US oil industry, union return to talks as strike looms
US oil industry representative and union negotiators entered extended talks on a new contract Monday as the threat of a nationwide strike loomed.
The contract covering 24,000 employees at the oil majors and independent refiners expired at 12:01 am Sunday.
Shell, representing the oil industry, and the United Steelworkers union agreed to extend the talks on a rolling 24-hour basis.
"Both parties have returned to the bargaining table," Lynne Baker, a spokeswoman for the United Steelworkers union, told AFP in a phone interview.
The union has authorized a strike if the effort to hammer out a three-year contract fails.
Baker said a nationwide strike would affect 64 percent of US oil capacity. Strike action would idle 24,000 union members at 74 facilities, including refineries, petrochemical terminals and and plants.
In addition to Shell, the union represents employees at a number of major and independent companies, including Exxon Mobil, Chevron, BP, ConocoPhillips, Valero and Lyondell Chemical.
The national-level negotiations are focused on the national pattern on wages, benefits and working conditions, Baker said. The national contract establishes minimums for local contracts.
The United Steelworkers union represents about 30,000 petroleum industry workers in refineries, petrochemical plants, oil terminals, fields and pipelines.
The other 6,000 members work under different contracts, among other situations, she said.
The contract negotiations are being held in Austin, Texas, a source close to the matter said.
Copyright 2009 AFP American Edition
