The strike has been called by the Unite trade union, on April 27, 2008, and April 28, 2008. The union action has reportedly left Ineos with no option but to begin shutting down the site immediately.
Fuel shortages are likely to begin in Scotland as early as April 25, 2008, and the whole of Scotland could be without fuel for at least a month, according to Ineos.
The decision to start shutting down the Grangemouth refinery has been taken by Ineos on safety grounds. The union’s strike could also effectively close down a large proportion of the North Sea oil production and some gas production. Ineos noted that, a large proportion of North Sea oil and gas goes through Grangemouth, and supplies could dry up within a few days, affecting the whole of the UK.
Tom Crotty, Ineos’s CEO for olefins, said: The union is well aware that a 48-hour strike will cause fuel chaos in Scotland and the north of England for weeks on end. A month is our best guess but safety considerations will be at the forefront of everything we do.
