Kōrero: Strikes and labour disputes

A sea of hats surrounds the gates to the Wellington wharves in the first days of the great waterfront strike of 1913. The strike broke out after Wellington watersiders were penalised for stopping work to discuss a grievance by fellow workers. The massed wharfies pushed past the few police guarding the gates and took over the wharves to prevent any ships loading or unloading. Within days the strike spread to other ports around the country and thousands of workers stopped work in support.