1993 Dundee Timex Strike facts for kids

The 1993 Dundee Timex strike was a big disagreement between workers and the Timex company in Dundee, Scotland. It happened in 1993. This event was famous for how many people joined the protests. It also involved many women workers. The strike ended with the Timex factory closing down. This factory had been open for 47 years. Many historians see this as one of the last major worker disputes in Britain in the late 1900s.

Why Did the Timex Strike Happen?

The Timex company became a major employer in Dundee after World War II. This was because the Dundee City Council offered good deals. They even sold land to Timex for a low price. Timex had two main sites in the city. One was at Milton and the other at Camperdown. These two factories had different jobs. The Milton plant mostly had men workers. They made tools and parts. The Camperdown factory mostly had women workers. They put the watches together.

In 1966, Timex was the third largest employer in Dundee. It was the biggest employer of women. In 1974, Timex had its most workers, about 6,000 people. This made it a very important part of Dundee's culture. In 1982, the Camperdown factory made a record 2.5 million watches.

Dundee also had a large jute industry that employed many women. But Timex paid much better for assembly line work. This made it a better choice for many young women. As jute factories closed in the 1950s and 1960s, Timex hired many skilled workers. These jobs offered better pay and conditions. For men, their earnings could double.

How Did Digital Watches Change Things?

When digital watches became popular, people stopped buying mechanical watches. Timex in Dundee made mechanical watches. So, the demand for them dropped a lot. Timex decided to make other products in Dundee. In the early 1970s, they started making cameras for Polaroid and Nimslo. These jobs mainly used the women assembly workers. They could easily switch from putting together tiny watch parts to tiny electronic parts.

At first, the men workers at Milton supported this change. Their union, the Amalgamated Engineering Union (AEU), was involved in the plans. The Nimslo 3-D camera was developed with public and private money. It also used the skills of the union engineers at Timex Dundee. By 1982, the number of workers had gone down to 4,200. Most of this was due to people leaving or retiring.

However, around 1981 or 1982, a new manager arrived. This person had managed electronics factories in Chile. This changed how the company and the workers' union got along. The mostly male workers at the Milton plant became less needed. This was because they made watch parts, not electronic parts.

The Milton factory got a short break in the early 1980s. Timex had a deal with Sinclair Research. They made personal computers like the ZX81 and ZX Spectrum. These computers sold very well. But in 1986, another company, Amstrad, bought Sinclair's computer business. Amstrad ended the profitable contract. The factory faced hard times again. This led to attempts to cut wages and reduce the number of workers. The workers and their union fought against these changes.

What Happened During the Strike?

Lay-offs Begin

On Christmas Eve 1992, Timex told its workers about plans. They would temporarily lay off 150 employees. This was about half of the workers at that time. The company said it was because business was not good. The Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union (AEEU) understood that lay-offs might be needed. But they suggested a fairer way to do it.

The AEEU wanted workers to take turns being laid off. This way, no one would lose all their income. It would also save money for the company. Timex management, led by Peter Hall, said no to these ideas. They refused to talk about them. Some union representatives from the AEEU thought the lay-offs were aimed at union members.

Workers Go on Strike

The union representatives suggested a vote for a strike. Workers voted by raising their hands in the staff canteen. 92% of them voted to strike. The strike began on January 29 and lasted three weeks. Timex quickly went to court. They got a court order that limited picketers to only six workers. But union organizers got around this. They held daily "mass meetings" outside the factory.

On February 5, Timex sent letters to all striking employees. The letters said the company was changing their work terms. They stated that if workers did not agree and return to work, they would lose their jobs. These new terms included some of the AEEU's ideas for rotating lay-offs. But they also added a 10% pay cut. There were also cuts to pensions and savings plans. Canteen food subsidies were reduced, and work patterns changed.

Factory Locked Out

On February 17, the striking workers offered to return to work. They hoped to start talking with the company again. But the workers and the AEEU had not accepted the new terms. So, the company decided to fire them. When the workers arrived for their shift, they found the factory gates locked. Police officers from Tayside Police were there. They stopped the striking workers from entering. When police pushed the fired workers away, many resisted. This led to the first of many clashes between protesters and police.

New Workers Hired

Timex brought in new workers every day. Buses carried them past the protest line. These new workers replaced the striking ones. This made the fired workers very angry. It led to many fights between them and the new workers. Police officers protected the new workers. Protesters tried to stop the buses. They lay across the road or held onto the buses. But police officers forcibly removed them.

These new workers were often hired from job centers. They were also found through newspaper ads. They were paid less than the fired workers. The new workers tried to hide their faces from the protesters and media. They received threats and insults. They were called "scabs." Those who were identified faced bullying and damage to their property. They were also shunned by their communities. This sometimes continued for many years after the strike.

On March 31, two senior Timex leaders visited the factory. They wanted to see if the new workers could keep up with production. The day before, they had met privately in London. The meeting included Peter Hall, the leader of Dundee, and a local Member of Parliament. The company owner, Fred Olsen, was not there. No one said what was discussed. But some thought they might soften their tough stance. They might have considered changing their practices to be more like Timex's policies in the United States. Despite these ideas, the company never stopped using new workers.

Support for the Strike Grows

More and more people supported the strike. This support grew in Dundee, across Scotland, and throughout the United Kingdom. Groups like the Timex Support Group were formed. They helped the fired workers with money, encouragement, and organization. They raised money through donations. This helped those who had lost their income because of the strike.

Fired Timex workers spoke at May Day marches and rallies. These events happened across Scotland that year. They helped raise awareness and money for the striking workers.

Peter Hall Resigns

In June 1993, John Dryfe made an announcement. He was the US-based president of the main Timex company. He said that Timex president, Peter Hall, had resigned. The striking workers were happy about this at first. Hall's resignation was one of their main demands to end the dispute. But the AEEU was still not sure. They worried that Hall's resignation would not save the factory or the jobs in Dundee.

Hall said he chose to resign. But many people thought he was forced out by senior management. Some believed he was blamed for company problems. Hall did not comment on this.

Factory Closes Down

On the evening of June 14, 1993, AEEU negotiators shared bad news. They believed Timex planned to close the Camperdown factory by Christmas 1993. Timex vice-president Mohammed Saleh later confirmed this. This happened after the AEEU negotiators rejected a "final offer." They said the company's plan meant a 27% pay cut. It also meant no pay raises for two years. And there was no promise for the factory's future.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress, Scottish National Party (SNP), and Labour Party criticized Timex. They said the company was not flexible in talks. On July 13, a motion was put forward in the House of Commons. 55 Labour MPs and 1 SNP MP supported it. It criticized the Timex Corporation. It also supported a worldwide boycott of Timex products.

Timex removed everything from the factory faster than expected. The factory closed at 6 pm on August 28, 1993. This was after six months of worker unrest. Timex offered to bring in the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas). This service helps solve work disputes. They would discuss possible payments for the fired employees. The General Secretary of the AEEU called the factory closure: "a great tragedy for Dundee and for Scotland, and indeed for the UK."

What Was the Impact of the Strike?

In 1971, 42% of people working in Dundee were in manufacturing. By 2001, that number was only 15.2%. The manufacturing industry in Dundee never fully recovered. Many people involved in the 1993 strike found it hard to find new jobs. The 1983 strike and job losses had a bigger impact on jobs. But the 1993 strike is the one people remember most.

The strike has been the subject of a play and an exhibition. These were held at the University of Dundee. The university's Archive Services keeps records about the strike.

A special project called Generation ZX(X) was organized. Abertay University put it together. It marked 25 years since the strike.

A documentary called The Rise and Fall of Timex Dundee aired on BBC Scotland. It was shown on October 15, 2019. It was part of their People Power short series.

The steep road that goes from Camperdown Park to the old Timex factory is still known as "Timex Brae." Many people in Dundee use this name.

Timex's presence in Dundee, especially making early personal computers, connects to Dundee's modern video game industry. This industry has created famous games like Lemmings and Grand Theft Auto.