Union Statement Shows Strike is About Pensions For Non Existent Workers
25 April 2008
Unite Rejects Last Minute Plea from INEOS to Keep North Sea Pipeline Open
INEOS Calls on Unite Union to Drop Their Plan to Escalate Dispute
INEOS can reveal that the Unite union has made it clear that the strike this weekend is all about non-existent workers. The strike now relates entirely to pensions for future new staff – staff who have not yet even been employed by INEOS.
Earlier this week INEOS made further moves to avoid strike action – it offered to suspend all changes to all pensions for all existing staff at the Grangemouth site, pending an independent appraisal of their pension scheme. The Unite website today states that the strike is now about future staff – people who do not currently work for the company at Grangemouth.
Tom Crotty, CEO INEOS Olefins said, “ INEOS has addressed the issues for existing staff, so now the union say the dispute is about future staff. Unite are asking their members to strike in support of non-existent colleagues.”
INEOS also regrets to announce that, despite repeated requests, the Unite union has refused to maintain power and steam supplies needed to keep the Kinneil Plant in production. This is despite the fact that Kinneil is owned and operated by BP rather than INEOS. Kinneil handles 725,000 barrels of oil a day, along with 80 million cubic metres of gas. The enforced closure of Kinneil will also shut the Forties Pipeline, which brings oil and gas to the mainland from the North Sea. This is likely to lead to a shutdown of a substantial proportion of North Sea oil production. Unite’s action will impact on the whole of the UK.
INEOS has now completed the shut down of Refining and Petrochemical Production at the Grangemouth site.
Tom Crotty said, “We are deeply disappointed that today the Unite union has chosen to escalate this dispute further. We call on Unite to change their plans that target other businesses and indeed the wider Scottish and UK economy. Their dispute is with INEOS, and it should stay with INEOS”.
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