L.A. County supervisors seek aid for hundreds of workers affected by Phillips 66 refinery closure

With a major oil refinery in Wilmington and Carson scheduled to close next year, Los Angeles County officials are looking to shore up resources for hundreds of workers who will be left without jobs. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a motion Tuesday asking county staff to work with local partners such as the city of Los Angeles and the South Bay Workforce Investment Board to develop a plan to provide hiring fairs, training and other job placement resources for affected workers. Supervisor Janice Hahn said at the meeting that more than half of the affected workforce is Latino and that their ranks include skilled workers such as operators, welders, engineers and safety compliance experts who would bring “years of specialized training and certifications” to other jobs. Supervisors Hahn and Holly Mitchell introduced the motion, which also asks various departments to identify career pathways for “hard to hire” skilled trade positions within the county.