NEW UNION NEARLY 1000 STRONG.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1911, 20 November 1913, Page 8

NEW UNION NEARLY 1000 STRONG.

24 SHIPS AT THE BERTHS. MOB TROUBLES AT AUCKLAND & LYTTELTON. > : ,• ■ Waterside Workers, when they broke, their agreement, were being paid Is. sd. an hour ordinary time,^ 2s, 2d. an hour overtimo y ' up to 10.p.m.;--2s. 3d. per hour overtime'lo' p.m. to 8 a.m. For '■■ " special .work special; rates of pay: were provided, coal carriers, tho highest paid, receiving 2s. an hour ordinary time, 3s. an hour ''overtime.r ' Friday, October 17.—Shipwrights asked for increase in wages. Saturday; .October 18.—Shipwrights ceased work. : Monday, October SO.—First mass meeting Waterside Workers' Union, at which it was decided to call a "stop-work" meeting, to be held at 8 ■a.m. on Wednesday, October Z2. _> .Wednesday, October meeting of Waterside ■ .Workers' Union heltl on wharf. While men were attending meeting, whiph, being held in working hours, was a breach of agreement, other . union men were put on; td ; work in their places. Union desired that ''stop:work! ,J meri"be J reinStated ;in fl t positions, and absolutely re--1 fused-to ojf the men.formeriy employed at.the various ( jobs were reinstate^/./Employers, decided that men's action in knocking' off work'and refusing to go back sin breach of agreement terminated the/agreement with the union*, which had been entered into in 1912. /Waterside WorkeYs' Union hand control of. strike over to the U:; Federatioii of labour; vWaterside Workers' Union strikes. •,V;'/.•'>"Tl«ul^i(ay , ,;'bciobe'ri mass', meeting of strikers. Wharves ■' 'picketed.''.'/ Union, S.S) Company pays crews off colliers., Free labourers '/p'co'nimShp'a/work.' .Negotiations lietween strike delegates and- employers // r faji.;i ßeport of .iniention of Waterside Workers' Union, to register a ■ ;/- I seconU i union; under\the: Arbitration Act. Speeches in the Post Office * Square, _ ' ; \rv--' : 'l'v'"\'Ffiaavi'''Oci6ber 24.—Scenes <\f violence on the wharves. Conference / .-fP"6f<F , eaerat'lbn- ; of" tabour'/delegates proves abortive. Employers decide • " ''fp. ceaseVork as ffr as handling: cargo is concerned. Fifty police guard .wTiaryes'i .Warehouse'cierks work cargo in small steamers. - Saturday,\OctobM' 25.—Further scenes of violence on wharves. Steamersi Defender*and Nikau-rushed—crews intimidated... Police from country arrive, - Employers issue a statement to the effect that ho • watersjders" will bo employed until a fresh organisation be formed and /'/registered under. Arbitration Act. Watersiders decide to continue . / 'itHke'./ 1 Harbour Board pickets the wharves. ' Sunday, October ~26^.Mass ! meeting at 2.15 p.m. in Post Office 'Square.; /Procession'; to/Basin/Reserve. Gate broken down by' crowd. Inflammatory speeches by strike leaders. ■///' .'Monday,. October 27.—Labour Day and a holiday. Observed by' , ' strikersJ-ail well a'vthe public. No change in the situation. Tuesday, October 28.—Conference between employers and'employees. . "with, Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, as chairman. More /'' police/arrive. ;S ; S. Nikau rushed. All steamers move to an anchorage - / ■/-/''./in.'. lUcehorses'a'lfowetf to leavo for-south. -Wednesday/ 'October 29.—Employers', proposals ..from previous'even- ' ing's conference submitted to the watersiders, and rejected. Raid made othe'jf'-fpirovisions being sent to payVßay by r Co)3a'j]. ) /g'ojds,., ;i ; , ,,:, 1 . : l 'ViUb'seq'uWtly to be shipped/ 'Furiher/Tviolent/speeches'''.by/■" '/' • . '.' agitators jn I 'the 'Post Office Square. Encounter; at night between sus- ,-/ pected_free.labourers and strikirs at Waterloo Quay. Auckland and • /... Westport watersiders strike. /■'.',. October'3o.—Strikers 'assault special constables/Waterloo -•'/Quay, fence broken down and horses liberated. Men of H.M.S. Psyche ' /on parade, Psyche's stores landed 'from < Ulimaroa' by bluejackets; , ■ 'Mounted cdnstablei parade streets and charge strikers in Post Office v/ ' Square/ Three, hundred special constables sworn in. Onset on Messrs.\ ; Whitcombo and Tombs' shop;.constable severely wounded. Prime ./ Minister states the Government's position. Lyttelton watersiders strike. , , /./; Saturday, November I.—Quiet day. Employers enlarge their strike /•v; committee. 'Large bodies of-specials arrive from the country. Skir- , // misbes with strikers in town. Wahine's crew give notice to strike. / Oamaru watersiders join strike.' >• .. ' Sunday/ November 2.—Deputation from combined Labour bodies to .Prime Ministerrwith proposals'for settlement Mass meetings at Newtown ■ //Park and Opera House. Further contingents of special constables arrive. . ' Wahihe laid up'in stream. Strike pickets withdrawn from wharves. ./ , Outlook for settlement more, hopeful. Greymouth 1 Union come out on strike. . ; /•■';' ,- ■ • ; ' • Monday, November 3.—Wahine's men come ashore. Wellington • branch of Seamen's Union, decide to strike if free labour is employed. . Negotiations between employers- and vvqrkers enlered upon andad- . journed till following day. Mapourika enters ferry service to replace ■ .vWahine. Government steamers held in readiness for mails. Serious -' riot in-Taranaki Street, special oonstables being attacked by mob. Several persons injured—three seriously. Revolvers used.' Mob 'in- / • ■ dulges in wifidow-breaking and other damage. _ > .Tuesday, November 4.—Negotiations for/settlement broken off on - - employers stipulating on union registering under Arbitration Act. Employers refuse Harbour Board's invitation to meet workers in conference. * ■ Mass meeting of strikers at Newtown Park. Hinemoa's crew give .notice, ' Two special constables severely, handled in Tory Street. Attempt to block caj-tage of straw to barracks, Mayor, closes seven'hotels in evening.: Royal Tiger Hotel besieged. Two men'arrested, :■ Wednesday, November s.—Racehorses for New Zealand Cup Meeting ■ shipped on Maunganui for v Lyttelton by free labour.' Mounted,special ..constables guarding the wharf stoned by crowd. Eight arrests made,. ' i and about thirty persons wounded In the melee, ' • /.• " • Thursday, November 6.—New Wharf' Labourers' Union registered. // . Members commence-work loading the Athenic at Glasgow Wharf. Wharf , - approaches guarded by mounted and foot "specials." Fine •"law and order'? troops, who were cheered through the city. City : "specials". paVaded for first time—make a gallant show. Stone-throwing , .. cease},; a A, quiet night. ' , ■ . Friday,' November 7.— S.S. Athenic, Willochra, and Moana, worked 'by Arbifrationists. Moana's crew leaves ship, and Willochra's deside to follow. Union Company's permanent hands join strike. .' Wharves guarded by special constables., Saturday, November B.—General strike in Auckland, special con- ' stables take possession of waterfront. Waterside. Federation invites new Wellington Union to affiliate. P. J. Bassett arrested on charge of at- , • tempting to murder Commissioner Cullen. Wellington seamen decide to • come out.. - •/; November 9.—General strike called in Wellington. Mass 1 1 ; ; nlj?etjng. in,. Opera House. Monday, November 10.—Drivers' Union decides to join the strike. Goods carted from wjiarf to warehouses under escort. Seven thousand , out of work in Auckland. Work increasing at wharves. ...• rr Tuesday, November 11.—Four strike leaders, Messrs. ' Semple, Holland, Fraser,'and Bailey arrested. Members of Drivers' Union ■ stop work./Moro steamers worked at wharves. Wednesday,' 'N'ovember : 'l2.—W. T. Young, Secretary Wellington Seamen's Uni6ny : ;arVestea. /T. ! "Barker,""organiser for 1.W.W., arrested at . Auckland. /.All. strike/'leaders under arrest remanded for a week. .Oversea and coastal'steamers worked in Wellington. Goods carted from * wharves without escort. •> Thursday, November 13.—Building Trades' Labourers' Union joins strike. NcW Arbitration Ac{ Drivers' Union formed. Nine steamers • ... workeq at wharves. Friday; November 14.—Seventeen vessels workjng cargo, and five coaling, New Drivers' Union registered. ' United Labour Party declares against the strike. , ' .■ ' November 15, Trade with Wanganui and Patea resumed.. • •■Maori takes up ferry service again. More unions refuse to strike. ■ ■ : Sunday; November 16.—Tramway men decide to remain under Arbitration Act, Mass meetings of strikers. , Monday/November 17.—Twenty steamers worked at wharves. Arbitration Wharf. Labourers' Union totals 750 men. Special constable assaulted in city hotel. Tuesday/ November 18.—Atheni c sails for -London »fully laden. Seventeen vessels worked by the 850 men now on the Arbitration Union ■ * roll. Rushes: on- wharves at Lyttel ton and Dunedin. Permanent men -'\forced to.come out at Lyttelton. Two special constables chased up ~. Cuba Street. . .

There were.further outbreaks of lawlessness in the. city yesterday. • Trouble be"*an early with a disturbance in Post Office Square.."' In' ; il">" evening the specials' and .'.a mob came into contact to-some extent in Frederick .Street, and at'about'/tlie same *ime, a driyerijvas

>f molested in Ohiro Eoad. Thedriver, i however, made a. fine resistance against ■ odds, and expressed his determination' i not to discontinue his work. '• . Several more vessels were worked at L the wharves, and a new 'arbitration >' Jtnion is now. .within sight of a member-

sliip of 1000. Tlio mimbor of vessels t'i bo worked to-day is 24. The strike leaders appeared i)i Court yesterday, aiul were remanded till November 28.