Timex (George Mason) Collection

• Reference:GB 254 MS 272
• Dates of Creation:1983 - 2006
• Name of Creator:
  George Mason
• Physical Description:
  1 linear metre and 2 boxes

• Scope and Content

  Material relating to the Timex dispute and the personal experience of George Mason an employee during this period, includes newspaper articles and cuttings (1983-1995), general and personal correspondence (1983-1993), images, paintings and printed items (1993),ephemera and audio-visual (1993) and material used in the Timex exhibition (1993-2006)

• Administrative / Biographical History

  George Mason was an employee of Timex Electronics group, employed in their manufacturing plant in Dundee during the Timex dispute. The Timex corporation had been a major employer within the city for a number of decades when, in the early 1980s, citing difficulties with competing with cheaper workforces and production costs in the Far East, the company attempted to streamline the plant. This streamlining took the form of attempting to cut wages and employee numbers, which led to a dispute with the workers and their Union. This dispute resulted in mass demonstrations, picket lines, clashes with police, a large number of redundancies, and the bringing in of replacement workers to take the place of those sacked and picketing, before ultimately resulting in the closure of the plant and Timex withdrawing from Dundee in 1993. During this time period George Mason was an active member of the union, and had his employment terminated for taking part in the picketing.
  George Mason is currently (2006) a janitor at the University of Dundee.

• Arrangement

  Usually chronological within series.

• Access Information

  Open for consultation subject to preservation requirements. Access must also conform to the restrictions of the Data Protection Act (2018), General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and any other relevant legislation or restrictions. Clinical information is closed for 100 years.

• Acquisition Information

  Deposited by George Mason.

• Note

  George Mason was an employee of Timex Electronics group, employed in their manufacturing plant in Dundee during the Timex dispute. The Timex corporation had been a major employer within the city for a number of decades when, in the early 1980s, citing difficulties with competing with cheaper workforces and production costs in the Far East, the company attempted to streamline the plant. This streamlining took the form of attempting to cut wages and employee numbers, which led to a dispute with the workers and their Union. This dispute resulted in mass demonstrations, picket lines, clashes with police, a large number of redundancies, and the bringing in of replacement workers to take the place of those sacked and picketing, before ultimately resulting in the closure of the plant and Timex withdrawing from Dundee in 1993. During this time period George Mason was an active member of the union, and had his employment terminated for taking part in the picketing.
  George Mason is currently (2006) a janitor at the University of Dundee.

• Other Finding Aids

  Descriptive list. Subject source lists and databases are also available.

• Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

  Made up mainly of paper but also includes paintings, textile, and audio-visual items

• Archivist's Note

  Description compiled by Jaqui Adams November 2008.

• Conditions Governing Use

  Reproduction is available subject to preservation requirements. Charges may be made for this service, and copyright and other restrictions may apply; please check with the Duty Archivist.

• Custodial History

  Records belonged to George Mason. Donated to the University of Dundee for the exhibition, "Timex: History of Struggle", held in the University's Lamb Gallery in March 2006

• Accruals

  Not expected

• Location of Originals

  The material is a mixture of original and photocopies.

• Additional Information

  Published

  Catalogued

  MS 272