By BEN LEFEBVRE

HOUSTON -- Union workers have called a strike at Husky Energy’s refinery in Lima, Ohio, leaving the refiner's management to run the 150,000 bpd plant, the union said Friday.

About 235 members of the United Steelworkers union walked off the job after failing to reach a contract agreement.

The union filed 23 unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board against the company, national USW spokeswoman Lynne Hancock said.

A Husky spokesman was not immediately available.

The refinery produces about 2 billion gal/year of refined fuel, including about a quarter of the gasoline consumed in the state of Ohio, according to the company's website.

The local union "still believes there is room to negotiate," Hancock said.

Dow Jones Newswires