The years from 1908 to 1913 were marked by a number of industrial disputes. Several unions came to believe that the Arbitration Court had delivered them results far short of what they could achieve in direct negotiation with their employers. Economic times were good and the unions considered that the Arbitration Court was failing to reflect this in the awards it made. Eventually, a number of the stronger unions decided to strike.
In 1908, miners in the West Coast town of Blackball struck after union leaders were dismissed. Their initial dispute had been over working conditions, and after three months of action the company backed down. Inspired by this success, the following year a number of mining unions affiliated into what became the Miners’ Federation, a national body that later joined the New Zealand Federation of Labour. Shearers, labourers, tramwaymen and others joined the miners. Once again the spectre of strike action shadowed the industrial relations scene.
