TREND OF TIE STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1921, 2 December 1913, Page 6

TREND OF TIE STRIKE

FIREMEN CAUSE TROUBLE. OPAWA BROUGHT BACK TO PORT. ' FOURTEEN MEN ARRESTED. FORWARD MOVE ON ALL SIMS. NEARLY 1700 IN NEW UNION. OCEAN BOATS HELD CP AT SYDNEY. Waterside Workers, v/hon they broke their agreement, wero being paid Is. sd. an hour ordinary time, 2s. 2d, an hour overtimo up to 10 p.m.; 2s. 3d. per hour overtime 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. For special work special rates of pay were provided, coal carriers, the highest paid, receiving 2s. an hour ordinary time, 3s. an hour overtime. , '' Friday, October 17.—Shipwrights asked for increase in wages. Saturday, October 18.—Shipwrights ceased work. Monday, October: 20.—First mass meeting Waterside Workers' Union, at which it was decided to call a "stop-work" meeting, to be held at 8 i.m, on Wednosday ; October Zl. Wednesday, October 22,—'/ Stop-work" meeting of Waterside .Workers' Union held on wharf. While men wero attending meeting, ivhich, being held in working hours, was a breach of agreement, other {inion men wero put on to work in their places, Union desired that "stop-work" men bo reinstated in their positions, and absolutely refused to work unless all of the men formerly employed at the various jobs were reinstated. Employers dccidcd that mon's action in knocking . off work and refusing to go back in breach ' of agreement terminated the agreement with the union, which had been entered into in 1912. Waterside Workers' Union hand control of strike over 'to the Federation of Labour. Watersido Workers' Union strikes. Thursday, October 23.—Big mass meeting of strikers. Wharves picketed. Union S.S. Company pays' crews off. colliers. Free labourers commenco work. Negotiations between' 1 strike Delegates and employers fail. Friday, October 24.--Scenes of violcnco on tho wharves. Conference of Federation of Labour delegates proves abortive. Employers decide to cease work as far as handling cargo is concerned. Fifty police guard the wharves. Warehouso clerks work cargo in small steamers. Saturday, October 25.—Further scenes .of, ..v.iolence on wharves. Steamers Defender and Nikau rushed—crews. intimidated, Police from country arrive. Employers issue a statement to; tho effect that no watersiders will bo employed until a fresh organisation be formed and > registered under Arbitration Act. 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. Tuesday, October 28.—Conference between employers and employees. with Hon. W, F. Massey, Primo ,Minister,,,as chairman.' More police arrive, S.S. Nikau rushed. All steamers move to an anchorage in tho stream. Racehorses allowed to leave for south. Wednesday, October 29.—Employers' proposal? from previous evening's conference submitted to the watersiders, and rejected. Raid made on flour and other provisions being sent to' Day's Bay by Cobar. Goods subsequently allowed to be shipped. Further violent speeches by agitators in the Post Office Square. Encounter' at night between sus- ■ pected free labourers and strikirs at Waterloo Quay, Auckland and Westport watersiders strike. • Thursday, October 30. —Strikers assault special constables, Waterloo Quay fence broken down and horses liberated. Men of H.M.S. Psyche on parade. Ps)«he's stores landed from Ulimaroa by bluejackets. Mounted constables parade streets and charge strikers in Post Office Square. Three hundred special constables sworn in. Onset on Messrs. V/hitcombo and Tombs' shop; constabio severely wounded. Prime Minister states the Government's position. Lyttelton watersiders strike. Saturday, November I.—Quiet day. Employers enlarge their striko committee. Large bodies of specials arrive from the country. Skirmishes 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 Minister with proposals for settlement. Mass meetings at Newtown Park and. Opera House. Further contingents of special constables arrive, .Wahine laid up in stream. Greymouth Union come out on strike, x Monday, Novembor 3.—Wahine's men come ashore. Wellington branch of Seamen's Union decide to strike if free labour is employed. Negotiations between employers and workers entered upon and adjourned till following day. Mapourika onters ferry service to replace Wahine. Government steamers held in readiness for mails. Serious riot in Taranaki Street, special constables being attacked by mob. Several persons injured—three seriously. Revolvers used. Mob indulges in vvindow-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 cartage 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 Lyttelton by free labour. Mounted spocial constables guarding the wharf stoned by crowd. Eight arrests made, and about thirty persons wounded In the melee, Thursday, November 6—New Wharf Labourers' Union registered, Members commenco work loading the Athenic at GlasgowV/harf. Wharf approaches guarded by, mounted, and foot "specials." Fine display , "law and order" troops, who wero cheered through the city. City "specials" paraded for first time—make a gallant show. Stone-throwing ceases. A quiet night. Friday, November 7.— S.S. Athenic, Willochra, and Moana worked by Arbitrationists. 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 8.-General strike In Auckland, special constables take possession of waterfront. Waterside Federation invites new Wellington Union to affiliate. P. J. Hassett arrested on charne of attempting to murder Commissioner C ullen. Wellington seamen decide to come out. ' Sunday, November 9.-General strike called in Wellington Mass meeting in Opera House. • ' , Monday, ' November 10.—Drivers' Union decides to join the strike Goods carted from wharf to warehouses under escort. Seven thousand out of work in Auckland. Work increasing at wharves. Tuesday, November 11.-Four strike ■ leaders, Messrs. Semple Holland; Fraser, and Bailey arrested. Members of Drivers' Union stop work. More steamers worked at wharves. Wednesday, November 12.— W. T, Young, Secretary Wellington Seamen's Union, arrested. 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 v/harves without escort. Thursday, November 13.—Building Trades' Labourers' Union joins strike. New Arbitration Act Drivers' Union formed. Nine steamers worked at wharves. Friday, November 14.—Seventeen vessels working cargo, and five coaling. New Drivers' Union reg istered. United Labour Party declares against the striko. Saturday, November 15. Trade with Wanganui and Patca resumed, Maori takes up ferry service again. More unions refuse to strike, Sunday, November IS.—Tramway men decide to remain under Ar- > bitration Act. Mass meetings of strikers. • Monday, November 17.—Twenty steamers worked at wharves. Arbi- ~ tration Wharf Labourers' Union totals 750 men.! Special constable assaulted in city hotel. Tuesday, November 18.—Athenic 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 un Cuba Streot. . . Wednesday, November 19.—Disorder in Post Offico Square and Taranaki Street. Carter attacked on Ohiro Road', Several arrests effected. Mayor closes ali City hotels. Twenty-four boats working at wharves. More violence at Lyttelton. Thursday, November 20.—' Twenty-five vessels • worked at wharves, and coal cargoes discharged for first time, Dissension reported among strikers. Arbitration Union totals over 1000 members. Cargoes being worked at Lyttelton. . Friday, November 21.—Work proceeding actively on waterfront. Over 900 men engaged. Hotel bars closed until November 25. Court proceedings. Lyttelton ferry steamers take cargo. ; Saturday, November 22.—Christchurch carters called out. Coal and cargo worked on waterfront by nearly 1000 men. Hannah's boot factory closed down. A quiet day. Monday, November 24.—One thousand men working on Wellington wharves. Thirty members of old Drivers' Union join new union, and return to work. Auckland general strike declared off, J. P. Hassett committed for trial pn charge of attemptedsmurder of Commissioner Cullen. Tuesday, November 25. New Watersido Union totals 1350 membors. Sugar shortage relieved by unloading of cargo of 40,000 bays from Auckland. Wednesday, November 2S.—Maunganui's crew joins striko, but' is replaced. Prime Minister's scheme for improving waterside conditions discussed by Harbour Board. New union totals 1450, New Zealand shipping held up in Sydney. Thursday, November 27.—Twenty-seven stokehold hands on R.M.S. Corinthic arrested for refusing duty New union totals 1520. Friday, November 29.—Strike leaders in Court. P. Frascr-.and G. . Bailey plead guilty, and to bo released on sureties, others remanded. Corinthic's firemen convicted and discharged on returning to ship. Fifty seamen from Maunganui charged with desertion and remanded. Saturday, November 23— Six members of Dunedin Striko Committee arrested on charge of intimidation. Two rioters sentenced by Chief Justice. Ulimaroa and Aorangi delayed in Sydney,

Efforts aro now being mado to induce tho crews of oversea vessels to refuso duty, and thus defeat the work of the new Watersiders' Union by blocking the departure of the vessels they have loaded. fifteen of the Opawa's firemen, who on Sunday refused duty, were brought before the Court yesterday, a»:l ordered to be placed on board the v(ssel, which then took her departure for London, with a big cargo of produce. Fourteen of tho men, when out in the Strait, beyond tlio three-milo limit, am stated to have still persisted in refusing duty, thus rendering themselves liable to a year's imprisonment, and tlio vase I returned to port. It is announced that 110 difficulty will lie experienced i;i filling their places, and the Opawa will probably sail 011 Wednesday. Tlio six members of the Dunedin Striko Committee arrested during th» week-end have been called upon to fiud sureties for good behaviour during a period of twelve months. The only development of moment in Australia is that the Sydney watersiders havo decided to boycott all oversea vessels carrying cargo for New Zealand ports.