Grangemouth owners to decide whether to reopen the refinery
THE OWNER of the Grangemouth refinery insisted yesterday that it can not restart the plant unless union members agree not to strike for the rest of the year.
Ineos is due to meet with Unite today in a crunch meeting over the loss-making refinery’s future, insisting that workers sign up to pension changes, pay cuts and a pledge to not strike or the plant will remain shut.
It said last night it had already received 250 positive responses to its “survival plan” for the site, out of 1,370 workers at the plant.
But some workers held a rally outside the refinery yesterday in protest at the firm’s behaviour.
Unite agreed last week to cancel a strike over the weekend, but the plant had already been shut down in advance of the walkout.
Ineos has refused to allow work to restart until after today’s meeting with investors and union reps, citing safety concerns.
“We want the refinery to be fired up and we want meaningful negotiations,” a union spokesperson said yesterday.
“We don’t think holding a gun to the workforce’s head is a productive way forward.”
If the plant remains closed, a major supply of fuel to Scotland and northern England will be lost.