The first strike in the history of Nobel’s Explosives factory at Ardeer, Stevenston, occurred in May 1913, forty years after the factory began production. At the start of 1913 Nobel’s were paying their unskilled labourers 18 shillings and 9 pence for a 50-hour week, far below the rate of other companies within a four-mile range who were paying their unskilled labourers between 22 and 27 shillings per week.
When the Worker’s Union demanded that Nobel’s increase the wages of the unskilled labourers by 4 shillings and 3 pence, Nobel’s countered with an offer of 2 shillings and 1 penny, which they implemented on Saturday 26th April 1913. As Nobel’s held a government contract, the question of the unskilled labourers’ wages was raised in the House of Commons, on Monday 28th April 1913, resulting in the Board of Trade being asked to investigate the situation to ensure that Nobel’s complied with the “Fair Wages Clause”.
Despite the rise in the unskilled workers pay and the possibility of a further rise under the “Fair Wages Clause”, the Workers’ Union continued to negotiate with Nobel’s on behalf of the workers. On Friday 9th May 1913, Gilbert Lewis, president of the Scottish Union of Dock Workers presided over a packed meeting at Saltcoats Town Hall where the male employees of Nobel’s Explosives Company had gathered to hear the latest reports of the Union’s representatives, during which the question of a strike was raised, if the Union’s demands were not met.
On the evening of Thursday 15th May 1913, around 1200 employees of Nobel’s factory attended another mass meeting at Saltcoats Town Hall, led by Gilbert Lewis during which the strike was called. That afternoon the Directors of Nobel’s Explosives Factory had posted a notice intimating that should the workers go on strike the entire factory would be closed – and stay closed – until the majority of the workers returned. At this time Nobel’s employed around 2300 people, both male and female, with many families having more than one family member employed by the factory.
Within 24 hours Nobel’s Explosives Factory was closed, but not without protest. On Friday morning 16th May 1913, small groups of pickets were stationed at the various entrances into the factory from 4.30am until 9am to advise all those unaware that a strike had been called. Although the foremen and tradesmen were allowed through the pickets, any labourers attempting to pass through the picket line were restrained and ‘reasoned with’ by the strikers. However, trouble arose when the girls who had no complaint about their wages tried to enter the factory and were barred by the picket lines. Some groups of girls tried to run through the picket lines but were speedily prevented. Gilbert Lewis made several attempts to talk to the girls, and while a few had sympathy for the strikers, many did not. Being unable to enter the factory gates, the girls went home.
At 12 noon that day, around 1400 strikers, workers and some girls met in the grounds of the Ardeer Football Club to hear the strike leaders’ speeches. Joseph Houghton from the Scottish Union of Dock Labourers addressed the crowd laying out Nobel’s stance, the fact that they had made £380,000 profit in the previous year and that the strikers were fighting for a minimum wage of 23 shillings per week, which was the amount considered to be average in the Government’s “Fair Wage Clause”. Miss Catherine MacLean, leader of the National Federation of Women Workers (NFWW), informed the crowds that although reports suggested that the girls earned good wages, the girls in the box factory earned between 2s & 6d and 5s per week, a pittance compared to that earned by the unskilled labourers. Mr Lewis, the last speaker, said that although there had been trouble with the girls that morning, he hoped that they would soon recognise that the strike would be of benefit to them too.
On Saturday arrangements were made for the employees to collect their wages and a steady stream of people arrived at the factory gates. Another mass meeting was held in Victoria Football Club’s Park, Saltcoats, on Saturday afternoon where the strike leaders again addressed the workers. Over the weekend all work at the factory ceased, with the exception of Harry Leckie who tended to the horses. Those houses who relied on the factory for their electricity supply, now had to use oil lamps.
On Monday 19th May 1913, the National Federation of Women Workers lodged a request to increase the female workers wages by 25 per cent. Many of the joiners, bricklayers and plumbers began to seek alternative work to keep their families going during the strike period, with some questioning their unions as to the likelihood of them receiving “lock out” payments for the duration of the strike.
On Tuesday 20th May 1913 the strikers formed a procession with the banner of the Scottish Union of Dock Workers in front, and led by the Beith Band, marched to Ardrossan where a mass meeting was held in Winton Park, after which the strikers marched back to Stevenston. On Tuesday afternoon arrangements were made for the workers to collect their insurance cards should they want to look for alternative work during the strike. In all 68 tradesmen and 75 labourers collected their insurance cards.
Mass meetings with the strike leaders were held daily. On Friday 23rd May the strikers marched from Stevenston to a mass meeting of 1100 people held in the Victoria Football Club grounds in Saltcoats, accompanied by the Darvel Brass Band and the Kilwinning Pipe Band.
On Thursday 29th May 1913, 1500 people gathered at Stevenston shore to hear Arthur Hughey, Saltcoats branch secretary of the Docker’s Union, and to find out how much strike pay the men would receive. Even though the strike had forced the girls out of work, they weren’t entitled to a penny! Because of this a collection was being raised on their behalf.
At the end of May, a ballot of the workers was held, with the majority choosing to remain on strike. On Friday 30th May, the men received their first strike pay, 10 shillings per man and 7 shillings per youth. On Tuesday 2nd June the girls received an unknown sum of money, raised by collection throughout Scotland’s industrial centres. The strike finally ended on Monday 23rd June 1913 having lasted five and a half weeks. It failed to achieve its aim. Nobel’s Explosive Factory reopened on Tuesday 24th June 1913. With one exception, the strikers had been well behaved throughout.