HOUSTON, March 22 (Reuters) - Workers on strike at threeTesoro Corp refineries on the West Coast are due to voteon a new contract this week, the United Steelwokers union saidin a message on Sunday.
Workers at two Tesoro refineries in California and one inWashington state have been walking picket lines since strikesbegan on Feb. 1 after talks broke down between the USW and leadrefinery owner negotiator Shell Oil Co, the U.S. arm of RoyalDutch Shell Plc
Negotiations were continuing to end strikes at BP-operatedplants in Indiana and Ohio, Lyondell Basell Industries' Houston refinery and Marathon Petroleum Corp's Galveston Bay,Texas, and Catlettsburg, Kentucky refineries.
At the Catlettsburg refinery, a federal mediator joined thetalks between the USW and Marathon last week.
The two sides remain far apart on several local issuesbefore considering the national agreement reached between theUSW and Shell on March 12.
Talks on local issues were also continuing at the GalvestonBay refinery.
Local issues were the focus of talks between Lyondell andthe USW local representing Houston refinery workers.
Workers were scheduled to return to their jobs this week atthree Motiva Enterprises refineries, including thenation's largest, in Texas and Louisiana. Motiva is co-owned byShell and Saudi Aramco
Striking hourly employees at Shell's joint-venture refineryin Deer Park, Texas, approved a new contract on Thursday and areexpected to return to work within two weeks.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba; Additional reporting by JarrettRenshaw in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler)
