Lyondell reinstates Houston refinery union president
LyondellBasell Industries reinstated the president of the local United Steelworkers union (USW) representing hourly employees at the company’s Houston refinery, according to a statement from the local union.
A Lyondell spokeswoman did not reply to a request for comment.
USW Local 13-227 President Lance Spurlock was suspended on Oct. 9 after a refinery supervisor told the company Spurlock used unethical and inappropriate language during a dispute over assigning an untrained union member to operate a crane.
Spurlock’s reinstatement follows a protest of union members outside the 263,776 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery on Oct. 10. Further protests were planned, but were canceled after the reinstatement, according to the statement.
Spurlock and a union member present during the dispute with the supervisor both denied that Spurlock used an expletive in talking to the supervisor, USW Staff Representative Marcos Velez said on Oct. 10.
Reporting by Erwin Seba;Editing by Lisa Shumaker
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