The United Steelworkers Union announced that it is calling for a work stoppage at the following US refineries:

  • LyondellBasell in Houston, TX;
  • Marathon Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, TX;
  • Marathon Houston Green Cogeneration facility, Texas City, TX;
  • Marathon Refinery, Catlettsburg, Ky;
  • Shell Deer Park Refinery, Deer Park, TX;
  • Shell Deer Park Chemical Plant, Deer Park, TX;
  • Tesoro Anacortes Refinery, Anacortes, Wash.;
  • Tesoro Martinez Refinery, Martinez, Calif.; and
  • Tesoro Carson Refinery, Carson, Calif.

All these refineries will went on strike Feb. 1 at 12:01 am local time.

“Shell [which is negotiating on behalf of the refiners] refused to provide us with a counter-offer and left the bargaining table,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “We had no choice but to give notice of a work stoppage.”

The remaining USW-represented refineries and oil facilities are operating under a rolling 24-hour contract extension. The USW represents 65 U.S. refineries and over 230 refineries, oil terminals, pipelines and petrochemical facilities in the U.S.

“We told Shell that we were willing to continue bargaining for a fair agreement that would benefit the workers and the industry, but they just refused to return to the table,” said USW International Vice President Gary Beevers, who heads the union’s National Oil Bargaining Program.

“This work stoppage is about onerous overtime; unsafe staffing levels; dangerous conditions the industry continues to ignore; the daily occurrences of fires, emissions, leaks and explosions that threaten local communities without the industry doing much about it; the industry’s refusal to make opportunities for workers in the trade crafts; the flagrant contracting out that impacts health and safety on the job; and the erosion of our workplace, where qualified and experienced union workers are replaced by contractors when they leave or retire,” Beevers added.

The USW rejected Shell Oil Company’s last offer. It was the company’s fifth offer to the union. Shell is the lead company for the National Oil Bargaining talks. National negotiations focus on establishing a pattern on wages, benefits and working conditions. Local union and unit negotiations focus on local issues at the particular facility.