Workers must be at heart of green transition for Grangemouth
Grangemouth workers and the local community must be at the heart of shaping the future of the refinery, says Scottish Green MSP, Gillian Mackay, who grew up only 200 yards from the site.
Ms Mackay was speaking ahead of a march with local workers and trade union reps at the Grangemouth March for Jobs today in Edinburgh.
Ms Mackay is calling on the Scottish and UK governments to work with trade unions, workers and community representatives to develop plans for a positive and sustainable future for the site.
Gillian Mackay said: “Grangemouth is the community I grew up in, and I am proud to march in solidarity with workers and trade unions today. My childhood home was only 200 yards from the refinery and I know how central it is to the town and the local economy.
“The workers at the refinery are among the most talented and skilled in Scotland, but they have been abandoned by INEOS. Those workers and their families have experienced 12 months of stress, uncertainty and anxiety. They deserve so much better than they have had from Jim Ratcliffe.
“There is no time left to waste. We need the Scottish and UK governments to show leadership by working with trade unions and the community and doing everything they can to support local people and put them in the driving seat.
“We’ve all seen what happens when major employers cut and run and there is nothing to replace them. All over Scotland we have towns and villages that still bear the scars of those decisions.
“The workers in Grangemouth can’t be left behind. We all need to work together if we are to protect the site and the skills that are in Grangemouth and ensure a secure, sustainable and prosperous future.
“The refinery has been a defining site in the community for nearly 100 years. Everyone in the town knows someone who works there. There is an onus on all politicians to work together to put plans in place for an alternative future for the workers, and to play our part in building a sustainable future for the site.”
