The Waihi Strike and its Lessons.

Industrial Unionist, Volume 1, Issue 1, 1 February 1913, Page 2

The Waihi Strike and its Lessons.

w of Vv aihi ».■ ■-» noKi tiie principle of One Union in One Industry, On Nov. 13th. exactly six in on tns later, the strike was declared off after one of the most complete defeats ever recorded in industrial history. But despite the utter rout in Waihi, the result of the struggle has done inestimable good lor the working class of Australasia, provided they are willing to-benefit by the lesson.

In a brief review of the situation it may be said the strike started well. It was declared suddenly and without notice. A mass meeting called to deal with the contingency that had arisen, agreed almost unanimously to cease work until the boss-hatched Lnginedrivers’ Union went ‘out of existence. In the resolution they were supported by the large majority of enginedrivers themselves.

The vVaihi Miners’ Union being a unit of the N. Z. F. L., the latter body next considered whether the strike should be confined to Waibi or assume national proportions. A sectional strike was decided upon, a course that met with considerable opposition from many who held that concerted action was necessary to strangle the boss-promoted unions then coming into beingthroughoutN.Z.

For sixteen weeks the strike went on smoothly, no effort being made by the mineowners to work the mines, and the other units of the Fed. and the militant Australian unions contributed sufficient funds to ensure the strikers being well provided for.

The money came in so freely that it was patent to the mineowners that they must change their tactic’s, a course capitalists are never too hidebound to.adopt and then next appeared upon the scene a strong force of police with Commissioner Cullen in charge.

The employers then issued notices that on October 2nd. the mines would re-open, and on that date several surface workers and one miner resumed work.

This was a poor response indeed but the numbers kept on increasing, and found themselves in an association called the Ohinimuri

Miners’ and Battery Employees’ Union, claiming by virtue of a scab union card that they were not scabs.

By October 31st. half-caste Maoris, city toughs, and surface workers had increased the strike breakers to over 200, and the police assuming a very aggressive attitude towards the strikers, 68 of whom had already been sent to jail for picketing, it was evident that a crisis was near at hand. The crisis occurred on the following Monday when the scabs attacked some of the pickets and kicked them nearly to death; the police standing by and saying, with tongue in cheek, the scabs had got out of their contol, and they could not do anything with them.

The following morning the scabs and the police made forcible entry into the Miners’ Union Hall and killed Frederick Evans who was doing picket duty there. They then assumed complete control of the town, and the scabs went round in large mobs to the homes of the strikers, serving notices to quit the town in 48 hours. The majority were all first inclined to disregard the notices, but the attitude of the police and the fact that the scabs were well primed with drink, convinced nearly all the strikers that the only thing to do was to get out, and in doing so many 1 of them were chased and maltreat ed. Ten days later, on the strike was declared olff bprthe N. Z. F. L., as already sta tedT A s it is by their mista] that the working ciass gain th< 5 experience necessary to attai n their goal, let us enumerate the wrong moves in the Waihi stril :e with a view to preventing their recurrence. j In the first place it was unwise to have the control of the strike placed in the hands of the executive of the N. Z. F. LJ, with the unit principally involved playing almost a passive pfart. A.n Executive Board Scattered

;hroughout the country is too slow acting in a case of this sort 10 matter how capable or how well-intentioned the members of such Executive Board maybe. The IWaihi Miners’ Union should have been in a position to deal with each contingency as it arose instead of referring each vital matter to a body that required at least a week to assemble. A mistake was made when the men did not return to work in a body on October 2pd. Lengthy strikes are only relics of a bygone age, and when a victory is not speedily won, it is best for the workers to return to work apparently beaten, and operate on the job as their intelligence directs.

It should be an invariable rule to take up your job if possible, when you see the scab is after it.

On Oct. 2nd., when the mines re-opened the response could hardly have been worse, yet it was sufficiently good to defeat the strikers in the end.

It is futile to fight capitalism with money. The workers contributed £30,000 for the strike, but had the amount been £300,000 it would not have materially affected the result.

4 Lastly, the tardiness in calling off the strike made the position as bad as it possibly could be. It takes a good organisation so secure a straight-out victory, yet it requires a better one to recognise a temporary defeat, which, by a change of tactics, might be turned into a victory. To-day the workers of Waihi are scattered throughout Australasia. Many of them expound views similar to those expressed here, and the experience gained may make the Waihi strike a victory for the working class of Australasia. —•Star Drill .

The interests of the working class can be upheld only by an organisation formed in such a way that all its members in any one industry, or in all industries if necessary cease work whenever a strike or lockout is on in any department thereof, thus making an injury to one an injury to all.