HOUSTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - With just a week of bargainingleft until the national contract for U.S. refinery workersexpires, the United Steelworkers union (USW) said talks with oilcompany representatives for a new agreement were going slow,according to a message sent to members via Twitter.
"It's time for the industry to get serious about addressingissues that matter to USW members," the message said. "Be readyto stand up and fight back!"
The USW rejected the first industry proposal on Friday,calling it "inadequate and offensive," according to a messagesent to members.
During negotiations in 2012, at least five contractproposals were rejected before an agreement was reached justhours before the contract expired.
The Steelworkers are seeking annual pay raises double whatwas gained in the last agreement. The union also wants workgiven to non-union contractors to go to USW members, a tighterpolicy to prevent fatigue and reductions in members'out-of-pocket payments for health care. [See FACTBOXID:L1N0V100E]
The current agreement expires at 12:01 a.m. local time onFeb. 1.
A representative for Royal Dutch Shell Plc, thelead negotiator for U.S. refinery owners, was not immediatelyavailable to discuss the talks on Saturday.
The union and refiners have made preparations for a possiblestrike in February. The last nationwide refinery workers' strikewas in 1980 and lasted for three months.
A USW spokeswoman said the message from the union should beclear to the oil companies.
"The workers just want the companies to take thenegotiations seriously and to know that the workers meanbusiness," said USW spokeswoman Lynne Hancock. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by David Gregorio)
