WHITING, Ind. (AP) - A union and BP have reached a tentative agreement to end a months-long strike at a refinery in northwest Indiana.
The Times of Munster (https://bit.ly/1EGxsAZ ) reports a few steps remain before oil workers can return to the plant in Whiting. United Steelworkers Local 7-1 President Dave Danko says members could vote on the deal as soon as next week.
The agreement must go through review by USW International to make sure it fits with a national template reached with oil companies in March. The local union also still has to negotiate a deal on logistics as to how and when workers come back.
About 1,100 households in northwest Indiana have been affected by the strike at the refinery, and roughly 57 percent of employees are represented by the local union.
The strike at the Whiting plant began in February as part of a national oil strike. Union locals have made pacts with management after the national agreement, though the Whiting plant is one of a few where workers are still on strike.
Danko said the local union is “satisfied and pleased to reach what we believe is a fair settlement.” BP spokesman Scott Dean said the parties are in the process of finalizing a settlement package.
The Whiting strike was mainly over safety issues, with workers saying low staffing levels could cause accidents. United Steelworkers spokeswoman Lynne Hancock said maintaining bargaining rights were a sticking point.
The tentative agreement between BP and Local 7-1 includes bargaining rights over safety and working conditions. Hancock said the union in turn agreed to get rid of a provision to strike during a contract, though she said that’s never happened in the plant’s history.
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Information from: The Times, https://www.thetimesonline.com
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