Time for Plan B

Earlier this month, UNITElive reported on the devastating collapse in talks between Murco oil company and potential buyer Klesch group over the sale of the Milford Haven oil refinery in Wales, where 400 workers and 200 contractors were employed.

 
Unable to secure a buyer within its designated timeframe, Murco, a subsidiary of the US-owned Murphy oil company, has decided to decommission the refinery’s operations and convert the plant into a petroleum storage and distribution terminal. In the process, roughly 350 highly skilled jobs will be lost.

 
Unite regional officer Allan Card explained the wide-ranging effects that the plant’s closure would have.

 
“It will be a big blow to both the local Welsh and wider UK economy, and will in turn affect the future security of the nation’s fuel supply,” he said. “It is unfortunate that Murco has unilaterally decided to cease talks with any potential buyer. Even if a buyer were to come forward today with an acceptable deal, Murco has said the refinery is no longer up for sale.”

 
Now, Unite, together with the Welsh government, will move on to what Card called “Plan B”—ensuring that the newly redundant workers and their families, as well as the local area’s economy, receive the necessary support to lessen the impact of the plant’s closure.

 
The taskforce originally set up to secure a buyer for the refinery will now focus on equipping former Milford Haven refinery workers with training and any additional qualifications they may need to make the transition into other positions, whether at the newly converted terminal or elsewhere.

 
“Unite is now working to ensure the workers receive proper access to the ReAct fund, a government fund which covers the cost of training for newly redundant workers,” Card explained.

 
An additional £3m fund has been set up by the Welsh government, in response to the refinery’s closure, to support businesses in creating and protecting jobs in the local Pembrokeshire area.

 
Even before the closure of the plant was certain, other refinery operators had hoped to recruit Milford Haven’s highly skilled employees to work in other parts of the country.

 
“The Milford Haven workforce had shown a tremendous sense of loyalty to their community by committing to the continue working at the refinery to ensure the saleability of the plant,” Card said. “This was despite the workers’ jobs being at risk.”

 
Now, Card explained, workers hoping to continue in the same positions may be forced to leave their community.

 
“The workforce will be faced with the heart-breaking decision to uproot their families, many of whom were born and bred here,” said Card. “It is absolutely devastating that such highly skilled jobs will leave the local area.”