By Erwin Seba
(Reuters) - In the tense meeting, a few days before the first major strike in the US refinery in 35 years, we have called on Sunday, union leaders increasingly grew pessimistic about obtaining a new contract and a substantial wage increase.
"The possibility of the existence of an agreement, that of a snowball in hell," one of them complained that the time limit set by the expiring contract results.
Officials of the Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA.L) (RDSa.N), chief negotiator oil companies were always say that it would be so hard to meet the requirements of the European Union for a new contract to increase wages and to security practices three years, told Reuters several union leaders.
But what frustrates the United Steelworkers (USW) was something I had never seen before: a shell uncompromising.
An official of the Shell declined to comment on the points of the Union negotiations were broken on Sunday and sound to comment on what strikes. Shell negotiators had five offers were made rejected by the union and the company, said Sunday it had agreed to resolve differences with the United Steelworkers
On Monday evening, Shell said the company representatives took over the communication with the Union "in the hope of a mutually satisfactory agreement contract."
A union representative said the two sides met, but nothing was done.
From the perspective of marriage, Shell has always the most flexible of the oil companies, much easier with Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N) and Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC.N) to negotiate.
In fact, the USW has the right to the company that will lead the negotiations and Shell specially selected this year for his perceived flexibility to choose. Shell forged agreements with the union in 2006, 2009, and 2012 Design.
These contracts were a success, especially after a strike of several months in 1980, when people still talk about it as a point of contention in the lower zone.
But this year was different. John Abbott took over the management of the Shell refinery in 2013 and Ben van Beurden became General Manager in 2014th
This time there were new faces of the negotiating team of the shell and a slide of 50 percent of the oil prices CLC1 Since June LCOc1 a shadow on the negotiations, the companies have reduced their costs.
After days of friction, cutting Shell talks Sunday, a move that surprised the union.
"We were very, very surprised," said USW International President Leo Gerard Reuters Tuesday. "Shell is a leading company in recent years. We were able, rational, reasonable negotiations with them."
The feeling that they had no choice, the union a strike in nine plants with a total of 10 percent of refining capacity in the United States.
Confused by the change in tone Shell previous negotiations, said some strikers on Monday he believes the oil companies, as many saw the oldest refinery workers retire, try to test the resistance of the youth union members.
Cut the talks, which began on January 21, would be just a trick, she said, so that enterprises to increase an agreement on the new cost containment - a move that provide the nervous shareholders happy.
In fact, some people picketing Monday near Shell Houston said she gives the EU a head fake have given and that the company soon to open talks.
The Union shall seek annual wage increases of 6 percent, twice the size of the final agreement. He would also like the work that has been given in recent nonunion contractor to begin, to the members of the United Steelworkers, to avoid more stringent policy to fatigue in the workplace and reduced payments direct their members pocket health care.
(Writing by Terry Wade, Lisa Shumaker edited)
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