Mossmorran closure exposes failure of Scotland’s industrial strategy |
As ExxonMobil shuts its Mossmorran plant, Roz Foyer argues that Scotland’s reliance on global corporations has left workers exposed — and calls for a bold industrial strategy built on public ownership and unionised jobs.
Workers, for years and years, have seen the fires burning, called out for help, yet none arrives before the fire takes hold.
Mossmorran joins Grangemouth in yet another inglorious, bin fire example of the failure of governments to build a coherent industrial strategy which takes back control of vital infrastructure from private interests. The workers in Fife have been left fighting for their livelihoods in the same way as those at Grangemouth.
A report from 2022 set out a range of options for how Mossmorran could transition to a low-carbon economy. It called for Exxon Mobil to engage with unions and the Scottish Government’s Just Transition Commission to develop a plan. Unfortunately, Exxon Mobil refused and latterly enacted their plans for closure.
Just for clarity at this point, ExxonMobil – the owners of the Mossmorran plant – are worth £360,000,000,000.
The company cites “the challenges of operating in a policy environment that is accelerating the exit of vital industries, domestic manufacturing and the high-value jobs they provide”. The $12 billion worth of dividends paid out to shareholders for 2025 so far suggests they are doing okay. It’s a shame their loyalty doesn’t extend from shareholders to their workers, who look set for redundancy before Christmas.........