The Dominion THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1913. THE WHARF STRIKE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1887, 23 October 1913, Page 6

The Dominion THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1913. THE WHARF STRIKE.

The members of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union persisted yesterday morning in carrying out their ill-advised decision to hold their "stop work" meeting "to consider shipwrights' grievances and claims," the result being that one of the most wanton and foolish strikes that'has ever taken place in Wellington has now commenced. It is almost impossible to conceive a strike with fewer merits and less justification, and it is hard to believe that it has tho approval of the more reasonable and level-headed section of the workers who have been drawn, into it. It is to be hoped that every worker who realises the duty of honestly carrying out an agreement that has been honourably entered into will take an early opportunity of dissociating himself from a line, of action which can reflect no credit upon any • body of workmen. The waterside workers cannot expect to succeed in a conflict with their employers unless they have the support of public opinion, and in the present instance it is really impossiblo for thoughtful right-minded men to have any 'sympathy whatever with such an unreasonable stoppage of work as that which_was decided upon yesterday. The kind of leadership which has resulted in the present situation can only end in disaster • for those who follow it, and the sooner those men who are endowed with an adequate sense of responsibility' realise this fact and act accordingly the better it will be for themselves and for the whole Labour movement throughout the Dominion.

In order to clear away all misunderstandings and to enable the public to arrive at a just and intelligent decision i as to the rights and wrongs of the matter, the circumstances leading up to the strike may be briefly recounted. A dispute having arisen between the shipwrights and their employers, the Waterside Workers' Union resolved to take a hand in the matter, and they decided, without giving any warning whatever, to hold ft "stop work meeting at 8 o'clock yesterdav morning. This, of course, meant the stoppage of work on the wharves,' to the serious inconvenience of shipping, and was a distinct 'and utterly unjustifiable breach of an agreement which expressly provides that "the work of the employers shall always proceed in the customary manner, and shall not on any account whatsoever be impeded." It is further provided that if any dispute or difference shall arise between the parties it shall be referred to a committee to be composed of three representatives of the union at the port concerned and three representatives of the employers for their decision, and other procedure is laid down in case no decision is arrived at by the committee. Nothing could be clearer than this, and yet the union deliberately stopped work yesterday morning without any consultation with the employers or any reference to the committee mentioned in tho agreement. Moreover, the stoppage of work occurred in order to hold a meeting which was called to consider a matter which had no direct bearing on the ordinary employment of the waterside workers, and the- business of the port has been temporarily disorganised on the most flimsy pretext imaginable. As the chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. Fletcher) has stated, it seems futile to hope for any assurance from men who will act in this way "that they will carry out their obligations and promises." The agreement having been ruthlessly broken without any shadow of justification) explanation, or excuse, the employers as sensible business men were compelled to treat the document as so much waste paper, and to secure what labour they could to do the necessary work outside the ranks of the unipn. The inevitable consequence was that when the unionists went down to tha ships after the "stop work" meeting was over, they found that other union men had taken their places, and some of them . were left out in the cold. Another meeting was held later on, at which a motion was carried to the effect "that lio woi*k shall be accepted until such time as all the men are reinstated"; but as the employers have decided to "tear up" the agreement that had been so grossly violated, and to employ any labour that may be available, the_ temporary "stop work" may be said to have developed into a regular strike. There must be many waterside workers who in their hearts agree with Mr. Maroxky when he said: "My principle is, if you make, an agreement with men you must keen it" It is true thatj

his remarks, going "back like men," were greeted with expressions of disapproval, but it is ve.i'i' probable that he gave voice to the real feelings of a large number of his fellow-workers who must know that in the long_ run reckless disorganisation of business and disregard of agreements must bring the cause of Labour into disrepute, and alienate the sympathy of the general public, who are stronir believers in fair play all round, both for worker and employer. The Waterside Workers' Union having without the slightest excuse broken its agreement and treated the interests of the shipping community, business people, and the general public with contemptuous indifference, the union as a union can no longer be treated as a body which can be trusted to carry out undertakingshonourably entered into. The union by its action has shown itself to be in sympathy with that unprincipled and pernicious doctrine preached by a prominent member of the Federation of Labour, who blatantly shouted "To. hell with agreements.A more wanton and unreasonable dislocation of public business and a more gross and unjustifiable, breach of faith would be difficult to conceive. The members of the union cannot hope for an atom of sympathy from the gop r eral public, and it is doubtful if their action will find endorsement even from the most militant of the Labour organisations whose members possess the faintest sense of fain play or honourable recognition ,of the obligations of a contract fairly entered into.