The Waihi Strike.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 78, 6 September 1912, Page 5

The Waihi Strike.

Paeroa Commercialists.

The keenness of the class struggle is becoming more manifest every day. That the fight is to become more acute in the near future is only too well known. The following resolution has been forwarded by the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce to the strike officials: "That tho Government be urged to amend the law relating to preference to unionists so as to define a unici'st to be a person belonging to a uikoi pioperly registered under the Arbitration Act, or some other Act of Parliament"

Tho evil effects of unionism have reached the little cow-cursed village of Paeroa, and they see all sorts of organised Labor nightmares. The Chamber has not recovered from the reply that was forwarded by the strike committee, which was to the effect that they were "somewhat sceptical as to tho Government possessing the necessary qualifications to define a scab from a unionist, and further, we are strongly of the opinion that the only true test of a unionist is when ho is called upon to stand by his class when engaged in industrial warfare with the common enemy." At a Concert. The Academy Theatre was unable to' hold the audience that attended the last concert provided by the entertainment committee. Each item was vociferously applauded, the audience being loth to go homo. Judging by tho happy manner of all concerned, one would think they wore all receiving their £100 a month c]ieques from a benevolent sweatextractor and dividend-parasite mining company. We all believe in the doctrine of "Sing and the hills will answer; Sigh, and it's lost on the air, The echoes .rebound to a joyful sound But shrink from voicing care." Ettor and Ciovannittl.

In connection with the attempted murder by the American Government of two working-class organisers of the recent textile strike in Lawrence, Mass., tho following motion was carried unanimously :—"That this meeting of the Waihi Workers' Union of New Zealand protests in tho name of Freedom and Justice against the dastardly attempts to victimiso J. Ettor, A. Giovannittd, and others, whose worst crime is loyalty to their fellow-workers in time of trouble."

Tho following resolution was carried by the womenfolk at this meeting:— "That this meeting of mothers, wives, and sisters of workers of Waihi protests in the name of Freedom and Justice against dastardly attempts to victimise J. Ettor, A. Giovannitti, and others, whoso worst crime is loyalty to their fellow-workers in time of trouble." At Recent Meetings. A vote of condolence was passed to the relatives of J. Donelly, who died of miners' phthisis. Owing to the committee being exceptionally busy, it was decided to appoint a sub-committee to consider the rules, Messrs. Marks, Leather, Stow, and Richards being selected. A good deal of discussion took place over the fining of a member who had transgressed the strike rules. The meeting decided that as this was the first case dealt with the penalty be rescinded, but all future cases shall be dealt with in strict accordance with the rules. The president's suggestion to the executive that in the event of scabs being procured the Railway Workers' Union be requested to refuse to carry tho scabs to Waihi, was heartily endorsed. lb was decided, by a largo majority, to abolish the executive council, and the erasions necessary to tho constitution will be considered immediately. Stray Shots. Here's something for militarists to ponder over. Tho secretary of Waihi's Patriotic League recently approached a member of the Waihi Miners' Union re forming a scab union. He did so because, ho said, he know the man was' "a staunch militarist and therefore tho

Official Report from the Scene of Action.

more likely to fall into the idea of forming a rival union." Viewed from a wage-earner's point, militarism, according to the above, must be synonymous with scabbery.

A staunch supporter of the Federation down the Main Trunk line, in a letter to the strike committee, says: "If one mentions the strike down here you nearly got eaten 1 . I wish you would send Parry to address a meeting her*; it would do a lot of good." Some Engine-drivers' Leaders. The manly actions and law-and-order principles so dear to the heart of all scab drivers of Waihi have been highly praised by both capitalistic press and Labor Councils. A brief outline of only a few of the manly and heroic deeds of some of these much-cursed men are herein mentioned in order to show to all the sort of unionism (?) that these men pretend to fight for.

Ono of the leaders of the Zambukj concern was in receipt of Bs. 6d. per! shift at the Grand Junction Co. for ; driving tho compressor. This man, j though in possession of a first-class ticket, was actually receiving 6d. per day less a shift than a second-class driver's award rate, because a non-cer-tificated man could perform the work required to bo done. A short time previous to the strike he went to the management in reference to both his and his mate's wages. The men receive some sort of allowance for working overtime, which makeß their wages • vary a few shillings on pay-day, according f<: bow they strike the overtime shifts. Well, the visit was a most successful one —for the companies, as this advocate of arbitration unionism actually succeeded in getting the wages of both himself and his mates lowered. The men booked their own time, and were advised by this servile tool to put in their time for Saturday (a short shift of six hours) as six hours instead of a shift, as previously and as agreed in last year's agreement. Following the advice of this "industrial Moses," the men did so, received payment only for six hours, and like men, "bucked." The engineer, when remonstrated with, expressed his ignorance of the action, and forthwith had the men receive their proper payments. t

The same gentleman every month was required to compile an account of the amount of waste used in cleaning engines, etc. To use as little waste as possible, he used to carry his worn-out apparel from home and use it instead of the companies' cotton-waste I Just what brand of unionism this man may bo a supporter of is easily imagined.

Another prominent scab promoter also, has a very "honorable" record. A few months prior to the strike he went to the management and caused one of his mates to get the sack, because he had committed the heinous crime of calling the embryo scab a "liar I" The Waihi Workers' Union took the matter up, and got the dismissed man reinstated, and called upon the accuser to explain his action before the committee. This he refused to do, whereupon the union condemned his action as being "unmanly and unworthy of a unionist)." It afterwards transpired that the reason why the driver refused to attend the meeting was because he was closeted with the mine manager for over an hour I

Still another bosses' union man was man (?) enough to take, at a moment's notice, the job of a man who was complaining about the lowness of the wages paid and whose unionistic (?) mates communicated his agitations to the boss's ears.

Prior to the strike, a man who is now secretary to the abortion always received a bonus on pay-day, but all efforts to discover why it was given always failed. It is, however, common property that even his present fellowscabs always. looked upon him as a pimp. Class'conscious unionists arc not in the habit of receiving special payments from their sweat-extractors. The only reason why master-class unionists (?) get bribes, etc., is for performing deeds of traitorism on their class.