why is Grangemouth shutting?

[giraffesCantGoGuising]

Am I missing something? I thought the strike was called off - so why is it in process of shutting down? It has been a long day! I have read the article but am still confused

"Bet if you asked the workers now they would rather accept the terms and be in a job."

No, it's a matter of principle.

Claimed I read about this on the school run and thought of you.

I'm so osrry you are having to go through this. MN is a great source of support and will do what we can to help you.

IrnBruTheNoo

No, it's a matter of principle.

Principle is a great way to feed the kids.

I wonder how many more people Unite will put out of a job for principle.

As a poster upthead stated companies from Australia target these employees. That's where the alternative employment is for these rmployees. This is great for those who are able and want to go, meanwhile devastating for the community left behind.

I still think a lot of employees will be questioning whether it was worth it.

Principle is how you teach your kids what's worth having and what's worth being. The parents working at Grangemouth will find a way to feed their kids but how do they teach them to stand up for one another, to have faith in justice, to be anything other than craven cowards if they don't have principles?

It's terrible to say to a parent or any worker - pick - your job (and money for your family) or what you believe in. Which is it? That's a terrible thing to do. Why argue that the people at fault there are the workers faced with the choice NOT the bosses making them choose?

"Principle is a great way to feed the kids."

That's what state benefits are for when you're royally f*cked over by a massive company like INEOS.

When the coal industry collapsed across the Central Belt, many had to find new work alien to them for generations. Shit happens. You stand your ground because if you don't, what's the point of being part of a trade union otherwise?? Why pay the fee every month if fighting your corner is worthless? You have to try for future generations. It's not just about the present day, it's about the future for the Grangemouth community.

Why don't people believe that refineries are losing money? This is not the first closure.

The union picked a fight with a corporation that had little to lose.

So if an employee is not satisfied with their employment rights, they should just accept it because the employer is telling them so. Just accept it, and not fight for what is right?

Let's just scrap unions whilst we're at it

Terrible for the families but I can't help but feel that the Union should have been prepared to negotiate, given what was at stake. Salmond will do little. The only positive today is the massive blow this is doing to his ridiculous bid for independence. Just shows how little he can manage when global financial conditions are taken into account and he has to play with the big boys.

How much was Grangemouth losing? And here's some more background.

Being cynical now, but it's funny how this has happened a year before the Independence referendum...what a coincidence.

farrowandbawl Thank you.

If anything I'm glad that this is being talked about on a forum. People need to know what's going on.

Tinlegs, there's very little Eck can do, energy is a reserved matter, ie, Westminster needs to step in. It's not looking Better Together atm, despite CallMeDave's claims that he values the Union.

No IrnBru - if they don't like their employment rights, they go and find a job that offers them what they want.

IrnBruTheNoo

That's what state benefits are for when you're royally f*cked over by a massive company like INEOS.

Yay, benefits! From £80,000 a year to what, 19? Sure, costs of living might be low in Scotland but that's a real comedown. And all because of principle. Now everyone's lost their jobs. It isn't just the unionised workers here (which seem to be the only ones you think of). It's all the businesses dependent on them. They won't have any protection or welfare. Where's your precious solidarity there?

When the coal industry collapsed across the Central Belt, many had to find new work alien to them for generations. Shit happens. You stand your ground because if you don't, what's the point of being part of a trade union otherwise?? Why pay the fee every month if fighting your corner is worthless? You have to try for future generations. It's not just about the present day, it's about the future for the Grangemouth community.

There is no future, and the reason there's no future is that Unite didn't look to the long term. Unite is a dinosaur. A decent union would work in concert with the business, not in constant opposition. I wonder why German labour unions aren't so dreadful. Perhaps they weren't schooled in the same risible Marxist class-war claptrap that ours seem to be.

Many of those in the central belt were unable to find alternatives and the result is hugely deprived areas. The area round the plant is not a wealth of plentiful, well paid jobs for these workers, many will be forced to leave.

I believe that Unite needed to face reality and do everything to save these jobs which they failed massively to do.

Principles are good but as it was stated above don't put food on the table.

I agree with standing up for my rights and having a backbone and showing my kids I have principles

but unfortunately that doesn't pay my bills and heat my house and feed my kids

and I don't think the unions care too much for the workers either, they are happy to take your money every month but when you get shafted there's eff all they'll do...and we've got the tee shirt to prove it here.

OldLadyKnowsNothing

Tinlegs, there's very little Eck can do, energy is a reserved matter, ie, Westminster needs to step in. It's not looking Better Together atm, despite CallMeDave's claims that he values the Union.

Is it the case that the Scots only want to be Better Together when they want the English to pay for something? That statement does rather suggest it to be the case.

When the mining industry collapsed, people just had to find different work. That was the end of it. Same will apply with the INEOS employees.

"Yay, benefits!"

It's a buffer for those who need to start looking for new jobs, what's wrong with that? Many have to do this regardless in these desperate times, INEOS employees won't be the first or last!

am betting theres a lot of workers there wishing they hadn't listened to unite now

It would definitely be in Scotland's interests to nationalise the refinery.

Where are these jobs because from what i see apart from Aberdeen there isn't that many around.

Like many people, they may have to get out of their comfort zone (of working with carcinogenic chemicals) and take whatever job is going. Many others have had to do this.

these days finding a different job is much harder than it used to be