BP says Indiana, Ohio refinery strikes continuing

HOUSTON, April 23 (Reuters) - BP Plc said on Thursday that talks to end an 11-week strike at its Whiting, Indiana, refinery were at a standstill over the union's bargaining rights while a walkout at its joint-venture Toledo, Ohio, plant would likely continue for some time.

In a letter to Whiting employees seen by Reuters, Refinery Manager Jorge Lanza said the company and United Steelworkers union (USW) local 13-1, representing striking workers, have reached agreement on 33 items, including a $6,000 bonus for hourly employees to be paid over the first two years of the pending four-year agreement.

Talks have gone nowhere since the company made a proposal on April 17 to address the right of the union to bargain over changes in policies at the refinery during the term of the contract.

"We believe this offer addresses local union leadership's concerns and brings our contract in alignment with other business units in BP and our competitors," Lanza wrote. "We have yet to receive a response to this proposal from the USW Local 7-1 leadership."

USW spokeswoman Lynne Hancock said the local union was considering the offer.

"Local 7-1 is reviewing BP's latest offer and communicating it to the membership," Hancock said.

In a letter to employees at the Toledo refinery, which BP co-owns with Husky Energy (Toronto: HSE.TO - news) , Jeff Steigauf, the plant's human resources manager, said negotiators for management and USW local 1-346 were near agreement on April 16, but since that time the addition of a new proposal by the union has helped to slow the progress of negotiations significantly.

"Unfortunately, this additional new proposal, which will take time to review and discuss, and the retraction of previous counter-proposals likely means the strike will continue on for some time," Steigauf wrote.

Hancock said Local 1-346 was committed to bargaining process.

"The local union remains committed to bargaining in good faith with BP to reach an equitable agreement that will benefit the union-represented workers, the company and the community," she said.

Both letters also said workers crossing union picket lines would be welcomed back to aid in running the refineries, which have relied on temporary workers to remain in operation since the strikes began on Feb. 8.

(Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)