Union, company meet over Exxon Texas refinery lockout - Reuters

Reuters | July 1, 2021, 6:26 p.m. | Original

HOUSTON, July 1 (Reuters) - Union and company negotiators met on Wednesday to discuss the lockout of workers at Exxon Mobil Corp’s (XOM.N) Beaumont, Texas refinery, spokespeople for both sides said on Thursday.

Exxon and United Steelworkers union (USW) representatives agreed to meet again next week, said Hoot Landry, international staff representative for the union, as the lockout of 650 workers reached nine weeks.

“We continue to meet and bargain in good faith,” said Exxon spokeswoman Julie King. “Our current offer remains available for a vote by the membership.”

Exxon locked out the workers represented by USW 12-243 on May 1, citing the risk of a strike.

The USW has said the company’s last proposal requires its members to give up long-standing seniority and would create a separate contract for workers in a lube oil plant from that for workers in the refinery.

Exxon has said the proposal would give it flexibility to be profitable in even low-margin environments.

Reporting by Erwin Seba Editing by Bill Berkrot

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Forest fire guts small western Canada town after days of record-breaking heat - Reuters U.S. calls build-up of China's nuclear arsenal 'concerning' - Reuters