United Steel Workers at Whiting BP refinery on strike
WHITING, Ind. (WLS) -- More than 1,000 members of the United Steel Workers 71 at the BP oil refinery in Whiting, Ind., set up picket lines and walked out on strike Sunday morning.
Late Saturday night the workers notified the company they were going on strike and in doing so they joined workers at 10 others across the country in what is the first nationwide strike at U.S oil refineries since 1980.
From California to Kentucky, about 3,800 steel workers went on strike February 1, after negotiations with Shell Oil Company broke down. Shell is negotiating the national contract for other oil companies. Workers say they're seeking better health care benefits and limits on the use of contractors to replace union members in maintenance jobs.
While nearly 60 percent of the workers at whiting's plant are on strike, some industry analysts don't believe it will have an impact on gas prices just yet.
"So far BP is using replacement workers for the 57 percent or so of those workers who walked off and are on strike, but it could end up down the road costing consumers, though it won't likely show up here any time soon," said Patrick DeHaan, Gasbuddy.com.
A spokesperson for BP Sunday said that they are disappointed steel workers at the Whiting plant joined the strike. Adding that they remain at the negotiating table in the hopes that they can agree to a deal that "provides good wages while giving management the flexibility it needs."
Gas prices have been inching up recently, but industry observers say that it is as a result of a seasonal increase which happens between February and May. They insist the strike should not have an impact at the pump, unless it drags on indefinitely.
