Oil companies, union hold new talks on U.S. refinery worker contract – Reuters

Oil companies, union hold new talks on U.S. refinery worker contract – Reuters

HOUSTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Union and energy company negotiators met on Tuesday to settle terms on a new labor contract covering 30,000 U.S. workers at oil refineries, chemical plants and pipelines.

Marathon Petroleum (MPC.N) and the United Steelworkers union (USW) on Monday averted a potential strike by agreeing to a 24-hour rolling extension of the existing contract a half-hour before a strike deadline. The decision came after the union rejected a 3-year deal that Marathon called its final offer. read more

The offer was a "comprehensive final settlement," said Marathon spokesman Jamal Kheiry. Marathon is negotiating on behalf of itself, BP, Chevron, Exxon Mobil, Phillips 66, Shell, and Valero. "We hope the union will reconsider our offer," Kheiry said on Tuesday.