Around 100 workers have staged a ‘wildcat’ walk out at Grangemouth oil refinery to strike for a better pay that reflects the rate of inflation.
The maintenance and repair staff, who are members of the Engineering Construction Industry Association, blocked the main access road in and out of the Ineos facility.
Workers are intending on taking strike action every second Wednesday until there are further talks on a new pay deal.
The Grangemouth oil refinery produces two-thirds of the petrol and diesel in forecourts across Scotland and is one of six refineries in Britain.
Refinery employees agreed to a pay rise of 5%, spread over two years, in 2021.
However, with inflation expected to rise to 11% by the end of 2022, workers are now demanding to reopen the pay agreement to negotiate a higher offer.
Al Fagan, who is believed to be one of those downing tools, shared a letter on Twitter yesterday outlining the reason for the action.
It read: “Tomorrow there will be strike action up and down the country as the NAECI refuse to address poor pay.
“Grangemouth Oil Refinery and similar sites of its type, will have workers of all trades, picketing the gates tomorrow morning, in an act of solidarity to fight for fair pay”
Accompanied by the tweet was a picture of the strikers’ list of demands.
The document ends: “Clients are making record profits. Inflation at a 40 year high. People before profits.”
Tomorrow there will be strike action up and down the country as the NAECI refuse to address poor pay.
Grangemouth Oil Refinery and similar sites of its type, will have workers of all trades, picketing the gates tomorrow morning, in an act of solidarity to fight for fair pay pic.twitter.com/PIFifxIjf1— Al Fagan (@GlesgaRed) August 9, 2022
Grangemouth is owned by Petroineos, a 2011 formed joint venture between Ineos and state-owned Chinese oil giant PetroChina.
An Ineos spokesperson at the Grangemouth site in central Scotland said: “We can confirm that a number of contractors employed by third parties are taking unofficial industrial action at the Ineos Grangemouth site as part of a nationwide protest event.
“Our manufacturing and fuel distribution operations are unaffected.
“The site has a very good working relationship with the contracting companies and their employees at Grangemouth, including those operating under the NAECI agreement.
“We are disappointed that the protesters have chosen to use the Ineos Grangemouth site as one of their backdrops for their unofficial action today.”
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