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| Grangemouth dispute: Ineos claim 'positive' response to survival plan | Grangemouth dispute: Ineos claim 'positive' response to survival plan |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The owners of the Grangemouth complex have claimed the employee response to their survival plan has been "extremely positive" so far. | The owners of the Grangemouth complex have claimed the employee response to their survival plan has been "extremely positive" so far. |
| Staff at the oil refinery and petrochemical plant have until 18:00 BST on Monday to sign up to new terms and conditions put forward by Ineos. | |
| The firm said it had 250 positive returns out of a workforce of 1,350. | The firm said it had 250 positive returns out of a workforce of 1,350. |
| But Unite said it has had more than 500 forms coming back to the union which reject the offer on pay and pensions. | |
| The union has asked its 1,100 members at Grangemouth not to hand the forms to Ineos. | |
| It has accused the company of giving workers an ultimatum of accepting worse pay and conditions or losing their job. | |
| The Grangemouth site was shut down last week as a result of the industrial dispute, which came close to strike action by the union. | The Grangemouth site was shut down last week as a result of the industrial dispute, which came close to strike action by the union. |
| Calum MacLean, chairman of Ineos Grangemouth, said: "Whilst it's early days, the initial response to the survival plan has been pleasing. We weren't expecting many returns before Monday so we are taking this is a positive development." | Calum MacLean, chairman of Ineos Grangemouth, said: "Whilst it's early days, the initial response to the survival plan has been pleasing. We weren't expecting many returns before Monday so we are taking this is a positive development." |
| Ineos has put forward what it calls a survival plan for Grangemouth and warned that the plant would close in 2017 without fresh investment and changes to workers' terms and conditions. | Ineos has put forward what it calls a survival plan for Grangemouth and warned that the plant would close in 2017 without fresh investment and changes to workers' terms and conditions. |
| These changes were detailed in letters sent to staff at the end of last week. They include freezing the basic salary and offering no bonuses until at least the end of 2016. | These changes were detailed in letters sent to staff at the end of last week. They include freezing the basic salary and offering no bonuses until at least the end of 2016. |
| The shift allowance would also be reduced and pensions transferred from a final salary to a defined benefits scheme. The company has said no job cuts were expected. | The shift allowance would also be reduced and pensions transferred from a final salary to a defined benefits scheme. The company has said no job cuts were expected. |
| It also said employees who support its survival plan at this stage will receive a transitional payment of up to £15,000 and an enhanced employer contribution to their pension. | It also said employees who support its survival plan at this stage will receive a transitional payment of up to £15,000 and an enhanced employer contribution to their pension. |
| Unite said it had strongly advised its members at Grangemouth not to return the forms backing the changes to their contract. It accused Ineos of "bribes and blackmail". | |
| The union's Scottish secretary, Pat Rafferty, said: "We have had a flood of forms coming back to us that are rejecting this offer. Members want their union to be sitting negotiating with its employer. | The union's Scottish secretary, Pat Rafferty, said: "We have had a flood of forms coming back to us that are rejecting this offer. Members want their union to be sitting negotiating with its employer. |
| "They don't not want terms and conditions imposed on them or to be bullied the way they are getting bullied right now by this employer." | "They don't not want terms and conditions imposed on them or to be bullied the way they are getting bullied right now by this employer." |
| On Sunday hundreds of workers staged a rally at the Grangemouth site. | On Sunday hundreds of workers staged a rally at the Grangemouth site. |
| First Minister Alex Salmond also repeated his calls for Ineos to "fire up the plant" and for Unite to commit to a "no strike - without strings - guarantee". | First Minister Alex Salmond also repeated his calls for Ineos to "fire up the plant" and for Unite to commit to a "no strike - without strings - guarantee". |
| Ineos shareholders are due to discuss the future of the complex on Tuesday. | Ineos shareholders are due to discuss the future of the complex on Tuesday. |
| Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, who is scheduled to meet with Ineos later this week, urged the company to "withdraw the ultimatums delivered to the workforce". | Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont, who is scheduled to meet with Ineos later this week, urged the company to "withdraw the ultimatums delivered to the workforce". |
| She said: "The company should also undertake to immediately reopen the plant and return to production and both the union and the company should return to meaningful talks, with Acas if necessary, to deliver a solution to this matter which has serious consequences for Scotland and the UK." | She said: "The company should also undertake to immediately reopen the plant and return to production and both the union and the company should return to meaningful talks, with Acas if necessary, to deliver a solution to this matter which has serious consequences for Scotland and the UK." |
| 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. |