At the Waterfront

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 44, 12 January 1912, Page 12

At the Waterfront

By NAUTILUS

Mr. Caubair. a lejuliii" niemb"" of Auck'aii'' Waterside' Workers' T'nion, and err who has '-•U'Tht strenn-ou.-.dy for !'« ' r ' : : cr :•• ■• -• I"» 11 vr to the \\i;lles of a i.-.'.b:" if :.i'!c'U i|||i| :< c:s, has dicid. ! ; .i run. .i '.he secve: t.iryship of ,!,<• Fiiioii. » • . » The ballet taken at Auckland to a.--eortair th" opinion of member.* on tile Arbitration. Art and its value a? a. inert hnn of industrial progress-, has resiilt|ed in a [o««i owing to an insufficient | l.umber Im'.'uj: ">:ercis-cd their votes on ! the question. (»;' the numbers recorded ' as valid votes, the proposal was carried by a good mnjority. Wellington Wharf Laborers' Union has set up a committee to revise- rules in preparation for registration under the Trades Uuiou Act immediately the registration is cancelled. The firemen and deck bauds employed on the ferry boats at Wellington have drafted a list of demands for higher wages and better conditions. They posted them in order to catch the first mail on Christmas Eve. The manager of this company, who suffers under the title of Zohrab, would have preferred a visit from Father Christmas instead of a call from the postman. * • • Bluff Waterside Union has decided to remain under the beuevolent wing of Grandfather Sim in his little wooden hut, the Arbitration Court. "I wouldn't leave my little wooden hut for yo-o-o-o-o-u." » » » AVhen New Zealand Waterside AYorkers reoognise the tremendous power they possess to paralyse industry, they will cease to be the cringing, casual slaves they have been so long. Armed with the embargo—their unions acting like machines —they can dictate terms and bring the strongest shipping trust to its knees. The old system of striking, where men left their work and starved - their wives and children, is done aboslutely. The modern waterside striker simply declares a week's holiday the wheels of industry cease to revolve, and at the end of the week he quietly Hues up again for more labor. The employer, thinking that be has beaten the spirit out of his slaves, proceeds at his old pace again. On the busiest mail day all work ceases again for another week, and pickets are allowed a roving commission to take the name of scabs. At the end of the week work is again resumed. By this method the employer's business is totally dislocated, steamers are crowded into the ports, requiring double labor when work recommences. This sudden action is the death blow to scabbery.

Watersidcrs have been to pacific hitherto. They have not showed sufficient revolt. They have allowed themselves to be driven and hunted about like <3ogs, and like dogs they have failed to recognise their power to rend their tormentors, who in many cases are but wage-slaves vested with brass braid and a little brief authority. With the embargo used scientifically we can ease our bodies of the loads imposed by bucli creatures. We must rouse ourselves and hit hard; when they attempt to drive, wo must retaliate, for we cannot strike too hard or too often. Word for word, deed for deed, blow for blow, by any means and all means, we must gain the mastery of. our industry and push the exploiters out.