Oil refiners offer union workers 9% pay raise over three years -sources

HOUSTON (Reuters) – U.S. oil refiners have offered union oil and chemical workers a 9% pay raise over three years, according to people familiar with the matter, as talk on a new labor contract near a deadline.

The United Steelworkers union and Marathon Petroleum Corp., which is representing oil refinery, pipeline and chemical companies, were hoping to avoid a possible strike.

The existing contract, which covers about 30,000 workers across the United States, expires shortly after midnight.

(Reporting by Erwin Seba)