Petroineos: Labour candidate calls meeting to discuss planned closure of Grangemouth refinery

It comes as workers at the plant take to Facebook with a myth busting campaign designed to let people learn the truth behind the announcement that the refinery will close next year.

Union officials at the refinery say those plans should be put on hold until alternatives can be found, in line with the Scottish Government’s unfulfilled just transition promises.

The event has been organised by Brian Leishman, the Labour Party’s candidate for the Alloa and Grangemouth constituency at the coming general election.

Other speakers will be Central Scotland Labour MSP Richard Leonard, Lorna Robertson from Unite the Union and refinery worker Tam Rafferty. The meeting takes place in Bowhouse Community Centre from 10-11.30am.

Brian Leishman said: “Many of us remember the devastating impact pit closures had on workers and communities. We don’t want Grangemouth to go that way. Industry is already leaving the town. Versalis is gone and Fujifilm has said it is economically unviable to stay.

“If the refinery stops it’s not just the 400 jobs there that will go, it would be the thousands in the wider supply chain, an end to opportunities for the apprentices of the future and the loss of a provider of skilled and well paid employment.

“Local businesses will also feel the impact as contractors stop coming to Grangemouth, meaning less footfall and reduced custom for local businesses like B’n’Bs, restaurants, cafes and pubs.”

He went on: “The wider impact will be Scotland losing energy security, and this at a time when conflicts in Europe and the Middle East already put this at risk.

“And we mustn’t forget the environmental impact. Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe talks of turning the refinery into a mere transfer depot, with oil coming into Grangemouth from far flung parts of the globe.

“I hope the meeting will give people the chance to hear exactly what is going on at the refinery, the workers’ perspective and let people see just how dreadful stopping refining would be for communities like Grangemouth and the rest of Scotland.”

“The Labour Party is committed to the refinery, the workers and to making sure that the transition to greener industries coming online is worker based. Workers can’t be expected to lose their jobs before new greener industries are ready. The SNP talk of closing the gap but workers and their communities cannot afford to wait.”

*To check out the Grangemouth refinery workers’ myth-busting campaign and the latest news on the refinery campaign follow the Keep Grangemouth WorkingFacebook page. One myth they cite is the claim by the Scottish Government that they learned of Jim Ratcliffe’s plan to end oil refining at Grangemouth at the same time as the workers, November 21, 2023. A Freedom of Information request revealed an email referring to a meeting Energy Secretary Michael Matheson had with Petroineos in February 2022 when company plans to close the refinery were discussed. The information was not passed to workers or their unions.

A Scottish Government Spokesman said: “The Scottish Government was made aware in November 2023 of Petroineos’s decision to commence preparatory work on new import infrastructure at Finnart and Grangemouth on the same day as the workforce and the UK Government.

“As a responsible Government, we have been engaged with the refinery business over recent years, and have been aware that the business has been considering its future transition options for some time.

“It is our preference that refining should continue at Grangemouth for as long as possible in order to provide time and space for the business to develop transition opportunities – in particular to ensure a just transition for the workforce and communities it supports.”