(Adds Shell confirms contact)
HOUSTON, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The United Steelworkers union(USW) and representatives for several U.S. refineries discussedon Thursday a possible resumption of face-to-face negotiationsto settle a 26-day strike, two people familiar with thediscussions told Reuters.
No date had been set as of Thursday for resuming directmeetings with Shell Oil Co, which is representing the refiners,the sources said.
About 6,550 USW members were on strike at 15 plants,including 12 refineries that account for one-fifth of nationalcapacity.
"The USW continues to be ready and willing to resumenegotiations with Shell at any time," said union spokeswomanLynne Hancock. "Other than that, I don't have any information onwhen talks will resume."
Shell Oil Co, the U.S. arm of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, confirmed making contact with the union.
Direct meetings between negotiators for the USW and Shellbroke off on Friday, after refinery owners balked at a possiblesettlement and the union ordered walkouts at three MotivaEnterprises LLC refineries co-owned by Shell.
The USW has said it is seeking to retain safety provisionsfrom previous contracts and tighten fatigue standards forworkers, as well as win back daily maintenance jobs now done bynon-union contractors.
Shell and other companies have said the strike came aboutbecause of the union's insistence on replacing the non-unioncontractors with USW members, which would impair management'sflexibility in refinery staffing.
Companies have called on temporary replacement workers tokeep plants running at nearly normal levels. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Ken Willsand Gopakumar Warrier)
