Sunoco, union announce tentative deal

The United Steelworkers and Sunoco Inc. said they had reached a tentative agreement last night on a new three-year contract for more than 650 workers at the company's South Philadelphia refinery.

Talks still were under way with a separate local representing about 450 workers at Sunoco's Marcus Hook facility, but progress was being made there as well.

Both locals had been working under 24-hour contract extensions since their previous pact expired Sunday.

"We think it's a good agreement that's fair to both sides," Sunoco spokesman Thomas Golembeski said. "Both negotiating teams deserve a lot of credit for working through some tough issues."

Jim Savage, president of Steelworkers Local 10-1 at the Philadelphia refinery, said the company and union had compromised on the key issue separating them as the previous contract expired: the company's proposal to cut operator staffing levels on the refinery's processing units by 25 percent.

Union officials had said the cutbacks would increase risk at the refineries. "It's strictly a health-and-safety issue for the safety of our workers and the surrounding community," Savage said last week.

Neither Savage not Golembeski disclosed any details of yesterday's tentative accord on staffing levels.

Late last night, Tom Kolodi, president of Local 10-901, said progress was being made in talks involving the Marcus Hook refinery. "We're really close," he said. "It looks like we'll have an agreement sometime [today]."

Earlier yesterday, Sunoco and officials from both locals said the union and company had agreed on financial terms that followed the national oil-industry pattern. Golembeski said the company had offered 3 percent annual wage increases, a $2,500 ratification bonus, and a prohibition on involuntary layoffs. He said any staffing cutbacks would be achieved by offering incentives to employees to retire or quit.

Golembeski said the company had made significant investments at the refineries that made the current staffing levels unnecessary.

"The staffing levels we proposed are found in refineries across the country - refineries that are operated safely every day," Golembeski said.