LabourStart headline - Source: IndustriALL Global Union

More... (http://www.industriall-union.org/usw-oil-workers-stage-nationwide-strike)

Nearly 4,000 USW oil workers have stopped work at nine US oil refineries and chemical plants in protest at oil companies’ refusal to recognize workers grave concerns over safety.
USW is in the process of negotiating a new agreement to establish a nationwide pattern on working conditions, wages and benefits with oil companies, who are being led by Shell. The previous contract expired at the end of January.
“Shell refused to provide us with a counter-offer and left the bargaining table,” said USW International President Leo W. Gerard. “We had no choice but to give notice of a work stoppage.
The union represents workers at 65 US refineries that produce approximately 64 per cent of oil in the country.
Shell has made a series of derisory offers which have all been rejected by USW.
“We told Shell that we were willing to continue bargaining for a fair agreement that would benefit the workers and the industry, but they just refused to return to the table,” said USW International Vice President Gary Beevers, who heads the union’s National Oil Bargaining Program.

We'll see how this goes. If the working class in this country can ever re-learn how to make a fist, things will begin to change.