Greens call for assurances for workers after Syngenta announces closure of operations
The Scottish Greens have called for assurances for workers after Syngenta announced last week that 377 jobs at its Grangemouth operations are at risk.
The Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Transport and Tourism made a statement in the Scottish Parliament in response to Syngenta’s announcement.
Scottish Greens MSPs urged the Scottish Government to ensure that there are binding protections for workers when public money is awarded to private companies.
It comes just a little over a year after the firm received more than £2 million in Scottish Enterprise funding.
Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay asked the Cabinet Secretary:
“The Cabinet Secretary has referenced the Scottish Enterprise money that’s been given to Syngenta to expand the business. Workers are now facing redundancy – this is not a company in financial distress.
“What assurances has the Cabinet Secretary had from the business that any further public money given to them will retain jobs there for the long term, and that we won’t be back here when another grant has run out?”
The Cabinet Secretary said that assessments of whether any further public money will be given to Syngenta will be made after discussions with Scottish Enterprise.
Scottish Greens spokesperson for Economy said:
“I think we are all agreed that the most urgent priority is the interest of the workforce whose livelihoods are on the line, but this is far from the first example of a company which has been willing to take public money and then leave its workforce behind when times get tough.
“Surely the Cabinet Secretary can agree that we need a much more systematic approach to ensuring that when the private sector wants public money, it comes with binding guarantees; both profit sharing when there is success and protection for workers where there is failure?”
The Cabinet Secretary made no commitment to change Scottish Enterprise’s grant conditions.