BP Does Not Pay 500 Fishermen and Gives no Explanation

[Robbien]

Source: New Orleans Hearst Television/WDSU-TV.

Over five hundred fisherman stretching from Lake Charles to Moss Point, Mississippi were very unhappy yesterday, as BP did not send them their promised payment for work they have done. They were supposed to receive checks from BP, but did not.

Wednesday night, their lawyer wanted answers.

Jeffrey Briet represents more than 500 fishermen, and he said the payment system he set up with BP required his clients to be paid every 30 days. Now that process has suddenly changed without warning, Briet said.

"Not only did they spring it on us that the process has changed, but the people I've been dealing with for six weeks who've done a good job said, 'We don't know what the process is going to be. We're not authorized to talk to you about it. Someone from BP will contact you,'" he said.

Read more: http://www.wdsu.com/mostpopular/24178322/detail.html

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from:
http://www.huliq.com/10017/bps-non-payment-fisherman-comes-no-surprise

It somehow seems that many people from day one of the Gulf oil spill crisis have been getting similar responses from BP when it comes to non-payment or questions about BP's intent for oil spill clean-up. When BP does not want to answer a question, they simply say, "Someone from BP will contact you." This response has become infuriating for many who know they will never be receiving any promised phone calls back from BP.

Just as expected, Briet said that he hasn't heard from BP or its lawyers since he contacted them in regards to the non-payment to the fishermen he legally represents. This has come as no surprise to anyone.

[Poll_Blind]

1. Nungesser (sp?) was talking about similar situations a week or two ago.

I would normally think it's just "red tape" but...

:shrug:

PB

[Robbien]

4. I expect it has more to do with outsourcing than red tape

BP doesn't pay the bills, they contracted it out. That contractor brags about its payment procedure, to minimize actual payouts for its client.

It uses the standard health insurance ruse, deny all claims the first time they come in the door and subsequently make the claimant jump through hoop after hoop for so long they get tired and go away.

[Poll_Blind]

8. Ah, that makes more sense and I'm embarassed I didn't think of it.

Indeed.

PB

[LaurenG]

2. Woah BP really can't afford not to pay people what they've been promised

they would be wise to fix that right away.

[katandmoon]

5. Yes they can. Just like Exxon did.

[CountAllVotes]

7. that is the truth

probably BP never intended to pay anyone. They had figured this would be over with by now and it will NEVER be over with! :mad:

FUCK YOU BRITISH PETROLEUM!

:kick:

[LaurenG]

9. hum

I am hoping that they are paid quickly. How demoralizing.

[toppertwot]

18. BP PAY?

BP has been draging their feet on this clean up since day one! They will pay out and do as little as possible until the USA taxpayers are forced to socialize this disaster, and pay the bills for BP! Another deal - just like the socialized banksters of Wall Street. The American people were 100 to 1 against giving our tax dollars to the banksters - so, what did the Congress do? Our duly elected nearly broke their arms shoveling out our tax dollars to the banksters!! SOCIALIZE THE LOSES, BUT PRIVITIZE THE GAINS!!! THE AMERICAN WAY OF FREE ENTERPRIZE!!!

[Mimosa]

22. BP definitely has a strategy.

It may be what you say, Topper.

[KansDem]

3. Let's see...when I miss a payment I start getting calls...

Hello?

May I speak with Tony Hayward, please?

What can I do for you?

First, I want to inform you that this call may be monitored for quality purposes. We notice you missed a payment...can you pay this today?

Uh, no...

When can you pay it and may I ask why you fell behind...?

Oh, and be sure to have Mr. Hayward verify all of his information on file (for security purposes, of course), including address, phone, last four of his SS, etc...

[SoFlaJet]

6. Not only that KD...

but you should see what happens to people who disturb or try to steal eggs from sea turtle's nests. They are carted right off to jail and BP gets away with this.

[ArcticFox]

12. He should be verifying his prisoner number

[Javaman]

Like stalin said...

kill one person it's murder, kill a million it's a statistic.

BP can hold off paying people as long as they want. They don't care.

[FiveGoodMen]

10. It really is time for pitchforks and torches

Round up the villagers.

[bdamomma]

11. for sure, BP only cares about BP.

fcuk them.

[U4ikLefty]

32. "fcuk" them??? I know it was probably a typo, but it made me laugh.

I guess I needed the chuckle after this story & the Oscar Grant verdict.

I may use that one like "teh" is used.

[freebrew]

19. Pitchforks and torches?

What about those tea-party, second amendment solutions? Or is that right reserved only for neo-cons?

[FiveGoodMen]

28. Whatever gets the job done.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[barbtries]

13. they don't give a shit

if the people lose everything, give up, and move away. this is so frustrating. i really feel for the people caught in this catastrophe.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Robbien.

[Edweird]

15. Is anyone surprised by this?

[DesertFlower]

16. the check is in the mail.

:sarcasm:

[hayu_lol]

17. I feel sorry for all the boat owners...

many of whom will have boat payments to make, crew wages to pay, and an astronomical fuel bill to pay. The fuel points who are carrying all the fuel costs during the proceeding 30 days. And, of course, all the bills of the families themselves.

During this period, Tony the jerk, bought himself a nice new Spanish Mansion summer place to get away from it all.

This guy needs to be frog-marched through NOLA and every town/port to the east.

[Mimosa]

21. The poverty and despair this will cause is terrible

The government is not doing enough.

[gratuitous]

20. Tony Hayward can't go yachting AND pay his bills

So, guess where BP's money is going to go.

[valerief]

23. They'll pay them. When they're dead. How can they get away with it? They own our courts. nt

[crim son]

24. Wasn't BP threatening to deny claims to fishermen who refused

to help the cleanup? Rawstory has something on this: http://rawstory.com/rs/2010/0706/whistleblower-bp-deducts-relief-payments-fishermen-refuse-aid-gulf-cleanup/

Incredible to think that they aren't paying the employees they have. Well no, not incredible, just incredibly evil.

[reggie the dog]

25. this kind of shit

just well may drive people to shooting bp executives

[reggie the dog]

26. why is there a banner ad for Republican Pat Toomey on this page?

Hell we catch flack for saying we think Nader is on the right path yet there in an ad for "less government with Pat Toomey for senate in Pennsylvania

[katty]

27. not surprised, BP is doing the FU to everyone

[Odin2005]

30. So now BP are thieves, too.

:puke:

[hedgehog]

31. With all due respect to all the hard working accountants out there,

I find this delay rather typical of an accounting department asked to do anything out of the ordinary. For example, for years my husband worked through one or two weeks of his vacation because although he scheduled it in January, something always came up that ensured he had to work those weeks. The accounting department took years to figure out how to pay him in lieu of vacation time!

I'm not saying BP isn't being shitty, I'm just saying they aren't being abnormally shitty!