Operating Engineers 399 members reject Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery contract

Company agrees to mediation through the Federal Mediation Conciliation Service

By SHERI GASSAWAY
Missouri Correspondent

Roxana, IL – Operating Engineers Local 399 members at the Phillips 66 Wood River Refinery here are currently working under a temporary extension to their contract.   

That’s because they overwhelmingly rejected the company’s “final” contract offer because it did not adequately address the safety concerns, work-life balance issues, reduction of forced overtime, job proficiency improvements and wages. The vote was 288 to 23 to reject the offer.

“We provided the company with the numerous reasons why the membership failed to ratify the company’s offer, including sharing the vote totals,” said David Duvall, Local 399 refinery chairman. “Unfortunately, both sides remain far apart on several items.”

Duvall said in an attempt to move the process forward and at the request of the union, the company has agreed to enter into mediation through the Federal Mediation Conciliation Service.

Accordingly, he said the parties have agreed to extend the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, side letters, existing practices and benefit agreements through Sept. 15, 2023 to allow the scheduling and completion of the federal mediation process.   

Mediation is scheduled to begin July 26.