INEOS set to close Grangemouth Refinery in Scotland

[John Arton]

Today it appears that the Grangemouth Oil Refinery is set to be closed by its owners INEOS. This is due to a long running dispute with the UNITE Union over the final pension scheme where INEOS want their employees to contribute towards the scheme instead of it being a non-contributory final pension scheme.
The average wage at the refinery is twice the national average and the refinery supplies petrol and diesel to Scotland, Northern Island and the North of England along with being a major player in the petro chemicals market, so its closure is set to knock 3% off Scotlands GDP according to some analysts.
INEOS is a privately owned company run by a U.K. person (Jim Ratcliff) but headquartered in Switzerland. It grew out of purchasing INSPEC and then Chemicals when they closed down along with ICI plus many others and is now the 5th largest producer of Chemicals in the world. It has formed joint ventures with a Chinese outfit to run its refining side of the business producing petrol and diesel.
I have carried a large number of INEOS cargoes and found that in the U.K. and abroad they have invested heavily in their sites and terminals so to me they seem to be a respectable business that looks after their employees, their sites and the environment (gosh sound a bit like their press officer there).
My question is, as this country can really no longer afford non contributory final salary schemes (suspect INEOS inherited these at Grangemouth from former owners BP) beyond those for our much loved? politicians.
To me this is another case of big unions exerting their power to better their own ends, disregarding the wider impact that it will have on not only their members but the countries economy as well.
If INEOS does close the refinery up to 4000 people will be directly affected loosing their jobs and there has been no mention of the Pilots, Linesmen, Tugboat men etc. who operate the deep water terminal in the Forth that supplies the terminal with the crude oil.
Don't you just love those idiotic union leaders who after their members have lost their jobs will still swan around in their union provided limos, live rent free in union provided houses and travel and stay first class!!!!
I will now go and hide under the stairs to avoid the bricks and arrows coming my way from union stalwarts.
rgds
JA

[John Albert Evans]

John,
No need to hide under the stairs, I'm sure a lot of the lads here also agree with you. I for one am.
Johan Albert Evans

[Jim Brady]

Maybe they intended closing down so this was constructed to escape redundancy payments.The whole operation is not closing down as I understand it.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[Louis the Amigo]

Hi shipmates, Hi John, Been there years ago was it owned by someone else?What has been reported on the news is the owners want to closed part of it down and kick out the workers? with out any payment? cost cutting to max the profits? and cut the wages of the workers that remain? The unions are only trying to look after they members over 400 scottish jobs will be lost and many more as you pointed out,if the unions dont try to stop this happening. Alex Salmon is on they side, the days of any union with power have long gone into the history books. as no one in work can afford a strike today!!!!

[robpage]

I was in a company that axed the Final Salary Pension Scheme , It was the Co-op , One of the most ethical employers in the country , they could not afford it , we were not given a choice , we were given a contributory scheme that was money purchase scheme , better bread to day than nothing tomorrow , I would be over £7000 a year better off if the scheme had not changed . I preferred employment , It is a hard fact of today's society , I believe that Ineos are telling the truth , look how many pension schemes are millions of pounds underfunded . I would say wake up UNISON you will lose the battle and up top 4000 jobs if you don't wake up soon , and Mr Salmon in his independent dream Scotland will have to buy his Petrol and Diesel from the country he so wants to divorce ,

[Jim Brady]

I believe it is 800 jobs at stake,I cant see it closing maybe just a bit of sabre rattling, who wouldn't cave in with the threat of loosing a good job and being unemployed possibly without the chance of a job in the future.Then again can the company afford to close down a good commodity if it is one.
Regards.
Jim.B.

[robpage]

INEOS can afford to close it and will . I really , after taking a good look at it do not think they are bluffing . They have appointed liquidators ,that is not a bluff , Unite are to take a lot of the responsibility for a lot of people having no Christmas this year . 800 are Direct employees , and will get some INEOS redundancy , but their pension will be well and truly stuffed . There are probably a couple of thousand contractors and sub contractors who will be hurt by this . there is no chance of selling it , there are redundant refineries in Germany and France that could not find buyers , so the 400 UNITE supporters that rejected the pay freeze pension changes on UNITE's recommendation , you have just lost Scotland 2000 jobs , Sleep Well , the union man will probably send you a Christmas Card

[Chris Allman]

I agree with John Arton, John Albert and Rob. UNITE have more than a lot to answer for they have talked those workers into losing their jobs. INEOS would still have provided them with jobs and a future but no the unions have got to step in and put a lot more people out of work and into misery. John Arton is so right when he says " those idiotic union leaders who after their members have lost their jobs will still swan around in their union provided limos, live rent free in union provided houses and travel and stay first class!!!! ". Its about time people saw the unions as they really are, looking after themselves not their members. People will never learn, the NUS sold us all down the river in the 60s and look where one of them is now, a bloody Lord. I feel very very sorry for the Grangemouth workers and I hope that something can be sorted out for them and that they kick UNITE into the long grass where hopefully they will not be seen.

[Jim Brady]

Chris,who said I don't agree with them,just putting a different slant on it for conversation.
Regards.
Jim.B,

[cappy]

you hit the nail bang on the head chris.....memories of union president.....slater nus ......fancy offices in London .....jag ......big salary.....when there was no ships left .....an admitted member of the commie ...party a collier fireman ....never went deep sea and of course the fat deputy pm mr Prescott ......even now trying to get his son in the trough........how can people not see........but what gets me is how they get there in the first place .....and of course mr miliband......funded by the union dues which have to be paid or don't work.....I wouldn't give him a job washing lettuce