Freezers’ Strike

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XII, Issue 165, 28 June 1922, Page 5

Freezers’ Strike

HOW IT WAS ENGINEERED. RED FED. AND BOLSHEVIK AGITATORS. THE AUSTRALIAN ELEMENT. Some interesting statements as to the activity of agitators in the recent strike happenings in North Canterbury have been secured by the “Lyttelton Times.” According to various unionists, states the southern paper, the move was forced by agitators m the face of opopsition by prominent officials of the Canterbury Union and the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Federation. THE WORST AGITATOR. The worst agitator, one'man stated, was an Australian, who arrived in the district about June 7 or B.' On one of those dates a meeting of workers was held at a North Canterbury works. A visiting delegate addressed the men, and said : “What we want is for all you men to come out in sympathy with the men standing down in the south because of the 5/ reduction.” The Australian then got up, he stated, and said “My friend believes in the sentimental war, but 1 believe in the scientific way, and the scientific way is to find out what men hold the key to the position and call them out. Then, we have the thing fixed up.” N O WORK FOR THE OTHERS. “The Australian, said the press informant, “meant that if the butchers were called out there would be no work for the other men. A motion was put in favour of a strike but an amendment was carried that the men should adhere to their former decision to continue work, ancl put a protest before the Arbitration Court later on. At the same meeting, someone proposed a secret ballot, but one of the agitators saiu, ‘lt a man is not game to express an opinion, he is not a man.’ The next stage was the meeting in the Trades Hall, Christchurch, on Saturday, June 10. About 200 mein attended, oi whom 150 were Bed Feds and Bolshevik Australians, most of them out of employment because, of slackening down at Bel last, ivaiapoi, and Islington. They had nothing to lose, and they got th c bit in their teeth and carried the day easily against the other fiity, who were neipiess. they took the meeting into Uieir own hands, and went dead against the wishes and advice of the President and officials of the Canterbury Union.” BRANDED AS “BLACKLEGS,” Pickets were out at the works on Monday, June 12, no continued, ano men were told that “down tools” had been decided on. Most oi them were surprised and angry, but the agitators had had time to inane plans, ine men were spjken to inuiviuuaiiy, and persuaded to turn back. The strike was on in the following week, and that gave the Red Ted. element a big lever, xne men knew that ir any or them went back to the work, they would) be branded all over New Zealand and Australia as “blacklegs” or “scabs, ’ and tiiat, in addition, they would be liable to fines lor having gone on strike. These men knew by experience oi 1913 what was in store for them if they returned to work. All the agitators had to do was to play on their ieelings. The Government and the public aid not know the might of the weapon handled by these agitators, it was the weapon of boycott, sneer, and slur,, and it was used against women and children as well as against men. Little kiddies were taught to run next door and tell the neighbours’ kiddies their father was a “scab.” The cure was to abolish, fines and imprisonment for striking , and to provide that if, during ay agitation for a strike, ten members of a union signed a requisition lor a secret ballot, that a secret ballot should be conducted by an official appointed by the Minister for Labour. Every member would have the opportunity to vote, and if the result was in favour of a strike, then the Government could cancel the registration of the union for twelve months, and let there be free labour for that period. SECRET BALLOT: NO STRIKE. ‘‘Had a seciet ballot been taken this time,’’ the man declared, “there would have been no strike. The strike movement would have been defeated, and the Bolsheviks would not have known who voted one way or the other. In the present case the men have been led astray. I blame the Australian element amongst the freezing workers for a big part of this strike. 'What do they care ’ for this country? They’ll be back home soon.”