Kate Forbes is set to hold a summit to support the workers of a Fife chemical plant that is closing down, putting hundreds of jobs at risk. Mossmorran chemical plant, one of Scotland’s largest industrial sites, is to be shut down in February.
A total of 179 staff jobs and 250 contractor roles are now at risk, as the petrochemical company prepares to close part of the site. The American owners of the Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) at Mossmorran – which produces the base material for plastics – made the bombshell announcement at a staff-wide meeting on Tuesday morning, November 18.
A week on from the shock news, the Deputy First Minister will visit the Exxon Mobil plant at Mossmorran with Scottish Enterprise’s Chief Executive Adrian Gillespie on Tuesday, November 25, after which she will host a summit.
This visit and summit follows the Deputy First Minister’s announcement to the Scottish Parliament last week that she will convene a taskforce with Scottish Enterprise.
Forbes has already called for the UK Government to take urgent action as ExxonMobil has been clear in its announcement that the current economic and policy environment does not create a competitive future for its site.
The summit will explore how to ensure everything possible is being done to support workers and secure a future for the site. Invited to the summit will be unions GMB and Unite, the site owners ExxonMobil, Scottish Enterprise, the UK Government, Fife Council, Fife College, the Scottish National Investment Bank and local MSPs.
The Deputy First Minister said: “Our immediate priority is to explore way to retain employment at the site and support the workforce through this period of uncertainty.
“I look forward to visiting the site and engaging with workforce representatives and the company. The Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise will join me, so that we can move at pace to explore new investment opportunities.
“Last week, I informed the Scottish Parliament that I would convene a task force to consider new opportunities for the Mossmorran site and to prioritise the workforce. Since then I have engaged extensively with the Unions and Scottish Enterprise. I will announce further information about the taskforce imminently.
“In the meantime, this summit will bring together all the key stakeholders and I am keen that we consider every possible option to support the workforce at this distressing time.”
She added: “The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise are committed to doing all we can to support the people impacted by this and to ensure we do not lose the vital skills base of the Mossmorran workforce in Fife.”
Robert Deavy, GMB Scotland senior organiser, said: “Every possible option to protect the future of this plant must be on the table on Tuesday and pursued with absolute urgency. Everyone involved in these discussions must share our commitment and determination to protect these workers’ jobs and safeguard their communities in every way possible.
“Scotland cannot afford to lose the jobs, skills and industrial capability of Mossmorran and these talks must recognise that and then quickly deliver effective action.”
On Thursday, ExxonMobil chairman Paul Greenwood blamed UK Government policies for the decision to quit Fife.
He said that while he had a “brilliant workforce”, the other conditions were not in place and claimed the UK Government’s commitment not to issue new licences for North sea oil and gas exploration had contributed to higher ethane prices, while windfall taxes and emissions taxes had increased operating costs.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer told MPs that the business was no longer viable and would not receive UK Government support.
He said the Mossmorran plant is losing £1m a week after its American owners blamed the UK Government for the shut-down. UK industry minister Chris McDonald indicated the Government is not prepared to keep the site open.
Cliff Bowen of Unite said “both governments now must take decisive action to support the workforce that mitigate, and hopefully prevent, the consequences of this decision”.
Cliff added: “Unite the Union welcomes this important intervention by the Deputy First Minister to convene a summit to tackle the issues arising as a result of ExxonMobil’s decision to close the Fife Ethylene Plant…
“Unite members need the support of all parties to secure their future.”
