USW: "Local issues" remain hurdle for Tesoro, other refineries

Although an agreement has been reached at a national level between striking refinery workers and the companies that own them, union leaders report that “local issues” remain a hurdle at facilities owned by San Antonio-based Tesoro Corp. and other companies.

Negotiators with the United Steelworkers and oil giant Shell reached an agreement on Thursday afternoon, promising to bring an end to a refinery strike that started on Feb. 1, but ballooned to 15 facilities and involving some 7,000 workers.

The…