HOUSTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The United Steelworkers union(USW) rejected on Wednesday the first offer from Shell Oil Co intalks for a new national agreement covering 30,000 U.S.refinery, chemical plant and pipeline workers, according tosources familiar with the talks.
The current national agreement for refinery workers beginsexpiring shortly after 12 a.m. on Friday. The USW and the U.S.arm of Royal Dutch Shell Plc, which is representing oilcompanies, have been meeting since Jan. 16 to hammer out a newpact.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba;Editing by Sandra Maler)