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| Grangemouth dispute: Unite members vote for strike action | Grangemouth dispute: Unite members vote for strike action |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery and petrochemical site in central Scotland have voted to strike in a row over a union convenor. | |
| Unite said its members would walk out for 48 hours from 07:00 on Sunday 20 October over the treatment of Stephen Deans. | Unite said its members would walk out for 48 hours from 07:00 on Sunday 20 October over the treatment of Stephen Deans. |
| Workers started an overtime ban and work to rule on Monday. | Workers started an overtime ban and work to rule on Monday. |
| Unite accused Ineos, which operates the site, of refusing to take the dispute to the conciliation service Acas. | Unite accused Ineos, which operates the site, of refusing to take the dispute to the conciliation service Acas. |
| Unite's Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: "Unite has made every effort to pull Ineos back from the brink but at every opportunity this company has kicked our proposals for peace into touch. | Unite's Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: "Unite has made every effort to pull Ineos back from the brink but at every opportunity this company has kicked our proposals for peace into touch. |
| "We have pleaded with government ministers in Westminster and Holyrood and the joint owners of the Grangemouth refinery Petrochina to help rein in this reckless company before it's too late. | "We have pleaded with government ministers in Westminster and Holyrood and the joint owners of the Grangemouth refinery Petrochina to help rein in this reckless company before it's too late. |
| "A damaging strike may shut down the Grangemouth site, with serious ramifications for fuel production and supply throughout Scotland and the north of England." | "A damaging strike may shut down the Grangemouth site, with serious ramifications for fuel production and supply throughout Scotland and the north of England." |
| Earlier on Friday, Ineos condemned the union for what it said were actions discouraging customers from doing business with the plant. | Earlier on Friday, Ineos condemned the union for what it said were actions discouraging customers from doing business with the plant. |
| 'Contingency planning' | 'Contingency planning' |
| The company recently launched a survival plan for Grangemouth, warning that the site will close by 2017 without investment and reduced costs. | The company recently launched a survival plan for Grangemouth, warning that the site will close by 2017 without investment and reduced costs. |
| Unite said it had received an overwhelming mandate for strike action from the workforce, with 81.4% voting for walkouts and 90% for other forms of industrial action, on an 86% turnout. | Unite said it had received an overwhelming mandate for strike action from the workforce, with 81.4% voting for walkouts and 90% for other forms of industrial action, on an 86% turnout. |
| The dispute centres on Mr Deans, who was involved in the row over the selection of a Labour candidate in Falkirk. | The dispute centres on Mr Deans, who was involved in the row over the selection of a Labour candidate in Falkirk. |
| Mr Deans, who is chairman of both Labour's local constituency party and Unite in Scotland, was suspended by Ineos, then reinstated. | Mr Deans, who is chairman of both Labour's local constituency party and Unite in Scotland, was suspended by Ineos, then reinstated. |
| Ineos officials have said an investigation into the Unite union official was due to be completed by 25 October. | Ineos officials have said an investigation into the Unite union official was due to be completed by 25 October. |
| A strike at Grangemouth in 2008 is estimated to have cost the UK economy hundreds of millions of pounds. | A strike at Grangemouth in 2008 is estimated to have cost the UK economy hundreds of millions of pounds. |
| A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said it was "disappointed" that strike action was now planned. | A spokeswoman for the Scottish government said it was "disappointed" that strike action was now planned. |
| She added: "This news reinforces our fundamental view that this dispute can only be properly and fully resolved by negotiation between the company and the trade unions. | She added: "This news reinforces our fundamental view that this dispute can only be properly and fully resolved by negotiation between the company and the trade unions. |
| "We will now redouble our efforts to encourage negotiation to avert a strike, whilst taking forward contingency planning activity." | "We will now redouble our efforts to encourage negotiation to avert a strike, whilst taking forward contingency planning activity." |