A group of silent workers bearing red and white flags left the Grangemouth oil refinery this morning, makring the start of a 48-hour strike that has prompted warnings against the panic-buying of petrol.

The walk-out of up to 1,200 workers in a row over pensions got under way at 6am. Ineos, the refinery's operators, have already shut down the plant - Scotland’s main fuel supplier - in preparation for the strike by members of the Unite union.

Speaking outside the plant, Mark Lyons of Unite said today that union members had been “forced” into the action by Ineos. Mr Lyons told Sky News: “This is about pensions, it’s a course of action we’ve been very reluctant to take but we’ve just been forced into it by the company. The economics do not add up.”

Staff are striking over plans to end a final salary pension scheme for newcomers and other pension changes. Earlier talks aimed at averting the industrial action failed to resolve the row.

The union has agreed to provide 100-per cent safety cover at the site during the dispute. Mr Lyons said there were no pension talks planned today but members would meet with Ineos over safety issues at the refinery.

Striking staff and their families will stage a demonstration outside the plant at 11am.

Gordon Grant, the plant manager, described it as a “sad day” for Grangemouth. He said: “This strike today is unecessary. There was ample time for discussions, and the trade unions have called this strike today.

“The trade unions have to come back to the table, they need to engage in meaningful conversations, they need to get back into negotiations and they need to be able to move their position.”

Mr Grant added: “I am interested in finding a resolution to this dispute. We’ve already moved, we have moved many times, we need the trade unions to see some movement. This is a sad day for Grangemouth.”

Pat Rafferty, Unite's senior regional industrial organiser said: “The company is trying to make one key change to the pension scheme and that’s to close it on August 1. What that means for the existing workforce is that the pension scheme in its current form will wither and die in time.

“It also means that the sons and daughters that are coming, and future generations, will not have the same pension provisions as the current workforce are on now. It’s about trying to protect the future generations as well as trying to protect the present.”

Colin McLean, a striking Grangemouth supervisor, said: “Before Ineos took over I was with BP for 27 years. Then Ineos took over and I’ve been with them two-and-a-half years now. Basically we’re sick - we transferred our pensions in good faith into their pension scheme.”

The dispute led oil giant BP to turn off its Forties Pipeline, which delivers 30 per cent of the UK’s daily oil output, overnight. The pipeline brings in 700,000 barrels of oil a day from the North Sea to BP’s Kinneil plant, which is powered from the Grangemouth site.

So far motorists appear to be heeding pleas not to panic-buy fuel as preparations were made for the strike, The Sunday Times reported.

Long queues formed outside some petrol stations in Scotland and an estimated 50 ran out of fuel. All were restocked within eight hours but the government urged the public to avoid nonessential car trips.

There were only sporadic outbreaks in England of motorists stocking up ahead of today’s strike by 1,200 workers at the Grangemouth refinery near Edinburgh. It is the dominant supplier in Scotland and northern England down to Lancashire and Yorkshire.

The Government has been urged to intervene amid fears the industrial action may hit other offshore production. Oil and Gas UK, which represents the industry, said ministers must stop the country being “held to ransom”.

Alan Duncan, the Shadow Business Secretary, blamed the Government for failing to foresee the extent of the crisis. He told Sky News: “They should have seen this coming because it has enormous implications for supply lines in the UK. The interdependence of our North Sea oil production and the refinery...has implications for global oil prices.

“So world oil prices have gone up, and we’re going to see local oil prices and petrol prices going up. But crucially, it’s the continuity of supply that matters.The Government just didn’t see this coming - they’ve been caught napping.”

Mr Duncan urged those involved to get back to the negotiating table. He said: “Because Gordon Brown has destroyed almost all companies’ pension schemes they (the striking workers) are not unique in having to negotiate a new set up. It’s not easy, but I’m afraid that is what has happened throughout the corporate sector in Britain.”

Around 65,000 tonnes of fuel will be shipped in from Europe to keep Scotland moving through the dispute. A convoy of tankers, mostly carrying diesel, is heading for the River Forth.

The additional imports represent nearly 10 days of normal supply, the Scottish Government said.

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