The Clyde Workers' Committee was formed in 1915 to campaign against the Munitions of War Act which introduced government control of key industries, backed up by penal sanctions, including strict regulation of wages, hours and working conditions, banning of strikes, and making it illegal for employees to leave jobs at "controlled establishments" without their employers' permission. The first edition of 'The Worker' was published in January 1916 and provided a lengthy and critical report of the visit of Prime Minister David Lloyd George to the Clyde, ignoring official censorship of press coverage of the event. The newspaper was banned under the Defence of the Realm Act in February 1916 and the editor John Muir and CWC Chairman Willie Gallacher were imprisoned.

The Modern Records Centre has the first issue of 'The Worker' which has been digitised and is available through our online catalogue:

No.1, 8 January 1916Link opens in a new window

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