United Steelworkers is asking workers at BP’s 440,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Whiting, Indiana, to prepare for a strike or lockout, the union said on Thursday after weeks of negotiations with the British oil major that did not yield results.
The comments come after 98% of members at the refinery voted to authorize a strike. The local USW union represents around 800 workers at Whiting, the largest refinery in the U.S. Midwest.
“We have heard from many of our members who are ready to strike, in order to move the company toward a fair agreement, but this is not an option that we take lightly. We will continue to bargain in good faith and stand united in demanding a fair contract for all of our local union members,” said Eric Schultz, president of USW 7-1.
BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The union had said BP proposed workplace changes, including cutting more than 200 union jobs in operations, maintenance and environmental safety as well as stripping away some workplace protections.
The previous three-year collective bargaining agreement expired on January 31.
The Whiting refinery produces transportation fuels including gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel.
(Reporting by Nicole Jao in New York; Editing by Chris Reese, Rod Nickel)