MSP calls for 'swift action' following Mossmorran closure announcement
Following the announcement from ExxonMobil that Fife Ethelene Plant at Mossmorran is to be shut down from next year, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Claire Baker has called for swift action to support workers at the site, and for ExxonMobil to be held to account in terms of delivering proper support and financial remuneration for those losing their jobs.
She also criticised the Scottish Government for failing to deliver any plan to help protect jobs and support workers at Mossmorran as part of a just transition, following the statement to Parliament this afternoon.
Ms Baker said: “Mossmorran has provided skilled jobs and has been a cornerstone of the local economy for decades. The loss of hundreds of direct and contractor roles is devastating for all those employed at the site as well as the wider community. The announcement will have come as a shock to staff who are not only facing unemployment but uncertainty about any redundancy package to help them cope in the short-term.
“For months the UK Government has sought to engage with the company and it is hugely disappointing that they were not provided with information that could have helped avoid this scenario. No viable plan has been presented by the company in terms of securing a future for the site or for the skilled industrial workers employed there.
"ExxonMobil must be held to account in terms of supporting the redeployment of staff as well as delivering fair redundancy packages and contributing to local transition efforts as a result of its decision to close the plant.”
Following the statement to the Scottish Parliament on Monday afternoon, she added: “The Scottish Government has talked at length about a just transition but has delivered very little, and now we face the consequences of that inaction. They promised a plan for Mossmorran and its workers but there is no evidence they have been engaging with workers or with ExxonMobil despite there being a number of redundancies over recent months.
“We need immediate action to support those affected by this closure as well as a long-term plan to ensure that those in high-skilled industrial work will continue to have jobs in their communities. Ministers must urgently engage with workers, unions, and employers to ensure no one is left behind.”