HOUSTON — A strike by about 24,000 refinery workers was averted, at least for now, as both sides agreed to extend negotiations for at least 24 hours.
Workers at refineries from New Orleans to Billings, Mont., will show up for scheduled shifts Monday, though negotiators will be back at the table today.
“We have made progress in that there was no strike at midnight,” said Lynne Baker, a spokeswoman for the United Steelworkers, which represents more than 30,000 oil workers nationwide.
The union agreed to a rolling 24-hour extension, which allows the union to give the required one-day notice to strike.
The nation’s biggest refiner, Valero Energy Corp., said it would shut down some facilities if workers walk out. So did European oil company BP PLC.
