Today in History

1951 Troops deployed in waterfront dispute

The waterfront dispute of 1951 was the biggest industrial confrontation in New Zealand’s history. Although it was not as violent as the Great Strike of 1913, it lasted longer – 151 days, from February to July – and involved more workers. At its peak, 22,000 waterside workers (wharfies) and other unionists were off the job, out of the country's population of just under two million.

Sid Holland's National government declared a state of emergency on 21 February. The following day Holland warned that New Zealand was ‘at war’. On the 27th, troops were sent onto the Auckland and Wellington wharves to load and unload ships. Draconian emergency regulations imposed rigid censorship, gave police sweeping powers of search and arrest and made it an offence for citizens to assist strikers – even giving food to their children was outlawed.

As the dispute dragged on into the autumn and winter of 1951, there was widespread intimidation and sporadic outbursts of violence. On 30 April a railway bridge near Huntly was dynamited. Train drivers were warned in advance and no one was hurt, but coal supplies were severely disrupted. Prime Minister Holland denounced it as ‘an infamous act of terrorism’.

On several occasions, unionist street protests were broken up by ranks of baton-wielding police. The worst incident occurred in Auckland on 1 June – dubbed ‘Bloody Friday’ – when police violently dispersed up to 1000 marchers in Queen Street. One victim suffered a suspected fractured skull, and 20 others had to be treated for lacerations, concussion and bruises.

By the end of May, with new unions of strike-breakers (denounced by unionists as scabs) registered in the main ports, the wharfies’ position was becoming increasingly hopeless. Eventually, after a five-month struggle, they conceded defeat on 15 July.

Image: Watersiders' loyalty card, 1951