Bloggers Leak BP's Press Blockade Documents
Well, this was bound to happen: BP's iron-clad confidentiality agreements have been obtained and leaked by bloggers. This comes on the heels of a memo written by BP that made its way to the press earlier a few weeks ago, where the oil giant compared its workers to the Three Little Pigs. 
Via UNC-Chapel Hill's blog Powering a Nation, a memo that comes out after BP has continues to deny blocking press access to the oil spill disaster detailing how BP kept their press lines in check wouldn't look so great on the company. Of course, what does these days? Naturally, this exists:
BP required workers employed in the Vessels of Opportunity program and other programs to sign a contract. The Vessels of Opportunity contract put fishermen at risk of losing their job, which is their only form of income, if they speak with the media.The contract included a clause prohibiting them and their deckhands from making "news releases, marketing presentation, or any other public statements" while working on the clean-up. It also included an additional section titled "Agreement Regarding Proprietary and Confidential Information," which states that workers cannot disclose "Data" gathered while on the job, including "plans," "reports," "information" and "etc."
And of course, Powering a Nation has wonderful scans of the memo, like this:
Via Powering a Nation.
This comes on the same day BP was busted downplaying the health concerns of and for the BP spill disaster cleanup crews, and BP CEO Tony Hayward telling the press that he'd "like his life back," which is about on par with the rest of the sensitive nature of his comments concerning all of this. So, really, business as usual.
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