Mossmorran closure leaves workers in the dark as governments fail to deliver a just transition
The Scottish Greens have warned that workers and the local community have been left in the dark after oil giant ExxonMobil closed the Mossmorran facility ahead of schedule last night, without any real or tangible support in place from either the UK or Scottish Governments.
ExxonMobil, one of the most profitable companies in the world, shut the multi-billion-pound site last night, bringing an abrupt end to operations and leaving highly skilled workers facing redundancy with no clear route into new jobs.
Greens have repeatedly argued that workers should have had secure, alternative jobs lined up before the plant closed, especially given the vital role their skills could play in building Scotland’s low-carbon economy.
Scottish Green Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“This closure is a dark day for the community and for the workers and their families who have been abandoned.
“There has been a political failure on the part of both the Scottish and UK governments, who didn’t prepare for this day even though the plant was decades past its planned lifespan.
“Ministers cannot claim to have been taken by surprise. For a long time it has been clear that we need a properly funded, worker and community-led transition plan for the site.
“Greens, along with trade unions have always pushed for a properly funded plan.
“Mosmorran staff are some of the most skilled workers in Scotland, and the community urgently needs to see a jobs prioritisation scheme for workers made redundant by the closure of the Exxon plant.
“We’ve long argued for transitioning Mosmorran workers to greener, renewable energy jobs that will ultimately bring household energy bills down.
“We’ve seen similar support put in place when the UK Government intervened at Grangemouth they must listen to surrounding communities, step up and at least match the recent funding commitment made by the Scottish Government.”