Workers walked out on Marion

The Courier reported in May 1963 that a 33-year-old Leamington housewife, Marion Spain, who worked at the Sidney Flavel & Co factory, refused to join the National Union of General and Municipal Workers.

Scottish-born Mrs Spain, of Rugby Road, was the only non-union worker in the Debonair cooker department.

Flavels’ management offered to transfer her to another department but the shop stewards were not satisfied and called a mass meeting on the Eagle Recreation Ground.

Union district organiser Harry Smith told workers there were six or seven non-union people still at the factory and if they still refused to join their work would have to be declared black.

He said: “Don’t imagine that this is a case of all you people against one little Scots girl. We are behind you in proper, sensible moves to obtain 100 per cent representation.”

Afterwards Mr Smith met the management who agreed to recognise the chief shop steward, the formation of a works committee and to tell all new labour that they would be expected to join a union.

Mr Smith said he had been told that if Mrs Spain returned to work (she was away with flu) she would not be put in a different department where her prescence could cause friction.

Mr Smith later called on Mrs Spain who had earlier said that she “had had a bellyful of unions.”

Later she told the Courier: “I can see nowthat it would be in my best interests to join.”

She was promptly signed on as a NUGMW member .