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The recent job losses at Alexander Dennis and Syngenta’s Grangemouth site should be a wake-up call for both the Scottish and UK Governments. For workers and families across Falkirk and Grangemouth, these are not simply statistics. They represent livelihoods and the future of our communities.
My thoughts are with everyone affected by these deeply damaging developments.
Losing a job is never easy, especially when it involves skilled employment built up over many years, and the uncertainty facing workers and their families should not be underestimated.
Falkirk and Grangemouth have a proud industrial heritage. Generations of local people have built their careers in manufacturing, engineering and the chemical industry, contributing not only to our local area but to Scotland’s wider economy. These industries have supported thousands of families, created opportunities for young people and helped sustain businesses throughout our communities.
However, the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery, the losses at Alexander Dennis and now the closure of Syngenta’s site paint a deeply concerning picture. Too many major employers are scaling back or shutting down, while workers are left wondering where the next opportunity will come from. For all the SNP Government’s talk of economic growth, Scotland is losing the skilled jobs and industrial investment that our communities depend on.
This cannot continue. We cannot stand by while our industrial heartlands are gradually hollowed out and highly skilled jobs disappear from the communities that depend on them. The SNP Government must stop offering warm words and start demonstrating how it will protect Scotland’s industrial future.
Businesses need a stable environment to grow and invest. When major employers are under pressure, we must support them to secure a sustainable commercial future for local sites.
Where closures cannot be prevented, there must be meaningful support for affected workers. That means helping people retrain, connecting them with new employment opportunities and ensuring their skills are not lost. It also means attracting new investment that creates secure, well-paid jobs rather than leaving communities to deal with the consequences after the damage has been done.
We must also consider the next generation. Young people across Falkirk and Grangemouth deserve to believe they can build rewarding careers close to home. If we continue to lose major employers without replacing the opportunities they provide, we risk undermining that confidence and weakening our local economy for years to come.
As your MSP, I will continue to press for urgent action from governments to protect and grow skilled employment, attract new investment and create opportunities for our local area and support workers across our area.
Our industrial communities have already contributed so much to Scotland. They deserve action, investment and opportunities. We cannot afford to accept the ongoing loss of skilled employment as inevitable.