The largest strike of oilmen in 35 years began in the USA

In the US, 3800 workers went on strike at nine refineries after a deadlock in negotiations between the United Steelworkers' Association (USW) and Shell Oil Corporation. This writes the Los Angeles Times.

USW represents about 30 thousands of workers in factories, terminals, petrochemical plants and pipeline infrastructure throughout the country. Shell is authorized to negotiate with this union on behalf of a number of employers.

The strike that started at the refinery was the biggest since 1980. The reason for this was the refusal of Shell representatives to meet the demands of the union, in particular, regarding safety and medical insurance.

"Shell refused to respond to our proposal and left the negotiating table," said USW President Leo Gerard. “We had no choice but to submit a notice of termination.”

The strike covers two factories in California, Carson and Martinez, five in Texas and one each in Kentucky and Washington.

The union demands the conclusion of another three-year collective agreement on its terms. According to USW spokeswoman Lynne Hancock, if an agreement cannot be reached, other refineries will join the strike. So far, no new negotiations between the union and Shell are planned, writes Lenta.ru.