Posted on 02/02/2015 6:38:01 AM PST by Citizen Zed
HOUSTON (Reuters) - Union workers were on strike for a second day on Monday at nine U.S. refineries and chemical plants as they sought a new national contract with oil companies covering laborers at 63 plants.
The walkouts were the first in support of a nationwide pact since 1980 and targeted plants with a combined 10 percent of U.S. refining capacity. One of the plants, Tesoro Corp's (TSO.N) 166,000-barrel-per-day Martinez, California, refinery, was being shut because it was in the midst of planned maintenance work.
The other refineries appeared set to continue running normally as operators initiated contingency plans, calling on trained managers as replacement workers. U.S. gasoline and diesel fuel prices rose on Monday on concerns over supply, as well as a bounce in crude.
Talks broke down against a backdrop of plunging crude prices, down nearly 60 percent since June, prompting oil companies to cut spending.
The United Steelworkers union (USW) said Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSa.L)(RDSa.N), the lead industry negotiator, halted negotiations early Sunday after the union rejected a fifth proposal from the company. Shell said it would like to restart talks.
Shell activated a strike contingency plan at its joint venture refinery and chemical plant in Deer Park, Texas, to keep operating normally.
Tesoro said management was operating its refinery in Carson, California, and that managers would take over from union workers at its plant in Anacortes, Washington, in the next 24-48 hours.
(Excerpt) Read more at mobile.reuters.com ...
Timing is everything with Socialists, Eh?
Gasoline prices jumped 10¢ overnight in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I think the price decline is over ... we’re on our way back up now!
Unions, like government workers (but I repeat myself), think business cycles are something which should just affect the proles, not them.
Bizzaro.
obola's minions have been stirred to keep the energy industry from growing and maturing without the little boy tantrums in the supermarket
Waaahhh ... waaahhh ... I want .. I want.
Here we are on the cusp of truly exploding the energy market of the world, and the unionists decide to shut it down
evil sons of bitches .. you KNOW you're getting paid very well and you HAVE as good or better health insurance than anyone in America ... and you want MORE ?
G
F
Y
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
at least until we get it happening and secure our nation from the enemies coming in ... we don't need THIS internal fight
“Get it while you can...”
Janis Joplin.
The next 2 years are going to be hell.
Longshoremen on the West Coast have been causing slow-downs for the last several months, in anticipation of a new contract. It has caused havoc with commerce at West Coast Ports.
They know that ultimately, Obama and his crew have their backs, so they will raise hell to get what they want. Think United Kingdom in the 1970’s.
The greedy, commie union piggies are about to take us back up to four bucks a gallons. Don’t you just love greedy commies?
See how the Marxists look after the middle class. Eliminate union goons.
Pray America is waking
Yup. Gives the Gulf Coast ports and East coast ports some more business via the Panama Canal. I noticed at World Market here in Reno yesterday a notice at the cash register that stated “Due to “issues” at west coast ports, some items may not be available as advertised”. Maybe the refinery unions should have barked their demands when the prices were $4~/gal. Of course the state and feds are whining about the reduction in their “takings” now too. Not to worry though, we’ll end up paying in the end.
Accurate assessment.
Ironic that US long shore men are facilitating their own demise by labor pay demands, pricing themselves (US west coast ports) out of the market.
China is widening the Panama Canal and also building a parallel canal that will allow them to bypass Long Beach ports, and unload cargo directly in Texas.
Another example of idiot union thugs, yet again killing America one industry at a time...
IMHO orders are coming from the top for the Rat Union workers to strike.
When prices go down, the tax man and just about everyone else will see it as an opportunity to enhance their take. Then, when the taxes go up....the glut will be over and we'll be in worse shape than ever.
Well the prices are on the way up now, but I haven’t seen any gas tax hikes yet. Have you?
FWIW, there was some talk of increased gas taxes for road repair.
Hm, interesting.
Agree 100%. After watching this corrupt bunch for 6 long years, I don’t believe in coincidences.
Fire anyone who strikes. There are oil field workers losing work in West Texas who would probably be happy for the job.
Union on strike is the USW. That’s Leo Gerard. Would be this area’s biggest Commie were it not for the presence of Richard Trumka.
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