Phillips 66 workers authorize strike at Bayway refinery

Members of Teamsters Local 877 at the Phillips 66 Bayway Refinery in Linden, New Jersey, voted by a 92% margin to authorize a strike. The vote covers 385 process and mechanical workers at the largest oil refinery on the East Coast.

The union is seeking higher wages, stronger benefits, reliable access to paid time off, and the preservation of previously agreed contract language. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on October 1, and negotiations remain ongoing without an agreement.

The dispute follows an Absence Control Policy implemented by management in 2025 that permits disciplinary action, up to termination, for illness-related absences. The union also opposes management proposals that would shorten the 30-month training period for new employees, lower qualification requirements, and extend the 10-month probationary period to qualification milestones that could take up to six years.

The Bayway Refinery processes 275 million barrels of crude oil and 145 million barrels of gasoline products each day. Last year, the facility generated $4.4 billion.