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Refinery strike 'could spark major fuel crisis'

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Published Date: 18 April 2008
By SHÂN ROSS
SCOTLAND could be just days away from a fuel crisis after workers at the country's only refinery announced a two-day strike in a pension row.
Supplies to airports and filling stations across Scotland and northern England could be disrupted by the two-day action at Grangemouth, which begins next weekend.

Last night, transport chiefs warned of "serious ramifications" and possible queues at the pumps. The dispute will see the union Unite withdraw safety cover, forcing the massive complex to shut down. A contingency plan involving the closure of plants within the refinery is expected to start this weekend.

Last night, Ineos, which owns the refinery, said it was "deeply concerned" about the union's "cavalier" approach to safety.

Tom Crotty, Grangemouth CEO, said: "I have written to Tony Woodley, Unite's joint general secretary, expressing our concerns. Ineos has always prioritised site safety, and I'm deeply concerned the union is putting other issues ahead of safety."

Raising the stakes in the dispute, Ineos also warned strike action would threaten the future of the whole refinery and hundreds of jobs.

Currently more than a quarter of the entire salary bill at Grangemouth goes into the pension scheme, and independent pension experts say this figure could rise to almost 50 per cent.

Ineos has said it considers this figure is excessive and unsustainable. Unite said 1,200 workers will strike, following a 97 per cent vote in favour of industrial action, in protest at plans to close the final-salary pension scheme to new workers.

Geoff Dossetter, of the Freight Transport Association, said the action could have "very serious ramifications on businesses, garages and their customers."


The full article contains 280 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

GalacticCannibal,

Murrieta; . CA.....a place in the Sun 18/04/2008 02:14:41
Hey Dudes.


The workers who operate the equipment that pumps and processes the crude oil from very dangerous environments. Should get the maximum pay and benefits for their labor. No ifs or buts.

The Share holders should get a fair return on their investments, but not obscene profit levels as is the case in the US. Where unions, have been more or less wiped out.

The management of the company , CEO's and VPs (Directors) should be paid a fair wage for their efforts to manage and sustain the production and financial efficiency of the company. But NO obscene salaries, which can be as high as 60 times the wages of the production workers.

These oil Jobs cannot be exported (out sourced)to CHINA and the Chinese want all the energy they can get.


So in this scenario, the Union workers hold the ace cards.

GC is very happy about that.

Happy UNION Day in Scotland

GC


2

scotsdoc,

NANAIMO BC Canada. 18/04/2008 03:54:17
I have very little faith in Unions. Seems to me the UNION stewards are more interested in their own pay packets, more, than those of the workers they represent.


A very long time ago I worked, as a 17 yr old, at the Moat Pit, Roslin., when the SNUM was run by Abe Moffat.

I was taught not to work too hard as I would work myself out of a job, that the pit couldn't go bankrupt because it was owned by the Government, to remember that the older men still had to have enough energy to satisfy their wives in the evening. If anything went wrong everything seemed to stop until the management sorted it! The workers and management were in a class war and what was good for one side had by definition to be bad for the other.

The result today? No coal pit and no associated brickworks, no mining jobs and NO S.N.U. M!!

3

Marcus Fenix,

The Valley 18/04/2008 07:23:47
I'm off on holiday next week then come back to a strike. Bet you didn't know Marcus Fenix works at the refinery. (Well, I say works but I really mean 'turns up often')

4

Helmut Smegma,

Edinburgh. 18/04/2008 07:57:27
It`s this type of typical Scotsman crass article which will only fuel panic buying.
5

Thistledhu,

Fife 18/04/2008 09:05:32
More to this than meets the eye I find it hard to beleive that the average employee cares so much about any future employee's pension provision.

Bit of union smoke and mirrors i suspect
6

stan102,

18/04/2008 09:14:44
The oil refinitry is in the strategic national importance catagory - NATIONALISE it - pay off the greedy selfish bone idle little money grabbing parasitic shareholders and give the actual people who do the work a fair pay and fair pension for the dangerous work they do.
7

Mcsnagpile,

18/04/2008 09:46:43
Pension schemes are in general unfair, unworkable and elitist. The illusion is, during an expanding market they can make a profit, everybody and his dog is at the trough. During a contracting market they make a loss, making up the short fall must come out of some one else’s kitty. Why should the vast number without private pensions subsidise anybody. All private pension funds should be disbanded.

The safety of a plant is ultimately down to the owners.

The downfall of trade unions is primarily due to elitist and protectionist practices. The very things they say they stand against. We saw this with the weaver strikes. How long does it take to evolve? The interests of the citizen’s of a country come first. The old international call was unfounded due to conflicts of interest and no representation.
The very words (by definition) Trade Union and socialism are in opposition to each other.
8

Colin Wilson,

Aberdeen 18/04/2008 09:48:09
Re #5 : People rely on cars (which, in practice, means relying on oil fuels) as a consequence of the UK authorities' policies on town planning and public transport.

Since the Second World War, policy has been to force residential, commerical and industrial areas apart, leaving people with larger distances to travel to work so that walking or cycling to work isn't an option for most of us. Meanwhile, public transport has been hugely reduced, leaving a large proportion of workers (including me) dependent on their car for the daily journey to work.

As a money-grabbing exercise, it's been a total masterpiece. On the specious ground of taking care of the environment, the UK authorities can impose ever-higher taxes on people simply for making their daily journey to work as though it were some sort of dispensable luxury or self-indulgence. Meanwhile they raise all the revenue they need to support unnecessary and expensive wars.

If the UK authorities were serious about taking care of the environment, they'd change policies to enable people to live nearer to their work, and restore public transport to the same level as in the 1940s.
9

Alternative (High Octane) Fuel Head,

Edinburgh 18/04/2008 09:51:20
It is about time we had another fuel strike---although this is for totally the wrong reasons.

The duty on fuel should be halved.
10

Pomodora,

Gravesend 18/04/2008 09:56:35
Contracts are negotiated in good faith and should be upheld. The workers have the right to strike, thanks to our WW2 veterans who had the foresight to demand rights denied by goverments in the pre-war years. Pensions are only defrayed earnings from which companies gain astronomical returns at the expense of workers only to benefit the shareholders. Greed may be the name of the game but it is the greed of corporations, not workers. I wish them well in their fight for rights.
11

Filosofo,

Kirkcaldy (Remembering the perfidy of management i 18/04/2008 10:25:50
#1, #8, #13 - .
Filosofo warmly welcomes your wise words, well spoken.
More power to the working man, whom Maggie T tried to emasculate.
Anyone remember Boxer, the horse, in Animal Farm, getting carted away to the glue factory after breaking his body and health working harder and ever harder?Ironic that it was an allegory of Socialism, but here it fits well as a warning of capitalist greed and evil.
Cream off some of the fat cats' salaries to pay for the pensions of workers who have devoted, in some cases, 40+ years of service to their employer, in the faith that the employer would honour its promise come retirement time.
12

Thistledhu,

18/04/2008 11:08:03
#13 the strike is over future employees pensions not present so the simple answer there is if you dont like the pension provisions dont go to work for that company its that simple

Grangemouth is notorious for its nepotisim something that our unions do surpass themselves at.
13

Robert,

Kirriemuir 18/04/2008 11:23:12
I have never known a trade dispute with Unions where management was competent in its roll but regretfully those situations do not make good news. Problems in any organisation always arise at the top and percolate downwards. When management fails to manage then the silent majority among the company's peronnel support the Unions. When management is effective the silent majority support it.
14

Thistledhu,

18/04/2008 11:37:37
#16 as opposed to any modernisation that is introduced by management being opposed by 1980's 90's minded shop stewards who will happily guide there members to unemployment safe in the knowledge they can move on to the next disaster.

cast an eye round the veteran labour councilers who used to be shop stewards then check what happend to the factorys they worked at makes intresting reading
15

Fairfax,

18/04/2008 12:19:34
stan102(8): "The oil refinitry is in the strategic national importance catagory - NATIONALISE it"

Are memories that short? Let's remember all those key industries nationalised from 1945 until the 1980s, together with their incessant strikes and inefficiencies so extreme they required ever greater subsidies. Do we really want to create new Red Robbos and Scargills?
16

Thistledhu,

Fife 18/04/2008 12:54:08
I was recentley treated to some tales from the british leyland factory in bathgate where in an effort to increase production an night shift was introduced the union then stepped in and forbade any worker to produce more than 3 vehicles per run per night so they would go to sleep most of the night.
this practice of work ran over to the day shift when management tried to put a stop to it the union threatend to strike and of course it was a closed shop so if you dident go on strike you would be thrown out of the union and lose your job.

hardley surpriseing that the place was shut down as basicly the unions made it unmanageable
17

Quiet John,

Tinley Park 18/04/2008 13:11:00
Can you not bust the Union and get some decent replacement workers
18

PaulB,

Edinburgh 18/04/2008 13:51:01
Can anyone afford petrol or diesel anyway? Soon we will need a mortgage to fill the tank.
19

hardworker,

grangemouth 18/04/2008 15:49:31
#15 Thistledhu: the company is trying to reduce the pension for its CURRENT workers AS WELL AS future employees, they make £1m per DAY, the pension contributions the company makes total £1.5m per YEAR. surely hard working, highly skilled technicians are worthy of a day and a half profit????
20

hardworker,

grangemouth 18/04/2008 15:51:46
# 21 quiet john : 'decent replacement workers' - and who are they?? polish butchers/bakers who'll work for £3 an hour and wont stand up to an already billionaires greed??
21

hardworker,

grangemouth 18/04/2008 15:54:40
#14 Filosofo: couldnt agree more.
22

bill-alba,

Fife 18/04/2008 15:56:22
Thistledhu...if new workers don't get the same rights as previous employees we will be back to the situation where workers had no rights..are you happy with that??
23

,

18/04/2008 15:57:54
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
24

,

18/04/2008 15:58:40
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
25

westview,

18/04/2008 16:12:19
Why is our fuel so dear? It is far cheaper in USA and Europe. If Brown is printing money to prop up bank profits can he not print money to develop an electric car infrastructure. This would make costs cheaper and the economy would boom. Remember if oil lasts the UK 10 years ,it can last Scotland 100 years, so the presure is on the UK government to find a substitute transport system.
26

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 16:45:27
#1
Hi Dud, the State of Californication is bankrupt, I wouldn't be minding another nations business if I were you.

Happy Mexican day dude.
27

GalacticCannibal,

Murrieta; . CA.....a place in the Sun 18/04/2008 16:58:34
30
Sambo,
The deep south
--------------------------

Be nice Sambo .
Remember how U squawked on about how proud U are that u were involved in the Raytheon missile production.

U know dude those missiles that are fried from a distance and kill both enemy and civilian at the same time.

Still to each his/her own crime.

Calm down dude, despite U abandoning Scotland for money

We are merciful and forgive U this one time.

But if all other Scots did what U did . there would be no Scotland. Still some have loyalty some don't . Some have balls some don't

Happy "The South will not Rise again" Day

GC
28

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 17:13:51
#31 Re, "abandoning Scotland for money"
Aren't you forgetting you're governor is from Austria?
We don't fry missiles, we fry things. Too many shrooms this early methinks.
Happy Mexican day
Dude.
29

John Blackley,

Florida 18/04/2008 17:58:51
Rarely - even on this site - have I seen such a lack of knowledge about the workings of the economy in a capitalist system.

30

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 18:29:51
Surely if this strike is going to cripple the nation the PM should be able to tap petrol from the national reserve.
Also why not reduce the 60p per liter tax on diesel to help reduce inflation?
Don't let him wander around the US he might get lost.
31

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 19:44:55
As a taxpayer although not 100% resident in Scotland, it seems that you're vote in 97 has added another layer of government and another burden on the taxpayer.
For example, you're First Minister draws a salary as an MP in Westminster, he has visited London on six occasions claiming 116,000 pounds expenses to cast a vote.
On top of his 60,675 pounds salary as an MP, he also receives 76,907 pounds as First Minister. Mr. Salmond registered 18 votes out of 249 votes in the commons, that's 6,500 pounds per vote to us taxpayers.
Then their is the pay and expenses of his entourage, that's 84,664 for staffing Westminster, 4,784 pounds for postage, 14,000 pounds for a hardly used flat in London, 18,591 pounds for incidentals and 2,081 pounds for staff travel expenses.
Add that to your mausoleum cost at Holyrood and all the salaries there. So Scotland what are you getting for our pennies?
Lot's of nanny laws to impede our wallets and leave us to fly a saltire that has as much power as hanging a bed sheet on the clothesline.
32

Pomodora,

Gravesend 18/04/2008 19:53:28
#15..read again! Pensions are pensions are pensions which are paid for by the workers themselves. I repeat,
pensions are defrayed earnings which give the company the propensity to spend for the benefit of the corporation. Any discrepency which is alleged by the company, investigation will show, is the result of incompetent management skills. The increasing bonus given to CEO's come from the employees pension fund, READ AGAIN!..and understand that PENSIONS are PENSIONS are PENSIONS.
33

Pomodora,

Gravesend 18/04/2008 20:11:46
#37..danielrober, Whatever you are drinking..change your brand!
34

Thistledhu,

18/04/2008 20:19:37
36 pensions are paid by the company and the employer

here is the simple fact there has never been a successful strike in the uk EVER.

Hardworker if you want to force these facilities oversea,s keep going the ay you are remember the world dosent owe you a liveing
35

Thistledhu,

18/04/2008 20:27:34
bil- alba the pension scheme is part of a benifits package not a right
36

wlong,

Pleasanton 18/04/2008 20:59:19
Born in the Oil Fields, raised in the oil fields. Oil will sell anywhere. Right now it's $114.00 US dollars per barrel. Close the refinery, lay off the union and sell the oil to China or out source the work to the Union (not employees), with a guaranteed percentage of return on investments, and let the Union deal with whatever the problem is as long as they (the Union) lives up to its contract and produces as necessary. The Union being responsible for all employee expenses. Just remember who created and own the job. They can uncreate it just as easily. Take a look at all the jobs that were in Scotland and Wales but now are gone. Very easly gone. No one owes any one a job.
37

Tris,

Dundee 18/04/2008 21:30:08
34 sambo

"Don't let him wander around the US he might get lost."


Erm... you are joking aren't you?
38

Tris,

18/04/2008 21:33:12

35 sambo

You'll find that Mr Salmond puts his second salary into a trust fund to help disadvantaged people from his constituency.
39

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 21:49:23
Tris, get real, the disadvantaged people from the North of Scotland. What about the disadvantaged people in Glasgow and Edinburgh?
How many SNP ministers are pumping their expenses into their constituencies?
Why in the h**l should he be getting two salaries in the first place?
I can't see why my taxes should proliferate the fat cat's in Holyrood.
40

indune1,

Canada 18/04/2008 21:54:09

Why, in a supposedly oil-rich country, is there only one refinery?

Work in an oil refinery dangerous? GTF!

41

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 22:16:50
Each year I visit Scotland, I expect to pay two times what I pay in the US for anything!
However as each year goes by, Scotland seems to accept the never ending inflation. It seems that the governments who have been in power have wanted it this way. If you dumb down the population and make them feel comfortable by taking money from the workers and giving it to the non-workers, then as long as you're pension is guaranteed, to hell with anyone else.
Socialism doesnt work.
42

indune1,

Canada 18/04/2008 22:24:00
47 - Sambo - "expect to pay two times what I pay in the US for anything!"

Speaking of economy of effort, did you mean to say, " expect to pay twice what I pay in the US for anything!" ? :)
43

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 22:32:46
Unions had their "time in the sun". Unions have crippled States in the US such as Michigan and Pennsylvania.
Unions have crippled production in Scotland, for example, steel,coal,shipbuilding, all of which this country has in abundance. All ruined by overpriced union wages and pensions.
I belonged to the Amalgamated Engineering Union as a worker in Scotland, I had no choice, belong or go on the street.
Everything will come back to haunt you. Outsourcing to China, India et. al.
Been there, done that.
44

Sambo,

The deep south 18/04/2008 22:34:49
#48
indune, you're correct.
45

indune1,

Canada 18/04/2008 22:39:26

50 - Sambo - sorry about that chum! Just couldn't resist!

By the way, I totally agree with your #49 posting.
46

Thistledhu,

Fife 18/04/2008 23:36:59
indune1,/Sambo, of course you realise that many will veiw your postings as being tainted with the veiw that in the us/canada the unions are veiwed as being corupt and self serving.

and of course thats not the case in scotland is it?

MMM i wonder
47

indune1,

Canada 18/04/2008 23:48:37

52 - Thistledown - I believe corruption and self-serving actions are not confined solely to Unions - or more specifically their leaders. However, in this modern era, I believe these traits have been repeatedly displayed by Union leaders.

I believe in the right of the working person to be protected and given a fair wage. What gets up my nose is so-called leaders in their Armani suits, sipping designer spring water, holding news conferences to demand wage increases, pension reforms or they will shut an industry down.

In doing so, they have consistently displayed a depressing ability to kill such industries.
48

Thistledhu,

18/04/2008 23:58:56
indune1 #53 well put
49

GalacticCannibal,

Murrieta; . CA.....a place in the Sun 19/04/2008 00:51:27
49
Sambo,
The deep sout

------------------------ Hey Dude reading U current scribes . Do U live the perfect idyllic life style dude.

Hey when a dude, is involved with production of TH missiles at Raytheon. that kill civilians and troops . When a dude has abandoned Scotland for money reasons , When a dude lives in the humidity of Deep South Alabama.

Yes Sir, thats is truly idyllic indeed.

Happy Abandon Scotland day.

Now don't get mad , just relax and chill dude.
GC
50

GalacticCannibal,

Murrieta; . CA.....a place in the Sun 19/04/2008 00:52:46
#55 sorry about the sout , I mean South
no disrespect intended

GC
51

Will1,

Grangemouth 19/04/2008 08:15:04
The company has propose major changes to the pension plan, but left the door open for negotiation.

Whist the proposed chnages are very significant it is probably unrealistic the think the the existing (exceptionally good) pension plan can be maintained

I Union has taken the nuclear option of strike without first attempting to negotiate.

The risk to jobs in Scotland is real. Ineos does have other choices about where to invest money - in the UK and Europe. It may not be willing to invest in a site the presents unreasonably difficult industrial relations

Personnally I would rather negotiate a compromise on the pensions and keep the site open for the future

52

hardworker,

grangemouth 19/04/2008 11:35:23
the union has been trying to negotiate for 9 months now - the problem is the management they have been negotiating with all that time were not, and will not ever be in a position to negotiate a pension plan as the owner (billionaire jim ratcliffe) is a control freak and thus, controls the strings, the management at grangemouth are all puppets. If i were negotiating with a brick wall for 9 months i think i would take it to the next level which, in this case, is industrial action.

the company has chosen to release snippets of the negotiations - some true but out of context and others just LIES.

53

Guthrie,

Edinburgh 19/04/2008 12:24:25
Which is whyt he union needs to release as much as possible to show the bad faith of the company, and how they have been negotiating for 9 months.
54

Thistledhu,

Fife 19/04/2008 20:04:36
#58 who told this wasent a union man by any chance?

Just remember careers in the union/labour movement arent made by comeing to amicable agreements.
55

Thistledhu,

19/04/2008 20:07:25
since labour lost the holyrood election the unions have been spoiling for a high impact dispute in scotland i think they have found it.
56

Just another guy.,

Scotland. 28/07/2008 18:54:50
Unions should be entitled to negotiate, as should cooperation’s. Both vying in equal measure creates a more balanced equation. Sadly, the people running both factions are one and the same and thus, unions dissolve and their leaders become apart of the company owners. There goes equality.

In response to 32, We do not live in a world capitalistic economy. It is a variety of extreme's including monopolistic capitalism and monopoly. Heard of the cartel called OPEC?

46 To you sir, I firmly say that Scotland is not dumb economically or otherwise. If you pick up study on economics you will find a man named Adam Smith, father of modern economics and supporter of free trade. Scotland, like most of the world is waiting for the right leader. I'm sure that time is coming. Second socialism exists in America as well as Britain, government spending without ethics or fiscal responsibility creates a difficult situation when they have thrown away money they promised for other things. It also doesn't work when people are unethical.

41. Oil will sell, but the world and not simply governments but business people are recovering ways to defeat old oil reliance. Not all jobs can be outsourced first of all. Secondly, the foreign markets are bleeding money out of the British economy because Britain maintains purchasing from them. Renewed investment in new energy sources could solve that problem quickly. It is true the wealth is being sent to china and India, but what will the world do without consumers? trade is exactly that, exchange between parties. The equation is far more complicated than you estimate.

48 Regulation of companies and goods are a good way to counter out sourcing, outsourcing wouldn't happen if the use of foreign labour at lower cost was legally prohibited. Like sweat shops, illegal in Britain. Legal in other places. Don't do business with people who abuse workers in any country.

2 I'm afraid that there are not many leaders like Abe Moffat and if you think th

 

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