 Ineos bought the Grangemouth refinery from BP in 2005 |
The owners of Scotland's only crude oil refinery have appealed for fresh talks to try to avert a strike which could see it close for up to a month. Ineos, which runs the Grangemouth site, said there was still time to prevent a planned walk-out over pensions by 1,200 Unite union members on 27 and 28 April. The company has written to Grangemouth employees asking them to accept a new set of revised pension proposals. Unite accused Ineos of making an "audacious attack" on its members. Ineos has started a phased shutdown of the refinery, one of only nine in the UK, which it has warned will lead to fuel shortages across Scotland and the north of England from Friday.  |  There is still ample time for discussions to take place and for the dispute to be resolved |
It said the move, which could see the facility close for up to a month, was necessary to ensure safety during the 48-hour strike. Ineos general manager Gordon Grant claimed the changes to the pension scheme were necessary to ensure the company, which bought the refinery from BP in 2005, remained competitive. More than a quarter of the money Ineos spends on employees at Grangemouth currently goes into the pension scheme and the company said independent experts had estimated this figure could rise to almost 50%, which it said was unsustainable. Ineos has pledged to retain the final salary pension scheme for existing members. Mr Grant said he was "disappointed" that Unite had apparently refused to involve conciliation service Acas in a bid to find a solution to the dispute. He added: "There is still ample time for discussions to take place and for the dispute to be resolved through meaningful discussions. "The strike action is premature and I would urge the union and the local union members to call off the strike to allow ample time for these discussions to take place." Strength of feeling Ineos also urged the Unite union to keep open Grangemouth's deep-water jetty and allow tankers to supply fuel across Scotland during the dispute. Unite responded by pointing out that talks had been going on for several months over the dispute and officials repeated their demand for the company to withdraw their proposals if there was to be any chance of a breakthrough. Workers voted by 98% in favour of taking industrial action, which the union said highlighted the strength of feeling over the issue. | This is the only possible sanction against a company prepared to make such an audacious attack against our members |
Phil McNulty, the union's national officer, said workers were "outraged" by the company's plans, which he insisted were unfair and unnecessary. He maintained that Ineos made huge profits from Grangemouth and could afford to continue funding the current pension arrangements. "Industrial action is never desirable, but this is the only possible sanction against a company prepared to make such an audacious attack against our members," he said. "The company appears to be inundating the press with stories about imminent petrol shortages, but the fact is that the refinery is still in full production and there is no industrial action going on. "I believe they [Ineos] are being irresponsible in concentrating their efforts in scaring the public instead of sitting down to discuss labour costs at the site." First Minister Alex Salmond has urged both sides to get round the negotiating table and resolve the matter.
| 
Breakfast 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
BBC News
Bookmark with:
What are these?