GRangemouth refinery workers will join politicians today for a rally to urge plant owner Ineos to restart production.

 

They plan to appeal to the public for support following an "ultimatum" from Ineos.

Workers have received letters from the company asking them to agree to changes in pensions and other terms and conditions as part of a survival plan Ineos claims will prevent the site closing.

Staff have until 6pm tomorrow to opt in to the new contracts, which will freeze pay for three years, or face being sacked without redundancy pay.

Unite officials have dubbed the proposals a "sign or be sacked" ultimatum, which will also mean cuts in pensions, holiday entitlement and overtime pay.

On Friday, talks between Ineos and Unite broke down, with the owner claiming the union had refused to accept its offer to restart the plant in exchange for a commitment of no further industrial action this year.

The union has vowed to legally challenge the deadline on firm's proposal.

Workers, along with the local MP Michael Connarty, the executive council vice-chair of Unite, Mark Lyon, STUC general secretary Grahame Smith, Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty and their supporters are due to gather outside Ineos' offices at the site this afternoon.

Rafferty said the workers would not give in to the "threats and menaces" of Ineos.

He said: "Rather than demonstrating, workers want to be working to make sure that Grangemouth has a successful future. Instead, their livelihoods are being thrown into turmoil because of Ineos' irresponsibility, which risks the future of the site.

"Anger is growing among workers and the company now risks destroying good Scottish jobs and a powerhouse of the Scottish economy.

"Our message is clear: we will not give in to the threats and menaces of Ineos.

"Once again, I call on Ineos to drop the cynical blackmail, start the plant up and talk seriously about securing a future for Grangemouth."

Around 1400 permanent staff are employed at Scotland's largest oil refinery, which Ineos decided to shut down earlier this week after talks foundered.

Ineos, which began shutting down the refinery on Monday, has refused to start it back up until workers agree to the cuts.

In a statement released on Friday, Ineos claimed it would be "hazardous" to start up the plant without assurances there would be no further industrial action this year.

It says it is focusing on the Ineos survival plan which lays out the critical changes required to ensure that Grangemouth remains competitive.

Labour MP Connarty called for the Monday deadline to be dropped, urging Ineos to "take the gun away from head of the workforce."

Alex Salmond also last night called on managers and workers at the Grangemouth refinery to restart the plant, warning their dispute now posed a "mortal danger" to the 80% of Scotland's fuel.

The First Minister said: "To the management, fire up the plant and then negotiate against the background of a working facility, not one which is in mortal danger. Find common ground."

Unite published a strongly-worded advert in a number of Scottish newspapers today titled "a message to the people of Scotland".

The union said Grangemouth is the "powerhouse" of Scotland's economy and urged management to open the plant.

It described Ineos as "out of control" and accused it of "waging a campaign of fear against its employees".

The advert said: "This climate of fear has been created to try to force working men and women into signing away their rights and the pensions which they have saved all their working lives.

"This is a company out of control. This is holding Scotland to ransom."

The advert asked people to support the workforce and contact MPs and MSPs.

Meanwhile, Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe told the Sunday Times that the fate of the plant rests with the workforce.

He said: "This is not a bluff. The clock is ticking, Grangemouth could have a future but that is absolutely in the hands of the workers.

"Raw gas is declining at a rapid rate and we cannot run the plant flat out.

"The situation is very serious but I want to emphasise that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Grangemouth can have a potentially exciting future."