USW files complaint over negotiations at LyondellBasell refinery

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The United Steelworkers (USW) has filed a complaint regarding contract negotiations with LyondellBasell’s Houston refinery, the union said on Monday.

The two sides are still negotiating a labour contract. Meanwhile, the USW has maintained its strike at the refinery.

In its complaint with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the USW alleged that LyondellBasell had falsely declared that negotiations had reached an impasse.

As a result, the company should not have implemented the final offer it had offered the union, the USW alleged.

LyondellBasell presented this offer to the union on 11 April, the USW said. It was rejected.

The USW filed its complaint on 20 April, the same day that LyondellBasell implemented the final offer, the union said.

LyondellBasell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The LyondellBasell refinery has a capacity of 268,000 bbl/day. It is among a handful of plants that are still on strike.

Others include the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana; the BP refinery in Toledo, Ohio; the Marathon Green Power co-generation plant in Texas City, Texas; and the Marathon Petroleum Galveston Bay refinery in Texas City, Texas. Marathon acquired the refinery from BP.

The USW union called the strike on 1 February, and it ultimately expanded to 15 refineries and petrochemical plants.

The USW and the companies had since reached deals to end the strike, and workers have returned to most of the plants.