The United Steelworkers union said on Saturday the strike by U.S. refinery workers is expanding to two more plants early on Sunday due to unfair labor practices by oil companies.
Legal & Regulatory
France passes law to open up Sunday shopping
France's lower house of parliament approved a law on Saturday letting shops open more often on Sundays, the latest measure in the government's pro-growth bill intended to lift the sluggish economy.
Labor secretary to help reach West Coast port deal
Labor Secretary Tom Perez will travel to California to help broker an agreement between shipping companies and dockworkers in a dispute that has led to a partial shutdown of ports along the U.S. West Coast, the White House said on Saturday.
Exxon wants five-year Beaumont pact to avert strikes during buildout - sources
Exxon Mobil Corp's (XOM.N) push to persuade workers at its Beaumont, Texas refinery to sign a five-year contract, nearly twice as long as the last one, is part of an effort to avert labor stoppages during a possible expansion that could make it the largest such plant in the United States, sources familiar with refinery operations said.
U.S. business lobby survey warns of China protectionism
China's regulators are targeting foreign firms, a majority of respondents said in a survey by an American business lobby, citing protectionism among the top concerns for their operations in the world's second largest economy.
Latest News
JPMorgan Chase & Co is under federal scrutiny over hiring the son of China's current commerce minister, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing internal emails.
Chief executives of the three largest U.S. airlines said they want the U.S. government to modify or terminate air treaties with two Persian Gulf nations, the Wall Street Journal reported.
China will fight attempts by foreign casinos to lure its citizens abroad, a senior police official said on Friday, which could deal a blow to the gaming firms in Macau and Asian countries that rely on these punters for most of their revenue.
One of Google Inc's major business operations could fall under the day-to-day jurisdiction of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission for the first time, potentially subjecting the fast-moving Internet company to regulations it has often criticized.
The chief labor negotiator for shippers and terminal operators at 29 U.S. West Coast ports raised the ante in contract talks with the dockworkers' union on Wednesday, warning that ports plagued by chronic cargo slowdowns were days away from complete gridlock.
Union workers were on strike for a second day on Monday at nine U.S. refineries and chemical plants in an attempt to force oil companies to sign a new national contract covering laborers at 63 plants.
Union leaders and oil companies were unable to agree on a new labor accord on Saturday for workers at 63 U.S. refineries as a deadline passed that could lead to a strike.
The U.S. Senate passed a bill on Thursday to approve the long-pending Keystone XL oil pipeline, despite the White House saying earlier in the day that President Barack Obama would veto the measure.
U.S. export regulators are seeking more information from at least three would-be exporters of domestic condensate, including Marathon Oil, while half a dozen other firms have recently been cleared to sell the abundant ultra-light oil abroad, people familiar with the process told Reuters.
