The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers has faulted British Petroleum for ordering the use of low-cost repair facilities in China to modify critical safety equipment on the Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to The Observer, BP ordered the use of an unnamed Chinese repair facility to overhaul the rig's blow-out preventer, a device that subsequently failed and led to the worst environment disaster in U.S. history.
"High-quality machining within extremely high tolerances is what American Machinists take pride in doing on a daily basis," said IAM President Tom Buffenbarger. "News that British Petroleum sent the most critical piece of its blow-out preventer to China for overhaul comes as no surprise. Companies like BP consistently — and erroneously — equate cheaper with better."