BILLINGS – Union refinery workers at the Billings ExxonMobil plant will vote on another new contract agreement Monday after negotiators reached a tentative deal over the weekend.
The company and the United Steelworkers Local 11-470 had continued negotiating for about a month after workers rejected the last contract offer.
The main sticking points revolved around work rules for operators, the employees who run the plant.
In this latest agreement—which the company called its last, best and final offer—Exxon made some key revisions. These include grandfathering pay rates for senior operators, clarifying the timing of changing shift teams, and adding language to discuss situations where employees could lose pay because they’re not allowed to bid for higher paying posts.
Local 470 represents 140 workers in Billings.
Other larger issues had already been hammered out in January during negotiations between United Steelworkers International and Shell Corp., which had taken the lead position among oil companies.
The contract included an 11 percent pay increase over three years, a $2,000 signing bonus for all employees, five days paid leave, and additional vacation time after birth or adoption of a child.
Story by Erik Olson, MTN News
