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The United Steelworkers pulled out of talks with the American Petroleum Institute and other oil companies Tuesday, saying that the API had stacked the panel with oil representatives (22 oil reps, 3 union leaders), and was not considering workers input fairly. The union felt also that the talks were not transparent enough, as API had excluded environmental and public interest groups. The talks were conceived of in 2007, after an investigation of the 2005 explosion at a Texas BP Plant. The resulting report suggested that the company and union work out safety standards for working fatigue and monitoring processes, citing both as causes of the 2005 accident. The union continues to work to illuminate problems that still exist, but API has accused them of undermining the process, and says they will continue the talks with or without the union.