OREANDA-NEWS. Union members will vote on a three-year contract this week at ExxonMobil's 557,000 b/d refinery in Baytown, Texas.

Roughly 900 United Steelworkers Local 13-2001 members in the complex's lab, chemical plant and refinery will consider an ExxonMobil contract offer this week, the union's international office said.

The contracts expire 15 May. Members are considering the company's initial offer this week, and could enter bargaining if the contract is rejected.

An ExxonMobil representative could not be immediately reached for comment.

ExxonMobil's Baytown, Beaumont and Baton Rouge refineries negotiate contracts on a separate cycle from national talks covering most of the US industry. United Steelworkers members last year conducted the largest refining industry strike in decades after a 1 February contract expiration. Workers at refineries representing up to 18pc of US capacity went on strike. Tesoro's 168,000 b/d Golden Eagle refinery in Martinez, California, was forced to operate as a terminal beginning in February after workers went on strike in the final stages of major turnaround work.