I don’t think the pay rate is the issue for the strike.
The refiners national negotiations have hinged on safety issues and the amount of overtime refinery workers have been asked to work, Oliver said. Locally, Steelworkers has pushed LyondellBasell on a number of issues including employee benefits and hiring contractors, Oliver said.
That article said nothing except that they are striking. Over what?
http://job-descriptions.careerplanner.com/Structural-Iron-and-Steel-Workers.cfm