By Erwin Seba

HOUSTON, (Reuters) – Exxon Mobil The United Steelworkers union (USW), said Friday that they may be meeting next week to discuss a rejected company contract proposal from Beaumont, Texas refinery workers.

The union workers rejected Tuesday’s six-year proposal. It left the lockout in place as both parties seek to negotiate. Exxon stated that it will withdraw the final offer until November 1st after the vote.

After passing up the chance to talk this week, Exxon told USW that it may be open to meeting next week. Bryan Gross, a representative of USW International, stated that Exxon had informed USW.

According to a Local 13-243 union statement, “After notifying Exxon Mobil that their proposal was rejected, USW leadership reached back to Exxon Mobil for this week’s meeting, nights and weekends only to find Exxon Mobil declining to meet this weeks.”

Exxon spokespeople were unavailable for immediate comment.

Next month, the National Labor Relations Board could hold a decertification vote for the plant’s union. National Labor Relations Board has received a petition in support of removing the union from the plant.

Gross, USW spokesperson said that they are “dragging things out in order to see what happens to the decertification Petition or get to November 1 deadline.” “They will have to recognize that they are not allowed to take their balls and return home.

Exxon has fired 650 workers from its 369,000-barrel-per-day (3 mld) refinery in Houston. The plant also houses a lubricant oil facility. Managers and temporary staff will continue to work at the site. According to Exxon, its proposed contract provisions will ensure profitability even in low-margin situations.

Exxon stated that if a new contract cannot be reached before November 1, it will eliminate workers’ pay increases for the year and remove a contract signing incentive.