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Acas talks over refinery dispute Acas talks over refinery dispute
(about 14 hours later)
Talks aimed at resolving a dispute which could shut down Grangemouth oil refinery will be held at conciliation service Acas, it has emerged. Talks aimed at resolving a dispute which could shut down Grangemouth oil refinery will be held at conciliation service Acas.
BBC Scotland has learned that officials from the Unite trade union will meet bosses from Ineos in London in a bid to head off a planned two-day stoppage. Officials from the Unite trade union will meet bosses from Ineos in London in a bid to head off the planned two-day stoppage.
Up to 1,200 workers plan to strike from Sunday over plans to end the final salary pension scheme for new workers.Up to 1,200 workers plan to strike from Sunday over plans to end the final salary pension scheme for new workers.
The company has started shutting down the refinery, the biggest in Scotland. The company has started shutting down the refinery ahead of the stoppage.
Pension scheme Production is expected to be hit as the first of the crude oil units is closed in a phased shutdown of the refinery, one of only nine in the UK.
The plant supplies the whole of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England.
'Generous scheme'
The impact of the dispute has prompted sporadic panic buying of fuel by some motorists, although the supermarkets have moved to calm fears of a shortage.
Asda said there would be little impact on their fuel supplies as their fuel is not sourced from the Grangemouth refinery.
A spokesman for Tesco said it was closely monitoring the situation.
He said: "While there has been a pick-up in trade over the past couple of days we believe our customers are taking a sensible approach and there is certainly no need for fuel stockpiling."
Ineos said earlier it had made a number of concessions to the union which represented a "significant improvement" on its initial proposals.Ineos said earlier it had made a number of concessions to the union which represented a "significant improvement" on its initial proposals.
The dispute prompted motorists to queue for fuel at Falkirk's Tesco store
Chief executive Tom Crotty said: "The proposed new scheme for existing workers will continue to be amongst the most generous in the country."Chief executive Tom Crotty said: "The proposed new scheme for existing workers will continue to be amongst the most generous in the country."
Ineos said it was planning to delay the introduction of contributions from the workers to the pension scheme so that these were phased in at 1% a year over six years from April next year.Ineos said it was planning to delay the introduction of contributions from the workers to the pension scheme so that these were phased in at 1% a year over six years from April next year.
The initial proposal was 2% a year for three years.The initial proposal was 2% a year for three years.
The company said it was also improving proposals for redundancy payments and making a number of other changes.The company said it was also improving proposals for redundancy payments and making a number of other changes.
But Unite said there was nothing new in the company's statement.But Unite said there was nothing new in the company's statement.
Governments on both sides of the border have urged the two sides to continue negotiations in a bid to avert the strike. The plant is the biggest refinery in Scotland Governments on both sides of the border have urged the two sides to continue negotiations in a bid to avert the strike.
Business Secretary John Hutton said the UK Government had started putting contingency plans into place to deal with the strike adding that if the action went ahead the government would do everything in its power to minimise disruption. Business Secretary John Hutton said the UK Government had started putting contingency plans into place to deal with the strike adding that if the action went ahead ministers would do everything in their power to minimise disruption.
The Scottish Government offered to bring in an independent expert to carry out a study into the management changes.The Scottish Government offered to bring in an independent expert to carry out a study into the management changes.
Scottish Ministers said Stewart Ritchie, formerly of the Association of British Insurers and the National Association of Pension Funds, would conduct the study into the pension plans in a bid to clarify the issues which are in dispute. Stewart Ritchie, formerly of the Association of British Insurers and the National Association of Pension Funds, would conduct the study into the pension plans to clarify the issues which are in dispute.
Production is expected to be hit as the first of the crude oil units is closed in a phased shutdown of the refinery, one of only nine in the UK.
The plant supplies the whole of Scotland, Northern Ireland and the north of England.