THE RECENT STRIKE

Hokitika Guardian, 21 January 1927, Page 1

THE RECENT STRIKE

MIXERS’ FEDERATION STATEMENT.

|Australia & N.Z. Cabte Association

\Received this day at 9.0 a.m.i LONDON. January 27.

“ If we were deserted and (orced to fight a lone fight, il was not by the workers that we were abandoned.” This sentence at the outset, is characteristic of a strongly-worded statement' by the Diners’ Federation, on the general strike for the conference of Trade Union Executives on January 20th. The statement declares the general strike was the climax of concerted endeavours of employers for years to solve their problem by wage cutting. In 1025 it was narrowed to the milling industry with its special difficulties. The first attempt at a general wages reduction in July. 1920. was defeated, because the Labour movement under tiie then strong-determined leadership of the T.11.C. Council, stood by the miners and the Government, which hacked the eoalowners. was compelled to postpone the conflict and take time, to load their guns. The real purpose of the Royal Commission thereafter appointed was to find the argument which divided the united front of the whole movement by the T.U.C. Council, which in February. 192(5, reaffirmed the solidarity of the miners and other trade unionists. It hesitated, six weeks later, after the publication ot the Commissioner’s report to reffifin the position on which it had committed l.lie whole movement. I bus the workers entered the general strike unaware that the T.U.C. Council contemplated yielding. Having once decided on a ■policy of yielding, they yielded consistently until the end.

Summing up a lengthy argument m defence of the miners’ reaction oi the Samuel memorandum, the statement declares: “To put it bluntly the general Council were leading the miners into a trap, hut the miners refused to he entrapped.” The statement concludes: “The fight is not over. Longer hours and lower wages cannot bring peace into the coalfields. We will not allow district agreements to, shatter our strength. The unitv of our organisation is still intact. We are determined to recover the lost ground and look confidently for the support of the whole trade union movement.”