Exxon, union trade proposals for longer Beaumont refinery contract

Houston

EXXON Mobil Corp and the United Steelworkers (USW) union traded proposals for a labour contract covering Exxon's refinery in Beaumont, Texas, that could be for as long as seven or eight years, union officials said. That would be roughly double the length of the contract under a tentative national agreement reached last week, which would cover about 30,000 workers for four years.

Exxon had been pushing for a five-year contract for hourly workers at the 344,600 barrel per day (bpd) Beaumont refinery, which is the company's third-largest. Work at the refinery has continued during labour negotiations under an extension of the prior contract.