The United Steelworkers union agreed to a rolling 24-hour contract extension with Marathon Petroleum, temporarily averting a strike by roughly 30,000 refinery and chemical plant workers across the U.S. The union has rejected at least five company proposals so far, including a latest offer featuring a 14% wage increase over four years, with key sticking points remaining over cost-of-living adjustments, healthcare costs, safety standards, and limits on the use of artificial intelligence in plants. Marathon is the lead negotiator for a national pattern agreement covering two-thirds of U.S. refining capacity.
See "Union extends talks with Marathon, averting strike at refineries", Erwin Seba, Reuters, February 2, 2026