Scotland politicians seek buyer for Grangemouth refinery Top Scottish politicians have been talking to potential buyers for a refinery and petrochemicals complex that is at the centre of a bitter industrial dispute, raising pressure on its owner to bring it back on line. Ineos has been pushing employees at Grangemouth to accept revised pay and conditions and has suggested operations might not restart if they refuse, but union Unite said on Monday that about half of workers had rejected the proposals. "I don't think it will come as any surprise to anyone that the government is looking for alternative options and there certainly will be other players around the globe interested in this particular plant," said John Swinney, Scotland's finance secretary. The Scottish government was already in discussions with potential owners and these would continue, Mr Swinney said. The finance secretary questioned Ineos" description of the plant as financially distressed and called on the UK chemicals group to restart it "as a matter of urgency." Ineos shut down Grangemouth last week, despite Unite's decision to cancel a strike. The company says it would not be safe to restart the complex without an assurance from the union that workers will not take further industrial action at least until the end of the year. Unite says it is willing to give such an assurance, but only if Ineos agrees to return to talks and to not lay-off or take other action against workers in the meantime. Mr Swinney said Ineos should take the union commitment "at face value" and restart operations. "The danger of the situation . . . is that we are heading for a stalemate," he said. Jim Ratcliffe, Ineos chairman, is to meet the parent company's other shareholding directors on Tuesday to consider whether there is enough worker support for the company's Grangemouth "survival plan" and to decide what to do next. The company says it will tell workers its conclusions on Wednesday. Unite said on Monday that two-thirds of its members at Grangemouth - roughly half the more than 1,300 workers - had rejected the Ineos proposals ahead of a 6pm deadline set by the company. John McLaren of the University of Glasgow has estimated that, including knock-on supply chain effects, an indefinite shutdown of Grangemouth could cost 1-2 per cent of Scottish gross domestic product.