A committee, consisting of Messrs. Ross, Semple, and Hickey was appointed to draft an open letter to the railway men and watersiders urging the advisability of joining the Federation—this being the first official overtures to either body. Meetings of watersiders at all the ports had already been addressed by Federation officers and members, and in some of the ports very ardent supporters were at work endeavouring to secure a vote of the membership on the question of Federation.
Westport and then Timaru came into the Federation, and then, arising out of a dispute at Timaru, and after a good deal of negotiation, a Dominion-wide conference of Waterside Workers met under the Federation’s auspices, presented demands to the combined shipping companies, and with the officers of the Federation, brought about an agreement that indicated a tremendous advance on anything that preceded it.
This was the first time in the history of this calling that a settlement was arrived at outside the Arbitration Court.
One result of this agreement was the enrolment of practically all the Watersiders in New Zealand into the Federation of Labour, and the dissolving of the Waterside Federation.
The general labourers of Auckland, Canterbury, Buller and Westland were also members of the Federation.
The tendency appeared to be for the Federation to win the approval of that section of the working-class that took the keenest interest in their industrial affairs. In addition, ex-miners, members of other unions, realising the advantages their old workmates were securing through the Federation,
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