Marathon, Teamsters negotiations remain deadlocked as strike enters third week By Reuters

By Nicole Jao

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Marathon Petroleum (NYSE: ) and the Teamsters union, which represents refinery workers in Detroit, Michigan, are at an impasse as negotiations for a new labor agreement stall and a strike at the plant enters its third week .

More than 200 Teamsters at Detroit’s Marathon refinery called for an economic strike on Sept. 4 after nine months of wage and safety negotiations and mediation with Marathon failed to reach an agreement. The previous contract expired in January.

“Unfortunately, the parties have not reached an agreement,” a Marathon spokesman said.

Marathon representatives and the union have held several bargaining sessions under a federal mediator, including last Friday and Sunday.

“We continue to be in regular communication with the federal mediator; however, at this time, no additional negotiation meetings are scheduled.”

Teamsters Local 283 represents 273 workers at the Detroit refinery, 95 percent of whom have authorized the strike.

Teamsters Local 283 President Steve Hicks said Marathon representatives walked away from the bargaining table at the last round of contract talks last weekend and canceled Friday’s bargaining session.

The Detroit refinery began planned turnaround activities earlier this month.

The 140,000 barrel per day (bpd) Detroit refinery is one of 13 Marathon refineries with a refining capacity of approximately 2.9 million barrels per day.