Exxon, Shell Make Offer to Avoid Argentine Oil Strike (Correct)

April 28, 2010, 2:07 PM EDT

By Rodrigo Orihuela

April 28 (Bloomberg) -- Exxon Mobil Corp., Petroleo Brasileiro SA and other oil producers offered Argentine workers a raise in a bid to avert a nationwide strike that could lead to fuel shortages, a group representing the companies said.

The Oil Industry Chamber, which also represents Royal Dutch Shell Plc in salary negotiations with unions, offered oil workers a salary increase of 18 percent, said Enrique Pourteau, the group’s executive director. The chamber and union officials will discuss the offer in government-brokered talks tomorrow, he said in a telephone interview.

The Argentine Federation of Oil, Gas and Biofuel Workers union called a strike for April 30 in seven cities. The union hasn’t named the refineries that will be affected by the strike.

YPF SA’s press office said in an e-mailed statement that its three refineries in the country won’t be affected by a strike because its workers belong to a different union.

--Editors: Jessica Brice, Carlos Caminada.

Source: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-04-28/exxon-shell-make-offer-to-avoid-argentine-oil-strike-correct-.html