Unite the union has today blasted both the UK and Scottish
governments for their ministerial media appearances made over the
weekend in relation to PetroIneos' decision to close the
Grangemouth oil refinery during 2025.
Unite which represents the 500 oil refinery workers and thousands
more in the wider supply chain has taken direct aim at Scottish
and UK government ministers over ‘downplaying and deflecting' the
scale of the industrial and personal cost.
It is estimated that the economic contribution of the Grangemouth
oil refinery stands at £403.6m and with it 2,822 direct, indirect
and induced jobs are reliant on its operations (see notes to
editor).
Unite has criticised comments by MSP, energy minister, and
UK energy minister MP, over the weekend who
said that they were
both “confident” the
workforce would find other work - and that they were aware of
other companies having “already reached out to
the workforce”.
Unite says both governments despite pre and post general election
promises have so far failed to protect the workers by securing an
extension in the lifespan of the oil refinery while not
accelerating low carbon and renewables alternative projects to
prevent any gap in employment.
The union says the Scottish government and the UK government have
known for more than nine months that the refinery could close and
they have ‘collectively failed' to prevent the closure.
Unite added that Project Willow, which has joint government
funding to explore low carbon alternatives could be years away
from being developed at the complex and that action was needed to
support ‘the workers of today'.
Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham
said: “Scotland backed Labour at the ballot box
but so far Labour has utterly failed to deliver for the
Grangemouth workers when it needed them most. The SNP government
has also shown itself to be irrelevant to the needs of working
class communities. This is industrial vandalism on a mass
scale.”
Over the last few days, our members have witnessed
government ministers condescendingly speaking about ready-made
jobs being available. It is fantasy talk from people who have no
clue about the realities on the ground. We need urgent action to
support the workers of today not just warm words from ministers
about the projects of the future.”
Unite Scottish Secretary, Derek Thomson
added: “Unite members are furious over the false
promises made by both the Scottish and UK governments - and they
feel utterly betrayed. Ministers are deliberately downplaying and
deflecting from the industrial wreckage which they have allowed
to happen. They have collectively failed the
workforce.”
“Hundreds of millions of pounds are in danger of
being sucked out of the economy and hundreds of jobs dependent on
the refinery are now at immediate risk”.
