By Monique Roth
L’Observateur

NORCO — Nearly 1,500 additional United Steelworkers union members joined an industry-wide unfair labor practice strike over the weekend, as workers at Motiva refineries in Convent and Norco and Norco’s Shell Chemical were delivered strike notices Saturday.

United Steelworkers, or USW, represents 850,000 workers in North America. The addition of workers at the three River Region facilities brings the total number of workers involved in the strike to 6,600.

USW also launched a work stoppage at the Motiva Enterprises refinery in Port Arthur, Texas.

“The industry’s refusal to meaningfully address safety issues through good faith bargaining gave us no other option but to expand our work stoppage,” USW International President Leo W. Gerard said.

USW has said “in negotiations with the oil industry, management continues to refuse to consider any process or proposal that would promote a safer workplace,” with safety concerns, reduction of excessive overtime, disputes over contract workers and permanent vacancies all cited as strike points.

“We’re committed to reaching a settlement that works for both parties,” USW Vice President Tom Conway said, “but adequate staffing levels, worker fatigue and other important safety issues must be addressed.”

In a statement released Saturday, Shell said it was extremely disappointed USW had issued the additional strike notices.

“We remain committed to continued safe operations and productive negotiations,” the statement said. “We believe this move sets the wrong tone for both parties to move forward and reach an agreement.”

Shell officials said one month ago seven offers were put on the negotiating table with USW national leaders “to reach an agreement that respects the needs and interests of our employees and ensures the ongoing safety as well as economic health of Shell refineries and chemical plants, and USW International Union leaders rejected all seven of them.”

Shell officials said the central issue standing in the way of a settlement is “USW’s … continued demand that Shell replace routine maintenance contractors with USW-represented employees,” adding “it’s unreasonable for the USW to demand that Shell agree to their position.”

A Shell statement claimed there is “little evidence that the USW’s leaders are interested in a meaningful settlement any time in the foreseeable future.”

Motiva released a statement on the strike, saying the company was disappointed a mutually satisfactory agreement was unable to be reached at the national bargaining table.

“The company has activated its contingency plans to ensure a safe and orderly handover of operations … from union-represented employees to fully trained and qualified Motiva employees, who will safely operate the refineries,” the statement said.