Lyondell Houston refinery workers reject offer

HOUSTON (Reuters) – Striking Houston refinery workers rejected Lyondell Basell Industries’ final offer on Tuesday to settle a two-and-a-half-month work stoppage, a United Steelworkers (USW) union official said. which represents hourly employees. .

In response, company officials told the USW that Lyondell would declare an impasse in negotiations and impose its final offer starting April 20, said Jim Lefton, an international union representative.

More than 400 hourly workers have been on strike at the Lyondell refinery since February 1.

Lefton said the union does not believe negotiations are at an impasse.

“We still have progress to make in the negotiations and our latest offer has moved things forward,” he said. “We are ready to meet them anytime and anywhere to continue negotiations.”

In a letter posted on the company’s website, Lyondell Executive Vice President Kevin Brown encouraged strikers to cross the picket lines and come to work under the terms of the company’s final offer .

“Many of your colleagues have already returned to work and will benefit from these improved conditions,” Brown wrote. “We invite you to join them. While we appreciate and respect your legal right to strike and stop working, we believe that doing so is not in your best economic interest.”

Brown said the final offer incorporates the terms of the national agreement USW leaders reached March 12 with U.S. refinery owners.

Lefton said officials with USW Local 13-227, which represents striking Lyondell workers, will meet with legal advisors Wednesday to determine next steps.

Workers voted Monday and Tuesday on Lyondell’s offer. The results were released Tuesday evening.

The overtime increase has been the main sticking point in negotiations in recent weeks. For decades, Lyondell refinery workers have been able to benefit from multiple differentials that increase their pay when they work lots of overtime, union officials said. The company wants to limit the differences.

Lyondell workers walked out for the first time in the largest U.S. refinery strike in 35 years. Workers at 10 factories returned to work under the March 12 agreement combined with local agreements; walkouts continue at four refineries, including Lyondell, and at one power and steam plant for local reasons.

Lyondell continued to operate the 263,776 barrel per day Houston refinery with temporary replacement workers.

(Reporting by Erwin Seba; editing by Lisa Shumaker and Leslie Adler)