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Timex closes Dundee plant

James Cusick
Tuesday 15 June 1993 23:02 BST
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TIMEX, the US multi-national, announced yesterday that 'world class manufacturing' was not possible at its Scottish factory and all production would end in December, write James Cusick and Barrie Clement.

The decision by the parent company, announced in Dundee yesterday by Timex's US vice-president, Mohamed Saleh, ended all hopes of compromise in one of the most bitter trade union disputes in recent years.

Last December 343 workers were sacked after striking over redundancies. Timex hired a 'replacement workforce' and bitter picket-line confrontations over five months ended in it pulling out of what Mr Saleh called 'the highly competitive world' of electronics sub-contracting.

The dismissed workers will meet in Dundee on Thursday to discuss what role they will have in the planned run-down. Timex have offered union negotiators the option of bringing in the arbitration service, Acas, to discuss possible compensation for the sacked staff.

Gavin Laird, general secretary of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union, said the closure was 'a great tragedy for Dundee and for Scotland, and indeed for the UK'.

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