Refinery dispute deal considered

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A proposal to end the dispute over pensions between bosses and workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery is still being considered by both sides.

Hopes of an end to the row increased on Tuesday after the proposal was put forward during talks between union chiefs and Ineos founder Jim Ratcliffe.

The meeting was held within hours of the end of a 48-hour strike by 1,200 workers at the Grangemouth refinery.

The row began after Ineos announced changes to its pension scheme.

The Unite trade union issued a joint statement with Ineos saying the plan would be considered "in the coming days".

The public have been measured and responsible, and our transport operators have been working to ensure that services have remained unaffected across Scotland John Swinney

Following the end of strike action, on Tuesday morning, Ineos warned it could be up to three weeks before normal operations were resumed at the Grangemouth refinery.

To counter the effects of the plant's closure fuel supplies have been shipped to ports across Scotland to replenish stocks on forecourts that had run dry or suffered shortages.

Oil giant BP said that by the end of Wednesday they expected deliveries to sites and pick-ups by wholesalers to have reached between 500 and 600 tankers.

On a visit to First ScotRail's Haymarket depot in Edinburgh, where trains have been refuelling through the disruption, Finance Secretary John Swinney praised the public for their response during the dispute.

'Outstanding issues'

He said: "The last week has been a testing time for us all but the response from everyone has been extremely encouraging.

"The public have been measured and responsible, and our transport operators have been working to ensure that services have remained unaffected across Scotland."

Mr Swinney called for motorists to use fuel wisely until supplies returned to normal levels and said talks by Ineos and Unite were "encouraging".

He added: "Hopefully this will pave the way for a resolution to the dispute in the coming days.

"Meanwhile, the Scottish Government will continue with our own work to resolve the outstanding issues arising from the industrial disruption and to ensure we have effective fuel supplies available in every part of Scotland."