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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Grangemouth dispute: Staff hold protest rally outside plant | Grangemouth dispute: Staff hold protest rally outside plant |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Workers at the Grangemouth refinery have held a rally outside the plant amid the continuing dispute which has seen the plant go into shutdown. | |
| It comes as First Minister Alex Salmond urged operators Ineos to "fire up the plant and do it now". | |
| Ineos has asked the Unite union to make a commitment to call no further industrial action this year. | Ineos has asked the Unite union to make a commitment to call no further industrial action this year. |
| Unite said it would agree, but on the condition that Ineos would not impose cuts planned for the same period. | Unite said it would agree, but on the condition that Ineos would not impose cuts planned for the same period. |
| Management and unions failed to reach a deal on Friday which could see operations restart. | Management and unions failed to reach a deal on Friday which could see operations restart. |
| The plant was shut down last week as a result of the dispute, which came close to industrial action by the union. | The plant was shut down last week as a result of the dispute, which came close to industrial action by the union. |
| Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme, Mr Salmond said: "I think Unite should give a no strike - without strings - guarantee. | Speaking on the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland programme, Mr Salmond said: "I think Unite should give a no strike - without strings - guarantee. |
| "Once that is done Ineos should fire up the plant and then the various discussions, negotiations, consultations on terms and conditions, should take place against the background of a working plant, not a plant that is lying cold." | "Once that is done Ineos should fire up the plant and then the various discussions, negotiations, consultations on terms and conditions, should take place against the background of a working plant, not a plant that is lying cold." |
| He added: "Let's get the plant up and running so that everybody has a vested interest in coming to terms in a plant that is working, as opposed to this current situation, which is wholly dangerous for the workforce and the Scottish economy, of a plant that is lying cold." | He added: "Let's get the plant up and running so that everybody has a vested interest in coming to terms in a plant that is working, as opposed to this current situation, which is wholly dangerous for the workforce and the Scottish economy, of a plant that is lying cold." |
| Unite said MPs and other supporters would join workers at the rally at the site. | Unite said MPs and other supporters would join workers at the rally at the site. |
| Pat Rafferty, Unite's Scottish secretary, 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. | Pat Rafferty, Unite's Scottish secretary, 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." | "Anger is growing among workers and the company now risks destroying good Scottish jobs and a powerhouse of the Scottish economy." |
| He added: "Once again I call on Ineos to drop the cynical blackmail, start the plant up and talk seriously about securing a future for Grangemouth." | He added: "Once again I call on Ineos to drop the cynical blackmail, start the plant up and talk seriously about securing a future for Grangemouth." |
| 'Ticking clock' | 'Ticking clock' |
| Unite has published a strongly-worded advert in a number of Scottish Sunday newspapers titled: "A message to the people of Scotland". | Unite has published a strongly-worded advert in a number of Scottish Sunday newspapers titled: "A message to the people of Scotland". |
| It described Grangemouth as the "powerhouse" of Scotland's economy and urged management to open the plant. | It described Grangemouth as the "powerhouse" of Scotland's economy and urged management to open the plant. |
| 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. | 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." | "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. | The advert asked people to support the workforce and contact MPs and MSPs. |
| Ineos said the dispute had cost it £20m on top of monthly losses of £10m. The company has warned that the plant would close in 2017 without fresh investment and changes to workers' terms and conditions. | Ineos said the dispute had cost it £20m on top of monthly losses of £10m. The company has warned that the plant would close in 2017 without fresh investment and changes to workers' terms and conditions. |
| In an interview with the Sunday Times, Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe said the fate of the Grangemouth site rested with the workforce. | In an interview with the Sunday Times, Ineos chairman Jim Ratcliffe said the fate of the Grangemouth site rested 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. | 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. | "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." | "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." |
| The dispute that led to a vote for strike action had centred on the company's treatment of union official Stephen Deans. | The dispute that led to a vote for strike action had centred on the company's treatment of union official Stephen Deans. |