Unite the union claims petrochemical giant Ineos is being “reckless” over pay talks for workers at its plants in Grangemouth.
Furious union bosses claim the company – owned by billionaire Jim Ratcliffe – has given notice that it wants to tear up legal bargaining agreements.
The move comes after workers voted to reject a company pay offer.
Unite members say they have endured a three-year pay freeze at Grangemouth, losing around 6.25% of their wages in real terms.
In negotiations, Unite was seeking a pay rise of 3.25%.
Instead they claim Ineos offered a 2.8% increase for newer grades of staff and 1.4%, with a 1.4% lump sum, for staff with longer service.
Unite had requested that Ineos move the discussions to a higher level of management, in line with the existing recognition agreement.
But Unite claim Ineos now wants to end union agreements in the chemical and infrastructure sections of the Grangemouth plants. Workers at the Petroineos oil refinery are not affected.
Unite Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty said: “Ineos is basically saying ‘It’s my ball and I don’t want to play’.
“That might be understandable from a moody schoolkid in a playground, but from a company with a responsibility for vital national assets – and to its workforce and their families – it’s reckless and destabilising.”
Unite has pledged to resist all attempts to strip workers of union representation on their jobs, pay, terms and conditions – up to and including using the law to force the company to respect the outcome of an independent ballot.
Rafferty added: “This is an incredibly foolish attempt to undermine the democratic rights of Grangemouth workers, so that Ineos can be free to squeeze every last bit of profit out of their jobs, wages, and conditions.
“If there’s to be reasonable balance and fairness in the workplace, Ineos needs to recognise that workers have a right to a collective, democratic voice through their union. Employers can’t just go ahead and do what they like without consultation and negotiation.
“EIf Ineos doesn’t change its mind, we will simply go through the normal legal procedures, and push for an independent ballot of workers.
“When that happens, we are confident of the outcome. Workers know that the only effective way they can protect themselves is to stand strong and united in a democratic union that works for them.””
Unite was involved in two major disputes with Ineos over the treatment of workers at the Grangemouth petrochemical refinery in 2008 and 2013.
Just this week, Unite warned that Ineos’s purchase of BP’s Forties oil pipeline risked handing massive power and influence to the company, and called for inquiries into the sale at both Westminster and Holyrood.
Pat Rafferty said: “But we are confident that every politician and every right-thinking person in Scotland will oppose this attack on Unite members.
“We’ll be contacting Economy secretary Keith Brown to discuss the situation, and underlining the fact that the Scottish Government’s Fair Work Convention says workers should have a real say in the workplace.”
Ineos has been contacted for comment.
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