Marathon's Detroit refinery union workers go on strike

By Nicole Jao and Mrinalika Roy

(Reuters) -Teamsters members working at Marathon Petroleum's Detroit refinery have gone on strike after months of pay- and safety-related negotiations with the company did not yield results, the company said on Wednesday.

"We are fully prepared and have implemented plans to continue safely operating the facility," a Marathon spokesperson said in a statement.

The company does not anticipate the strike will cause supply disruptions.

Workers called for an economic strike following a nine-month negotiation and mediation with the company to reach a new labour agreement. The prior contract expired in January.

Teamsters local 283 represents 273 workers at the Detroit refinery, 95% of whom authorised the strike, the union said.

Marathon did not immediately say how many people it employed at the refinery.

Marathon's Detroit refinery has a crude oil refining capacity of 140,000 barrels per day, processing sweet and heavy sour crude oils into products such as gasoline and distillates.

(Reporting by Nicole Jao in New York and Mrinalika Roy in Bengaluru; editing by Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio)