Unite asks UK govt to prevent Grangemouth refinery closure

UK’s leading union Unite has called on the government to intervene in the proposed closure of the Grangemouth refinery proposing a detailed plan for converting the facility into a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production hub.

Unite General Secretary Sharon Graham has written to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, expressing deep concern over the potential closure and its severe impact on the Scottish economy.

“A Labour government not putting together a serious plan for the future of the site and the thousands of jobs which depend on it, would be a huge dereliction of duty,” Graham stated.

Unite’s proposed plan involves a phased transition of the refinery. As the first and immediate step, the union calls for a halt to the closure process and an independent assessment of the refinery’s viability. This would involve the establishment of a Grangemouth Transition Plan body, with the UK and Scottish governments taking a stake as investors of first resort.

Following that, the union calls on the government to work towards a swift conversion to hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) based SAF production within 1-3 years, without job losses.

Graham emphasised the economic and environmental benefits of this plan.

“Unite has established a clear pathway for the future of Grangemouth, which is totally in line with the government’s own support for sustainable fuels. To close Grangemouth now is madness,” she said.

The union has also raised concerns about Petroineos’ lack of transparency regarding the closure decision and potential conflicts of interest with its parent company, PetroChina. Unite believes that converting an existing refinery is significantly more cost-effective than building a new facility.

“Continued inaction by the government will not be forgiven or forgotten. A failure to act will totally undermine the confidence of workers across multiple sectors facing huge upheaval as we move to a green economy,” said Graham.