Thread regarding Imperial Oil Limited layoffs

Where is John Whelan?

After announcing major layoffs and the transfer of operations from Calgary to Edmonton, John Whelan has been completely absent. No follow-up email, no public address, and not even a presence in supervisor forums to discuss the impacts of the decision. Employees are left in uncertainty, while leadership has gone silent. It’s disappointing to see the person responsible for these major organizational changes disappear from view. Maybe he is busy setting up that "advocacy office" in Calgary....


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Post ID: @OP+1k806965a

26 replies (most recent on top)

@pb Yeah Kearl has such a positive work culture they almost had a union in there.

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Post ID: @11p+1k806965a

@sk yes low IQ management bred by ExxonMobil. You are right.

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Post ID: @11n+1k806965a

He is partying with the ACE!!

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Post ID: @tr+1k806965a

@pb Imperials work culture has never been positive. It was a cult that the inept clung to. Chant your useless slogans and do your stretches, stop and thinks and any other completely mo--nic waste of time and money yourself. It should run as lean as possible with competent people but it won't. It will run lean with low IQ management running it into the ground with whatever remains until it's gone. People like you are the reason this company has gone this route.

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Post ID: @sk+1k806965a

Canadian Axe Man….clearly setting himself up for a promotion.

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Post ID: @q3+1k806965a

Exxon has more bureaucracy and fat than Imperial. Too many overpaid people making work that shouldn’t even exist and enslaving workers in the process. Assets like Kearl are great examples where you can have a decently positive work culture and accomplish great things business results at the same time.

Exxon should learn from Imperial, but they’re too arrogant

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Post ID: @pb+1k806965a

@dp Prior to the ExxonMobil merger, Imperial was considered a "region" within Exxon and had relative autonomy in running its affairs with mind and management in Canada. Then, with a bad audit of the branded associate business things started unraveling. ExxonMobil stepped in. Even by their own standards they found Imperial's bureaucracy stiffiling. Here we are now being run by remote control.

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Post ID: @n0+1k806965a

@je Tim Hearn made his big bucks by moving the head-office from Toronto to Calgary. Again, following his masters' orders. What else did he accomplish?

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Post ID: @mz+1k806965a

When Sarnia research closure was announced in May 2024, it was XOM that made the announcement, and then two XOM managers came up to discuss (where they explicitly referred to Sarnia and Calgary Research as being XOM facilities).
Brad Corson sent a company-wide email. That was the extent of communication from IOL. Not a word and zero acknowledgement from the DS VP that has responsibility for the facility.

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Post ID: @m4+1k806965a

Corporate separateness sounds like an empty phrase now. The last Canadian CEO of Imperial Oil was Tim Hearn (2002–2008), and had hoped that having another Canadian leader again might bring a renewed sense of accountability and stability. Instead, it’s disheartening to see the storm arrive so quickly — it feels like a real betrayal.

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Post ID: @je+1k806965a

He actually showed up today for the Diwali event at QP. Photo op with some employees and it’s now posted on social media. Another lame attempt to show that DE&I exist in this company.

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Post ID: @jb+1k806965a

In Houston under a desk

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Post ID: @j6+1k806965a

@OP If you whisper "I want to keep my RSUs!" three times in a mirror, he may appear :)

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Post ID: @j3+1k806965a

@fk then make a complaint to the regulators and quit whining.

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Post ID: @he+1k806965a

Corporate Separateness is a myth at imperial.
Not sure how legally Exxon gets away with it.
Not good for Canada and not good for Canadians.

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Post ID: @fk+1k806965a

@df Once upon a time we run like a seperate company.

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Post ID: @dp+1k806965a

Reminding a room full of people somewhere that IOL doesn’t do layoffs

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Post ID: @df+1k806965a

In Houston kissing the ring.....not on the finger.

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Post ID: @d6+1k806965a

Obviously keeping a low profile, because he can’t answer the tough questions

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Post ID: @d1+1k806965a

@OP he's probably just rolling around in his bed, in a blanket of RSUs.

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Post ID: @ct+1k806965a

@cm its been NK with someone from HR and a rotating MC member in the supervisor sessions previous weeks. Those are wrapped up now.

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Post ID: @cr+1k806965a

if he's not in the supervisor sessions, who's leading them? HR?

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Post ID: @cm+1k806965a

He needs a break from laying off so many people. Got to save up his energy for the next round of layoff, but first, need to call his boss Satin.

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Post ID: @ch+1k806965a

Who is John Galt?

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Post ID: @c6+1k806965a

They did say that there would be a silent period of Nov and Dec. I didn’t expect anything different and be sure the company will take care and make f you! Yep sarcasm. HR take note!

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Post ID: @bx+1k806965a

lol dude get over it; he’s not into you.

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Post ID: @be+1k806965a

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