Ineos the owners of Grangemouth oil refinery and officials from Unite trade union are to meet at the conciliation service Acas for talks aimed at resolving the dispute over plans to end the final salary pension scheme for new workers.

Without a breakthrough, up to 1,200 workers will walk out for 48 hours from Sunday.

Ineos have started shutting down the 200,000 barrels per day refinery ahead of the strike action.

Ineos say they have made "significant improvements" on initial pension proposals, however Unite say they are offering nothing new.

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Ineos said they had been planning to delay the introduction of contributions from the workers to the pension scheme so that these were phased in at 1% a year over six years from April next year.

The initial proposal was 2% a year for three years.

Chief Executive Tom Crotty said: "The proposed new scheme for existing workers will continue to be amongst the most generous in the country"

The Scottish Government are now offering to bring in an independent expert to carry out a study into the management changes.

Stewart Ritchie, formerly of the Association of British Insurers and the National Association of Pension Funds, would conduct the study.

See:Salmond Urges Negotiations To Reopen Ahead Of Grangemouth Closure

(GK/NS)