Seamen’s Strike

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26394, 12 April 1951, Page 6

Seamen’s Strike

The decision of the Seamen’s Union to strike in support of the striking watersiders is regrettable- It can serve no purpose beyond prolonging

a dispute which must eventually end IP the re-establishment of law and order. It Will, however, like the strike of a large section of miners, add to the inconvenience ano, very soon, the hardship, that the whole country, particularly the poorer people, will suffer.' Nor can any good reason be seen for this attitude of the miners and seamen. No union principle is at stake; there has been no victimisation of watereiders; and other unions have found no cause for their members to help the watersiders' leaders in their attack on the arbitration system. In fact, union solidarity would demand that seamen and miners, like railwaymen, drivers, and the rest, should support the Federation of Labour. Instead, apparently ignoring the Labour principle that unity is strength, they have chosen to back the watersiders’ leaders, who, just a year ago, set out to split organised Labour in New Zealand, behaving like spoiled children too used to having their own way. Labour solidarity was useful enough to the watersiders until the majority declined to accept domination by a minority. U is reasonable for the seamen and miners to object to stale or all of the emergency regulations and to want them amended or repealed. It is not reasonable, to express their objection by striking in support of pen who have broken the ordinary statute law. It is still possible for the seamen and miners to change their minds, and to admit that their loyalty should be given to the country that shelters them, and to the 250,000 unionists who do not want to see the arbitration principle smashed at the whim of a group of militants among 8090 watersiders. On reflection, the seamen and n ?? ,rS ' th J»- That will, at least b« the gtwslhope of Mew Zealanders.