

101s And for some odd reason, I've been in here for about seven years with my locals.

105s So I'm enjoying it right now still, right?

109s You proud of the work you do here?

110s Oh, yeah.

111s Got to.

112s I feel like if you're not proud of your work, then maybe it's not the right trade or the craft you're in, right?

118s [SPEAKER_01]
What have you heard about the future of refineries?

122s [SPEAKER_00]
It's the future of refineries in California.

124s I just know that there's two refineries closing down.

126s I stated earlier, I did meet a fellow brother out there at the hall at the headquarters at Ranch Marietta.

135s , he was there for ten years.

137s You know, the story is he's been there for ten years, you know, he's been doing it, loving it, and now it's about to close down.

144s Unfortunately for him, you know, he's going to have to go back to do some refreshers to help out and, you know, iron sharpen iron and kind of get back into the trade again and get into the world that we know as the field.

157s I don't know, man.

158s I just know coming from companies that's been closed down with a lot of old timers, like if you're in this game for ten, fifteen years, what are you going to do after, right?

168s If all you know is this specific type of field you were working in, it's hard.

173s It's hard to adjust.

175s It's hard to get that interview.

177s It's hard for the people to make ends meet already, but now you're about to close this down.

182s I just feel bad for them.

186s [SPEAKER_01]
What do you think it does to a family when that gets laid off?

188s [SPEAKER_00]
It's a lot.

189s Especially if you're the breadwinner and you're working.

192s It's hard to have two working people in the household.

197s If you have kids especially, right?

199s You got kids to take care of.

200s You got the bills.

201s They don't stop.

204s Hunger is not going to stop.

205s Food on the table, warmth over...

207s , over the kids, over your wife, your son, your husband.

211s It's just, I don't know, it takes a big toll.

213s And if you've never been in that position, I pray and I hope, you know, that the best outcome happens for them, but it takes a real big toll on the people.

225s [SPEAKER_01]
Do you think these refineries create good jobs?

229s [SPEAKER_00]
I think they create a really great job, great atmosphere.

233s I feel like

238s I feel like what it creates is hope for the next woman or male to come in new and learn something different.

247s You know, the refinery is a whole different beast, a whole different ballgame.

251s And to get into this field for X amount of years and to close them down, it's kind of hard to adjust because you've been around beeping noises, hazard signs, you know, and every day is a danger zone, you know.

266s .

267s It could be as easy as going in, but it could be just as bad if something happens and explodes.

272s You know, every day everyone risks their life for it, right?

277s [SPEAKER_01]
Do you think these refineries are good for these communities?

279s [SPEAKER_00]
I feel like it's a great thing for the community.

281s It brings more working jobs for the next woman or male.

287s It brings next hope for their kids.

288s I know a lot of people that have generations of family that have been here.

292s It's sad stories when you hear something like that, unfortunately, that's going to happen out there in LA and Benicia.

302s Unfortunately, that's the reality that California is going to have to deal with now.

307s [SPEAKER_01]
, what are we going to do with this now, how are we going to deal and help these people get back on their feet.

321s [SPEAKER_00]
I don't know.

324s I'm not a mayor.

328s I don't know the whole money situation, finances of what happens there.

333s But last time I checked, Vallejo was the first city in California to go bankrupt.

338s I don't know.

359s [SPEAKER_01]
Do you think, so there's a conversation in Sacramento that we should just be bringing in refined fuel from other countries, you know, and there happens to be a war now in many of those countries.

374s What do you think about that plan?

377s [SPEAKER_00]
, why, when we already have it here?

381s You know, what they say is a golden state.

383s This is the gold mine.

384s Why would you want to go somewhere else when you already have it?

387s I'm not saying that it's broken.

388s There is some fixing that needs to be done.

392s But why would you want to go outsource this when you got everything here that you need?

397s The tools is here.

398s You just need to come down here and see it for yourself.

400s See the people.

401s I don't know.

402s I just feel like people need to come and have a reality check and come down to the people, see what we do for a living, and see if you're willing to go out and tell that person, you know what, I think time was up.

424s Don't tell me.

425s Tell it to the old timers that, you know, that's...

429s I'm almost there to retire, but don't have enough credit yet.

431s And then now they have to go look for another job.

434s Like I said, this is an interesting field of being.

437s It's kind of hard to put on the resume that you were working in the hazard area your whole life.

442s Now I'm trying to get a security job or work somewhere else.

446s It's hard.

447s It's hard out here.

450s [SPEAKER_01]
Now I'm going to ask you just to say some things.

453s Yeah.

456s To repeat after me to the extent you're comfortable.

458s We keep your commute affordable.

465s [SPEAKER_00]
We keep your commute affordable.

472s We make it better and cleaner in California.

480s We should make it in California.

487s I was just saying you're a superstar.

504s Keep our jobs in California.

507s [SPEAKER_01]
When a California refinery closes, every family pays for it.

514s When a California refinery closes, every family pays for it.

518s [SPEAKER_00]
When a refinery in California closes, every family closes off.

530s When a refinery in California closes, every family pays for it.

539s [SPEAKER_01]
With more refineries closed, we will lose thousands of more jobs.

544s How will California make up these laws?

547s Put it in your own words.

549s Just say something like that.

551s [SPEAKER_00]
Say that again?

552s The question?

552s [SPEAKER_01]
If more refineries close, we will lose thousands of more jobs.

556s How is California going to make that up?

558s [SPEAKER_00]
It's be ready for the people that's going to go to welfare.

562s Be ready for the people that's going to be on cash aid, food stamps, Medicaid.

568s Don't complain when it does happen.

570s You know what I mean?

571s Don't sit there and be like, why is California, why are Californians so big in the welfare department again?

579s Why are there so many people on the

582s , on cash aid and food stamps again.

585s Why are these people, why are these kids on Medicaid?

587s We have good benefits here.

589s You know what I mean?

590s And that's just for me.

591s And I'm just one person versus the whole other staff and the whole crew and the whole companies and refinery.

598s If California is ready to take that burden back on, so be it.

602s It's sad, but good luck.

604s It's above my pay grade.

605s I just hope the best for everybody, man.

611s [SPEAKER_01]
I power California.

615s [SPEAKER_00]
I power California.

618s I power California.

622s I power California.

623s Right on, right on.