Labor has spelled out its goals for higher wages and improved benefits during the next 3 years in the U.S. petroleum industry, mainly refining and petrochemicals.
Delegates to the national bargaining conference of the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers (OCAW) union approved the goals, including a greater voice in work force training, during sessions at Denver.
Among other things, OCAW bargainers will seek:
- Three year contracts to run from Feb. 1, 1993, to Jan. 31, 1996.
- Wage increases of $1.25/hr in each of the first 2 years and a 6.5% increase in the third year. OCAW said the current national average pay for U.S. refinery workers is $17.54/hr.
- Assumption of employers of 90% of medical-hospital insurance premium costs, with an agreement to jointly pursue enactment of a national health care program. This is to include establishment of and joint participation in an OCAW national health care political action committee.
- Unpaid leave amounting to 12 weeks/year for each employee to attend to family illness or emergencies.
- Increased pay differentials for shift work.
- Improved vacation schedules providing an extra week of vacation for employees with 15-20 years of service.
TRAINING, HEALTH, SAFETY
On other issues such as worker training, OCAW delegates agreed among other things to seek to outlaw written tests as part of certification programs.
That's because "training shall proceed for the purpose of qualifying workers rather than disqualifying workers," delegates said.
OCAW wants equal input and authority over training program curriculum development.
When the union has developed a curriculum, it wants the opportunity to put in place its training program at company expense, on a contract basis, on scheduled work time.
Delegates also agreed to seek fulltime plant health and safety representatives chosen by the union but paid by the employer. Their number would depend upon plant size and complexity.
WHAT'S NEXT
After ratification by 75% of OCAW's oil industry bargaining units, the contract demands will be presented to employers about Dec. 1.
More than 250 conference delegates voted overwhelmingly in favor of the demands, said OCAW Pres. Robert E. Wages.
OCAW represents more than 40,000 U.S. oil workers.
Most are employed in refineries and petrochemical plants, but others work on pipelines, in marketing, and in oil and gas production. Oil workers are covered by about 300 contracts, most of which expire at midnight Jan. 31, 1993.
The union represents a total of about 100,000 workers throughout the country.
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