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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Refinery talks solution proposed | Refinery talks solution proposed |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| A possible resolution to the dispute over pensions at the Grangemouth oil refinery is to be considered by the Unite union and Ineos management. | A possible resolution to the dispute over pensions at the Grangemouth oil refinery is to be considered by the Unite union and Ineos management. |
| The two sides held talks at a secret venue in London, just hours after workers at the plant returned from a 48-hour stoppage. | The two sides held talks at a secret venue in London, just hours after workers at the plant returned from a 48-hour stoppage. |
| An agreed statement described the talks as "constructive and meaningful". | An agreed statement described the talks as "constructive and meaningful". |
| The strike by about 1,200 workers disrupted fuel supplies to Scotland and the north of England. | The strike by about 1,200 workers disrupted fuel supplies to Scotland and the north of England. |
| Pension scheme | |
| It also resulted in the closure of the BP-run Forties pipeline system, which carries much of the UK's oil output from the North Sea. | |
| The statement issued after the talks said: "A meeting was held in London today between Jim Ratcliffe and Tom Crotty of Ineos with the general secretaries of Unite, Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson. | The statement issued after the talks said: "A meeting was held in London today between Jim Ratcliffe and Tom Crotty of Ineos with the general secretaries of Unite, Tony Woodley and Derek Simpson. |
| "It was a constructive and meaningful discussion and reached a proposal that will be considered by the company and the union in the coming days, with a view to finding a resolution to the pensions dispute." | "It was a constructive and meaningful discussion and reached a proposal that will be considered by the company and the union in the coming days, with a view to finding a resolution to the pensions dispute." |
| The dispute centred on changes to the workers' pension scheme. | The dispute centred on changes to the workers' pension scheme. |
| Ineos wants to close its final salary pension scheme to new workers. | |
| It also wants to phase in a contribution to the pension scheme from workers of 6% of their salary. We are anticipating some inconvenience for members of the public over the next couple of days until fuel starts coming out of Grangemouth again as normal Nicola SturgeonHealth Secretary Fuel issues continue for farmers | |
| Business Secretary John Hutton visited Grangemouth earlier to voice his "appreciation and respect" for work done by the Scottish Government to minimise the impact of the dispute. | |
| Mr Hutton met Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond, who said: "We are anxious that everything that we say contributes to the resolution of the dispute - and that nothing that we or anybody else say should be seen as aggravating things again. | |
| "We are in a much better place than we were a few days ago, and let's hope that positive progress continues." | |
| It is expected to be at least two weeks before fuel production is back up to 100% capacity at the Ineos plant. | |
| Emergency fuel supplies have been arriving in Scotland since Sunday to ease the pressure on forecourts, with more expected on Tuesday. | |
| A fleet of between 500 and 600 tankers is also expected to move out of Grangemouth to replenish supplies at filling stations. | |
| The shortages occurred after several days of motorists rushing to fill up their tanks. | |
| During a visit to an ambulance station in Edinburgh, Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the public should be reassured that the emergency services would not go without fuel.John Hutton and John Swinney visited the Ineos plant to meet staff | |
| She said: "We are anticipating some inconvenience for members of the public over the next couple of days until fuel starts coming out of Grangemouth again as normal. | |
| "Until then, we will make sure that essential services - including ambulances - continue to get the fuel they need." | |
| Meanwhile, Shell has announced profits of $7.8bn (£3.9bn) in the first three months of the year, up from $6.9bn a year ago. | |
| Rival BP has also seen its profits jump 48% to $6.588bn (£3.31bn), from $4.4bn. | |
| The news has been met with anger from the Unite trade union. | |
| Graham Tran, regional officer, said: "These profits are a slap in the face for 180 staff at Shell who were told less than seven days ago that they face redundancy. | |
| "Furthermore, both Shell and BP have announced pension holidays for 2008 at a time when our members in Grangemouth are fighting to protect their pension fund." |