Union? Yes!

Workers on Alaska's North Slope Refuse to Be Left Out in the Cold

Bryan Goode has worked on the oil fields of Alaska's North Slope for 35 years, braving some of the most extreme weather conditions and embracing one of the most unorthodox work schedules on the planet to provide a better life for himself and his family.

Goode and his co-workers on the ConocoPhillips fields, north of the Arctic Circle, put in 12- to 18-hour shifts, often in whiteout conditions and wind-chill temperatures that can reach 100 degrees below zero.

"It's a very austere environment. There's very little to do there but work," Goode said. "When we're at work, that's pretty much all we're focused on."

It's clear that the workers on the North Slope are committed to their jobs. But when ConocoPhillips began cutting wages, slashing benefits and eliminating positions, the workers there decided they'd seen enough. So they mounted an organizing drive that united about 270 workers across a handful of remote sites.

The result was clear. The workers voted by a landslide in February to become Steelworkers. A National Labor Relations Board official called the vote a "blowout."

"We had a full level of commitment," Goode said. "There was no turning back from this."

'Work, Eat, Sleep'

The weather isn't the only uncommon issue the workers on the North Slope face. They don't put in traditional 40-hour weeks with weekends to spend with their families and friends, either. They are on the job for two to three weeks at a time at remote drilling sites, cut off not only from loved ones but from many other creature comforts.

"It's work, eat, sleep, and that's it," said member Will Kholeif. "You can't get away from it."

Time off also comes in two- to three-week increments, leading many who work on the ConocoPhillips fields to live in other states. Goode, for example, lives in Seattle, about an 1,800-mile flight away from his workplace. Some live even farther away.

"It's certainly not for everybody. We spend half of our lives away from our loved ones," Goode said. "But the payback from that is that it affords us this really beautiful time off."

Kholeif lives in Anchorage, closer to the North Slope than Goode and most of his other co-workers, but still more than 500 miles away.

"The idea of working in extreme places has always appealed to me," said Kholeif, a native of Texas. "But what has kept me here is that I work with absolute professionals."

Test of Solidarity

Those union professionals had their solidarity tested in 2024, when ConocoPhillips, already making profits in the billions, decided to start cutting pay and benefits. Then, the company, in the midst of global corporate cost-cutting, began laying off highly skilled workers - employees that Goode and Kholeif said were the best at their jobs.

"It really felt inappropriate to prioritize shareholder needs above their employees," Goode said. "The single greatest asset that any company has is its employees."

The unnecessary cuts meant a smaller workforce was being asked to do more, which presented safety concerns and put even more pressure on a group of workers already facing extreme conditions.

"It can be overwhelming; sometimes you feel like there's not a minute of your day over which you have any say," said Kholeif, a 15-year employee.

The ConocoPhillips workers knew that the USW already represented about 300 members at Hilcorp drilling sites on the North Slope. They got in touch with Local 4959 President Dustin Every, Recording Secretary Jesse Legner and staff representative Derek Swanson, who helped them get the ball rolling on becoming USW members.

"It became evident to everybody that the cuts they were making were only the beginning," Kholeif said. "The company decided to value their bottom line over our safety and their relationship with us."

When workers took their concerns directly to ConocoPhillips management, they were met with responses that amounted to "feel free to find work elsewhere," they said.

"We decided to go a different route," Kholeif said.

Unique Challenges

The workers on the North Slope decided to use the power of their solidarity. They were determined to fight back, but doing so came with a number of challenges - some common and others extremely rare.

"There was a lot of fear; people didn't want to talk about it," Kholeif said, noting that some workers were afraid they would be next on the company chopping block.

"I'd rather have the company fire me for trying to pull this off than to lay down and do nothing," Goode said.

Union organizers also faced significant logistical issues just getting their messages out to co-workers. In-person meetings were out of the question, and even online discussions would be difficult.

"Everything is very scattered and segmented," Kholeif explained. "Not everyone is here at the same time, and it's impossible to ever get everyone together. And when we do get off shift, we're not all going home to the same place."

Online Connections

Kholeif and others worked hard to build an online home for the workers where they could share their thoughts on why they needed a union. They created a secure website and blog that allowed them to reach out to each other at whatever time was convenient for them.

"It was a team effort," Kholeif said. "It helped us get a tailored message to the people that we wanted to talk to, give people a chance to share their stories and communicate, and use that to help people build up their courage."

Even the signing of union cards was unorthodox - by using electronic signatures, organizers reached 70 percent of the work force in a matter of weeks.

"The resolve and determination that these workers showed, in the face of fear and unprecedented obstacles, should serve as an example for every other worker who wants to join a union," said District 12 Director Gaylan Prescott, whose region includes Alaska and 10 other western states. "The North Slope workers wouldn't let anything stop them, and they should be very proud of this win, the first of many collective achievements that are sure to follow."

Now, the workers are using the same communication and mobilization methods that led them to a historic organizing victory as they begin bargaining their first contract.

"These folks are my family, and I really felt like my entire career on the slope led me to this moment," Kholeif said. "As working people, we wield remarkable power, the power to band together and seize control of our own futures."