Shell reaches tentative deal with refinery workers

[February 01, 2012]  DALLAS (AP) -- The United Steelworkers union and Shell Oil have as announced a tentative deal on a new three-year contract covering Shell refinery workers across the United States.

The deal was announced in statements issued by the two sides Tuesday night, hours before a midnight Tuesday deadline to reach a new agreement or risk a strike.

The tentative deal must still be ratified by the 30,000 workers it covers at 168 workplaces across the nation, including 69 refineries representing about 64 percent of the nation's refining capacity.

The deal also will be used as the model for other refiners such as Exxon Mobil, Marathon, Valero and ConocoPhillips to match.

The USW is North America's largest industrial union with about 850,000 members in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean.

[Associated Press]

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