BP will meet with union leaders for Whiting refinery talks next week

BP and the United Steelworkers union announced on Wednesday that they will be meeting with 'union leaders' on Monday in order to re-start contract negotiations at their oil refinery in Whiting, Indiana.

We look forward to returning the table for negotiations to reach an agreement which will preserve strong jobs by improving refinery performance and safety. This will also keep the site competitive over the long-term in various economic conditions. BP stated that they have been negotiating in good faith since the'start' and would continue to do so. Some 800 workers at the 440,000-barrel-per-day refinery, the largest in the U.S. Midwest, have been locked out since March 19 after months of negotiations failed ?to produce a new labor contract.

In a press release, Eric Schultz said, "We are pleased British Petroleum has responded to our request to resume negotiations." "We'll again ask them to lift their lockout, and to... move away from their demand to cut over 100?local?jobs, to make sweeping pay cuts, and to... give up our bargaining rights and seniority." (Written by Liz Hampton, Denver; edited by Rod Nickel).

(source: Reuters)