"We could give into the strikers - but we won't." Sidney Holland, 1951
The New Zealand 1951 Waterfront Dispute
Introduction
The 1951 New Zealand Waterfront is claimed by historians to largest and most widespread industrial action in New Zealand history. At the height of the dispute, around 22,000 workers were involved in the industrial actions across the key ports of New Zealand with members of unions from different industries such as coal miners, freezing workers, seamen, hydroelectric power workers, drivers and railwaymen, joining in the strike in protest against the government’s actions. The strike actions by the waterside workers lasted for 151-days, starting from 13 February to 15 July 1951. Historians argue that th 1951 Waterfront Dispute is the biggest industrial confrontation in New Zealand labour history. Although it was not as violent as the 1913 Waterfront Strike that occurred in key ports of Wellington, Auckland and Chrischurch, it involved more workers and had lasted longer. The New Zealand's population at the time was just under 2 million.
The dispute was took place immediately after the end of the Second World War in a climate of Cold War suspicion. The opposing sides denounced each other by abusive names as Nazis, Commies, traitors and terrorists. The 1951 Waterfront Dispute polarized New Zealand government and politics and split the union movement. There were a wide range of economic, political and social causes to the waterfront dispute, and the event left leaving a bitter legacy that lingers to today as historians argue and debate the controversies and ambiguity of the event and the actions of those individuals and groups who have taken part in the dispute. Historians continue to debate on what to call the dispute; while he employers and government described it as a strike and as a working class challenge, but to the waterside workers, it was a lockout, protesting out of financial hardships and against harsh working conditions.
The dispute was took place immediately after the end of the Second World War in a climate of Cold War suspicion. The opposing sides denounced each other by abusive names as Nazis, Commies, traitors and terrorists. The 1951 Waterfront Dispute polarized New Zealand government and politics and split the union movement. There were a wide range of economic, political and social causes to the waterfront dispute, and the event left leaving a bitter legacy that lingers to today as historians argue and debate the controversies and ambiguity of the event and the actions of those individuals and groups who have taken part in the dispute. Historians continue to debate on what to call the dispute; while he employers and government described it as a strike and as a working class challenge, but to the waterside workers, it was a lockout, protesting out of financial hardships and against harsh working conditions.