Yahoo News Grangemouth workers march in Edinburgh to demand Jim Ratcliffe save refinery from closure
Hundreds of workers marched through Edinburgh today to demand Scotland's last remaining oil refinery is saved from closure.
The Keep Grangemouth Working rally saw trade union members and supporters bring traffic to a standstill on the Royal Mile as they made their to way the Scottish Parliament.
Energy giant Petroineos announced last year its intention to cease refining operations at the giant industrial site on the Forth in spring 2025, with 400 highly-skilled jobs now at risk.
The company is a joint venture between Ineos - controlled by billionaire Manchester United owner Jim Ratcliffe - and PetroChina.
Petroineos has warned the refinery is losing on average £385,000 per day and expects a £150 million loss this year.
But those figures have disputed by Unite, one of two trade unions representing workers at the refinery.
Speaking outside the Scottish Parliament today, Unite chief Sharon Graham called on MSPs to show their support for saving Grangemouth.
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Graham told the rally: "We say today, no, we are not going to accept the closure of the only oil refinery in Scotland.
"We are not going to accept another nail in the coffin of working class communities, sacrificed again at the altar of net zero. Where those who don't live in Scotland say - we know best, trust us, there are no other options.
"We say today, no, there are other options. And we won't allow you to put these workers in the same position as coal miners."
The Unite chief continued: "Let's be very clear. What is happening at Grangemouth is an act of industrial vandalism, make no mistake.
"A grotesque spectacle of corporate decapitation, where a global super power, and a billionaire - who buys a football club for a hobby - is allowed to throw these workers on the scrapheap.
"A highway robbery is happening right under the noses of the Scottish people, and it's happening right under the noses of our political establishment. Where are the politicians?
"Until this week, most of them have been missing in action."
Climate campaigners also joined the rally to show their support for Grangemouth workers affected by the closure.
Rosie Hampton, of Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: "As climate campaigners, we are marching in solidarity with the Grangemouth oil workers because they need and deserve a credible transition plan.
“For too long, politicians have abdicated responsibility for industrial planning, leaving companies like INEOS to run riot with devastating effects on communities and the climate. We need to see ramped up public investment into job creation, upgrading our ports, and into retraining pathways for workers in places like Grangemouth.
“The understandable fear and anger amongst the community and workers in Grangemouth could be repeated across the country as we inevitably transition away from fossil fuels."
Iain Hardie, head of legal and regional affairs at Petroineos Scotland, previously claimed the UK and Scottish Government has been given ample warning of the company's intentions.
He told the Record: "The men and women who work at Grangemouth deserve a more intelligent debate about their future than the one being played out by politicians and trade unions, who are naturally defensive at having missed the opportunities we gave them several years ago to talk to us about an orderly and fair transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner energy.
"When the Labour government was elected in July, new ministers asked for time to understand the refinery’s finances in detail and consider any action they might take in response.
"We gave them that time but never received an offer of government help or financial support to extend the life of the refinery, either from Edinburgh or London."
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