Gov. Mary Fallin, Mayor Dewey Barlett and Tulsa Chamber of Commerce officials are in New York Friday, trying to stop Tulsa-based Williams Companies from moving 1,000 jobs out of the state as part of its merger with Energy Transfer Equity.
The group is meeting with Williams board chair Mike Neal. Fallin said they’re trying to convince him they want those jobs in Oklahoma.
“We're certainly a very positive state when it comes to appreciating the energy sector and what it does for our economy,” Fallin said. “We've got a great workforce. We've got a low cost of doing business and a great quality of life in Tulsa."
Fallin said she does not expect a final answer today, and it’s just a step in a long process. The two companies announced the merger last year, and they’re currently locked in a legal battle over alleged preferential treatment for ETE investors.
A recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing indicates Dallas-based ETE plans to either eliminate most of Williams’ operations, or move them to Texas.
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