The dispute began with a coal miners' strike in Huntly and on the Wellington waterfront, and quickly spread to other industries around the country.

On 6 October, Allison's Taupiri Coal Company sacked sixteen miners at Huntly, three of whom had recently been elected to the arbitration union's executive.

Meanwhile, the Wellington shipwrights had added further grievances to their list, including demands for increased pay and holidays, and they began a strike on 18 October.

In defiance of their president another meeting was held and 1,500 workers decided "That no work shall be accepted until such time as the victimised men are re-instated".

On 5 November, strike supporters clashed with mounted special constables who were riding from their base at Buckle St to Lambton station.

Pro-strike tram drivers rammed specials on horseback, and metal spikes and detonators were thrown at horses’ feet.

'[8] it is often seen as an instance of class war; the workers of New Zealand fighting against the employers and their allies in the conservative Reform government that had come to power in 1912.

"[9] and Richard Hill in his history of the police wrote "the federationists were the victims of a government determined to destroy its class enemies...