Scottish oil and gas workers rally over plant closure

Workers from the Grangemouth oil refinery and other Scottish oil and gas workplaces marched and rallied in late November 2024 at the Scottish parliament in Edinburgh in protest at plans by Petroineos to close the plant in the second quarter of 2025.

The Unite general union says this will mean the loss of 400 jobs, plus thousands more in the supply chain, and called on both the Holyrood and Westminster governments to act.

“To throw highly skilled workers at Grangemouth on the scrapheap would be a monumental act of industrial vandalism,” said Unite general secretary Sharon Graham.

“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.”

The union has developed a detailed plan showing how the refinery can be converted into a sustainable aviation fuel facility, which is “entirely in line with UK government policies”, and subsequently a full bio-fuels outlet.

“The whole point of Just Transition is it’s supposed to be about putting people first,” Scottish TUC general secretary Roz Foyer told the rally.

“Listening to the voice of workers who are going to be affected by that transition, and it’s supposed to be about protecting their communities. I hope all politicians are listening because if they can’t keep Grangemouth open, then there is no such thing as a Just Transition.”