(Reuters) - In five days of negotiations for a new
three-year contract covering hourly workers at 63 U.S. refineries, the United
Steelworkers union (USW) has sent only messages of frustration to its members.
Twitter messages on Friday and Saturday said one industry
offer had been rejected and the talks with lead industry negotiator Royal Dutch
Shell Plc were moving slowly.
On Sunday, the union said its members were being angered
by the actions by some oil companies in talks over local issues.
"Anger builds by USW members as oil companies play
games at local tables," read Sunday's message.
The negotiations underway between the USW and Shell are
to reach a national agreement that sets a floor on pay and benefits along with
some other issues for USW members.
At each refinery, the local union and plant managers
negotiate on questions specific to that location. The national agreement and
local agreement are put together to make a contract at an individual refinery.
For its part, Shell said it thought a deal was possible
before the current contract expires at 12:01 local time on Feb. 1.
"We remain optimistic that a mutually satisfactory
agreement can be negotiated with the USW," Shell spokesman Ray Fisher said
on Saturday night.
At least five contract proposals were rejected before an
agreement was reached in 2012 on the current contract. The 2012 agreement was
reached just hours before the contract was set to expire.
USW International Vice President Gary Beevers, who is the
union's lead negotiator, does have authority to call a strike if a new
agreement is not reached.
The union and refiners have made preparations for a
possible work stoppage.
The Steelworkers are seeking annual pay raises double
those of the last agreement. The union also wants work given to non-union
contractors to go to USW members, a tighter policy to prevent fatigue, and
reductions in members' out-of-pocket payments for healthcare. [See FACTBOX
ID:nL1N0V5028]
Source: Reuters
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