Sectional Strikes.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 35, 3 November 1911, Page 18

Sectional Strikes.

By L. CLOVER.

On reading the morning paper of Friday week last,. I saw that tihe.! wharf laborers were, out on strike in Sydney. The reporters of the "Evening Post" interviewed Mr. T. Smith, general secretary Wellington WThas-f) Laborers'- Union, and this is what he said: — ..-.,. , "In reply to a-question_ as to whether; the strike of Wat.. si.d.yt Svork.rs in; Sydney would affect New Zealand in general and. Wellington in particular,' the local secretary, Mr. T. Smith, said; he thought it was very unlikely. Wellington .could not possibly be affected until the Australian ports other than Sydney were implicated. "There is always some trouble or other ever there." added Mr. T. Smith, "but generally it fizzles out as quickly as it is born. lie had heard," he said, "stories floating about as to the local men refusing' to unload the lonic and Athenic owing- to their cargo having been handled by blackleg labor at Home, but there was absolutely no truth in it. . A visitor from Sydney, a man in- close working touch . with Labor in that city, is confident that tho strike will be short-lived." I wish to state that Mr. T. Smith does not express the opinion, of the ■Wellington waterside workers, for if our Sydney brothers do not load the intercolonial boats, there will be ho cargo for the Wellington men to unload. And. if the boats are loaded by blackleg labor! I am of opinion thatthe 'Wellington men will, not unload them. As for the trouble always occurring, and that the present trouble would soon fizzle out, those remarks are altogether unwarrantable from a paid official. I for one do not think our Sydney- comrades strike just for the fun of it. We know when, they strike they have a grievance: if a lot of strikers, a lot of grievances. Does Mr. Smith think in a day or two they will be flogged back, or what does he mean by "fizzle out?" For, bear this in mind, Mr. Smith,-a setback to them is a setback to us. They are our class.'and an injury to one is the concern of all. I am sorry to see .he Sydney .men out in a sectional strike, for "if it is good for the Sydney men to organise in a union it must be better for" ail Australia to organise— yes, all Australasia —yes. in. an international, union. Then we can say, our-class has a. grievance," and •■•in' back' that up by our international union,- recognising that only ■ through ■one'great international 'organisation, can the working-class ever expect to take and held that which they are justly entitled to, namely, the full product of their labor- Then, and then only, '/vviil our little sectional strikes and petty differences cease to occur and'the ."disloyalty 'of officials cease to mislead.