Hundreds of workers have downed tools at Fife’s Mossmorran petrochemical plant over alleged major health and safety concerns.
They are also claiming that plant operator ExxonMobil is not paying the wages of those on strike.
Unite the Union says ExxonMobil and contractors are failing in their ‘legal duty’ to protect and pay workers.
200 workers on strike at Mossmorran
The union revealed on Thursday that around 200 members withdrew their labour on Tuesday over health and safety concerns at ExxonMobil’s petrochemical plant in Mossmorran.
The strike has been called over alleged health and safety warning signals and procedures apparently not being in full working operation across the plant.
The union claims the workforce has not been informed of this. It also claims that no procedures have been put in place to protect them.
Among the allegations are reports from workers citing repeated examples of alarm systems not working in areas at the petrochemical plant and workers not being notified.
This is legally required in the event of any leakages, blasts or exposure to hazardous materials and chemicals at the plant.
The union also claims ExxonMobil and the contractors are, to date, refusing to pay the workers following the withdrawal of labour under the legislation’s terms.
Unite’s members at ExxonMobil’s plant are employed on construction engineering maintenance contracts and are split between different contractors at the plant: Altrad, Bilfinger, and Kaefer.
HSE urged to investigate alleged safety failings
The trade union is calling on the Health and Safety Executive to immediately investigate the serious claims raised by the workforce.
It alleges various recorded incidents at the plant over safety, the risk of pollution and environmental damage.
Bob MacGregor, Unite industrial officer, said: “Unite’s members working for Altrad, Bilfinger, and Kaefer at the Mossmorran plant are rightly furious at potentially being exposed to dangerous chemicals due to failings in the plant’s safety procedures.
“To add insult to injury, ExxonMobil and the contractors are refusing to pay the wages of the workers following the withdrawal of labour on health and safety grounds.
“This is not an isolated incident, these safety breaches and failings have been ongoing for around a year and nothing to date has been resolved.
“That’s why Unite is calling for the Health and Safety Executive to urgently intervene due to the seriousness of the claims, and the chequered history of the plant.”
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Unite will robustly defend the legal right of our members to withdraw their labour over health and safety concerns at ExxonMobil’s Mossmorran plant.
“It is completely unacceptable that the company and the various contractors on site are refusing to pay our members their wages. ”
Exxonmobil: ‘Full compliance with safety procedures’
An ExxonMobil spokesperson said: ‘’We are aware of unofficial action instigated by a small number of individuals employed by contracting companies on our site.
‘’There is no impact on our operations, which continue as normal.
‘’Fife Ethylene Plant operates in full compliance with approved site safety standards and procedures.’’
A HSE spokesperson said: “We are aware of safety-related concerns being raised by union and employee representatives onsite.
“We are now making enquiries with the site operator.”
