Grangemouth workers fearful about the future ahead of rally at Scottish Parliament

Fiona Binnie has worked at the Grangemouth oil refinery for 11 years, but now she has no idea what to do with her life.

The mum-of-two believes she will have to retrain to receive a similar wage to what she currently earns.

She is among hundreds of Grangemouth workers fearful for the future after owners Petroineos announced the refinery will close in the second quarter of next year.

Fiona, 44, told STV News: “Initially, we found out through email that the plant was closing and it was scary, it’s daunting. We’re obviously going through rollercoasters of emotions.

“We’re fortunate that we’ve got quite a decent redundancy payment but where are we going to be working next? What jobs are in the area?

Fiona lives with her partner in Grangemouth and their two sons – Gregor, aged eight, and Campbell, aged four.

She added: “My partner also works in the oil and gas industry. He works offshore, so although this is happening here, it’s affecting the oil and gas industry as a whole.

“This ‘just transition’, we’re the first one it’s happened to and it doesn’t feel like there’s a ‘just transition’ going on. I’m worried for my whole family, for both our careers.

“The morale (among workers at Grangemouth) is low. We’re all scared, we’ve all got our individual circumstances – some people have got children coming, they’re pregnant, it’s a scary time for all of us and with Christmas around the corner, the announcement was made at this time last year.

“There’s no other industry getting put in to replace it – there’s a terminal but obviously the jobs are so low in numbers. We knew oil and gas is on its way out but I didn’t think it would be as soon as this and I thought there would have been this ‘just transition’ that they spoke about.

“I’m going to have to retrain for something else if I’m looking for comparable wages, and have comparable terms and conditions.”

Fiona was speaking as hundreds of workers from Grangemouth and other Scottish oil and gas workplaces will attend a march and rally at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.

The rally will be addressed by a number of speakers, including Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

She said: “To throw highly skilled workers at Grangemouth on the scrapheap would be a monumental 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.

“Politicians from all sides need to come together and ensure a viable future for Grangemouth, not at some time in the distant future but here and now. A failure to act by either Westminster or Holyrood government will not be forgiven or forgotten.”

Climate campaigners will also join the rally to show their support for Grangemouth workers affected by the closure.

Friends of the Earth Scotland just transition campaigner Rosie Hampton 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.

“The closure of the oil refinery is a litmus test for politicians’ true commitment to ensuring that this move is both in line with climate science and that it meets the needs of the communities affected.”

“By importing refined oil, INEOS are unashamedly offshoring their carbon emissions, proving once again that they couldn’t care less about their devastating climate impact.”

“Scotland and its workers need a renewable energy industry that is run in the public interest and can provide secure jobs for the long term.”