TRADE unionists marched on the Scottish Parliament to demand that Scotland’s only oil refinery be kept open.
Unite members walked down the Royal Mile to form a rally at Holyrood accompanied by a brass band.
They want a plan to keep the Grangemouth oil refinery, owned by Petroineos, a joint venture between Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos and the state-owned PetroChina corporation.
We're in Edinburgh marching to save Scotland's last oil refinery. This is an act of industrial vandalism. #Grangemouth is essential to the success of the Scottish economy and politicians from all parties need to focus on finding a viable solution. pic.twitter.com/YrTfzQOFca
— Sharon Graham (@UniteSharon) November 28, 2024
Its closure puts at risk around 400 jobs and supporters argue the refinery is a key component in the UK’s energy security.
In a post on Twitter/X, Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is an act of industrial vandalism. Grangemouth is essential to the success of the Scottish economy and politicians from all parties need to focus on finding a viable solution.”
Unite want the refinery to be adapted rather than closed and say it can be converted into a factory to make sustainable aviation fuel and bio-fuels.
The union said that converting the refinery would be around 30-70% cheaper than building a new facility from scratch.
A spokesperson for Petroineos said: “The people who work at Grangemouth deserve a more intelligent debate about their future than the one being played out by some politicians and union officials, 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.
“Meaningless statements about pausing the closure and confusing suggestions that the refinery can become a biofuels plant overnight don't mask the fact that politicians and trade unions have left it too late to extend the life of the refinery.
"But it is not too late for us all to co-develop a bright future for Grangemouth, producing low-carbon fuel and eventually creating hundreds of skilled jobs here again."
The spokesperson added that Project Willow, which has the backing of both Westminster and Holyrood, was the "only real option" for the site's future.
Project Willow is a funding commitment from both the UK and Scottish governments which would continue Petroineos's plans to close the refinery and turn it into a fuel import centre.
It includes funding for new jobs in the area and "support" for those made redundant by the refinery's closure.
UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “We have been very clear that Petroineos’ recent confirmation on the closure of Grangemouth oil refinery was deeply disappointing.
“Before July, there was no overall plan for the future of the Grangemouth refinery. Within weeks, we worked with the Scottish Government to put together an unprecedented £100 million package to support the community and invest in the local workforce, along with tailored support to help those affected find good, alternative jobs. We are also jointly funding Project Willow with £1.5m to develop options for a sustainable industrial future at the site.”
