Waihi miners' strike

Miners had many grievances regarding their working conditions and often downed tools and walked off the site in response to accidents in the mine (falls, broken limbs, crushing, brusings and even the occasional fatality).

a week, just enough to feed and clothe their families; for the shareholders in the Waihi Gold Mining Company, a quite fabulous flow of unearned income.

[1]In May 1912, a number of stationary engine drivers who rejected the Federation of Labour's strong positions established a breakaway union.

the conservative Reform Party came to power — the new Prime Minister, William Massey, declared that he would strongly oppose the "enemies of order".

Anger among the strikers grew, and the Federation of Labour gradually began to lose control to even more radical groups, such as the Industrial Workers of the World organisation.

Tensions between the union and non-union workers were very high — the union workers saw the newcomers as threatening their livelihoods and as being traitors to the working class, while many of the newcomers felt they had little choice but to take what work they could find, and resented the attacks and condemnation.

Despite this, however, many people in the union movement actually moderated their positions after the strike[citation needed] — it had, after all, failed to achieve its goals.

The imprisoned strike leaders including Bill Parry were released in November against security of £1600; the bond was later found to have been put up by brewer Ernest Davis, who was a major source of funds for the Labour Party for half a century.