THAT didN’T TAkE yOU lONG, Jim
NEW ROW TYCOON TARGETS WORKERS Ineos billionaire picks fight with unions days after sealing £200m oil & gas deal
PETROCHEMICALS billionaire Jim Ratcliffe is squaring up for a new fight with his workforce just days after getting a stranglehold on Scotland’s oil and gas supplies.
The Unite union accused Ineos of trying to “de-recognise” them and ending collective bargaining after workers at their Grangemouth plant rejected a pay deal.
It came four days after the global petrochemical giants agreed a £200million-plus deal to buy the Forties pipeline from BP.
The clash is shaping up to be another bitter battle between workers and ruthless Ratcliffe, known as JR.
In 2013, Ineos announced that the petrochemical plant at Grangemouth would close with the loss of 800 jobs following a dispute with Unite over pensions.
The plant was saved when the union’s members backed down and agreed to a three-year pay freeze.
This time, Unite are seeking a 3.25 per cent pay rise, with Ineos offering 2.8 per cent for newer grades of staff and 1.4 per cent for those with longer service.
Ineos now want to end union agreements in the chemical and infrastructure parts of the plants on the Forth. Workers at their oil refinery are not affected.
Ineos claimed they offered 25 dates for negotiations which were not taken up, and that mass meetings became “abusive”.
Unite denied this, with Scottish secretary Pat Rafferty adding: “Ineos are
PAY DEAL FOR COUNCIL STAFF
UNION members have overwhelmingly voted in favour of a pay offer from local government body Cosla.
About 82 per cent of Unite members working for councils who took part in a consultative ballot accepted the deal.
A majority – 69 per cent – of GMB Scotland members were also in favour of the offer, which was for a one per cent rise for those earning above £35,000 and a £350 payment for those earning below the threshold.
Unite regional officer William McGonigle said: “This deal will benefit the lowest-paid workers most, and will help to address pay inequality in councils.”