Rating:

0.0 (0 votes)

Members of United Steel Workers International in Billings say a strike will not be happening as the roughly 500 union members in the Billings area have entered into a 24-hour contract with the local refineries.

The "rolling- 24" was authorized by the international level of the union following representatives for both sides agreeing that negotiations should continue to move forward.

The 24-hour contracts are extensions on the previous labor agreement.

United Steel Workers International has announced a tentative agreement with Shell Oil Company, one of the oil giants the union was in negotiation with over a new 3-year labor agreement.

Although the agreement with Shell does signify a light at the end of the tunnel for the three local groups on a national front, it does not necessarily insure that employees will not strike in the Billings area.

According to local union members, the agreement with Shell sets a minimum standard to a deal Exxon, Conoco and Cennex could reach on an international level-- and may already have reached, as speculated by a few major media outlets.

However, on a local level, the union must reach agreements with their refineries as well.

So far, negotiations are still taking place in Billings, and union members say deals are close to being reached for Cennex employees and ConocoPhillips employees who represent 350 of the roughly 500 union members.

However, union members at the Exxon refinery, who make up the remaining 150 union members, say there is at least one key issue still holding up negotiations-- an issue dealing with how labor is contracted from outside of the refinery.

Local 11-470 posted on its blog "Your Worker's Committee and the Company have reached a tentative agreement on both National and Local issues. Your Committee will spend the rest of the week at the Union Hall proof-reading the final package and putting together information packets for distribution. We will also set up some informational meetings heading toward a ratification vote within the next two weeks."