The Maritime Strike of 1878

The great ‘Australian Maritime strike’ of 1878 was triggered when the Australiasian Steam Navigation Company decided to replace all of their Australian sailors/seamen with Chinese sailors. They were paying Australians eight pounds per month and knew that Chinamen would work for three pounds per month.

The strike was on, in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland Australian seamen went on strike and in November 1878 they were supported by miners in NSW and by wharfies in three colonies. In December 1878 a crowed gathered outside the Australian Steam Navigation Companies wharf and when the scabs finished work and made their way home, the crowd began hooting and harassing them. Sixty police on foot and six mounter troopers turned on the crowd and beat many of the demonstrating seamen.

On the 2nd of January 1879 the company capitulated and agreed to discharge all their Chinese crews over the next two years and re-employ the Australian seamen who had been terminated. 1878 in this strike clearly put race, international capital and labour squarely on the colonial political agenda.

International capital claimed the right to employ anyone they wanted to; including workers from Southern China and the South Pacific – these coolies were targeted as they would work for something akin to a ‘bowl of rice per day’ and they were not unionised and therefore would not oppose their big business overlords. Australian workers refused to be muscled out of meaningful employment by foreigners, and it was this event (among many others) which kindled the cause for the White Australia Policy.

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The Seamen's Strike. ANTI-CHINESE RELIEF COMMITTEE. 1879 'The Seamen's Strike.', The Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), 8 February, p. 184. , viewed 09 Jun 2019

The usual weekly meeting of the anti-Chinese Relief Committee was held in the Mayor's room, Town Hall, on the 31st ultimo. The members present were—Alderman Hubbard (who was voted to the chair), and Messrs. A. Rutledge, M.L.A., Babbidge, and T. Morrow (hop. secretary). The hon. secretary reported that since the last meeting a letter and a telegram had been re ceived from Mr. Poole, the secretary of the Sea men's Union. The letter was as follows :—

Dear Sir,—l hare been in communication with the director* of the company here to-day, and the result of it is that a letter from the board is to follow, in addition to the official instruction* already forwarded, and I am assured that the company intend to carry out both the spirit and the letter of the agreement as far as possible. As for me coming down the directors point out that the manager in Brisbane could not not on any communication or instruction other than from head quarters, and that he could not know me if I went down. In that case it will be better for me to stop here ready to act if required, after the manager there has received full instructions how to proceed.

It is an admitted mistake on the part of the company that through inadvertent or misunderstanding Brisbane was not officially communicated with at first. Please allow me to draw your attention to this fact. In the case of the wharf laborers—casual men, Is. par hour, can only return to work as before, as occasion requires, but no man is to be marked for taking prominent action in the strike. Hoping this will settle this matter to the satisfaction of all concerned in Brisbane,—l have the honor to be,

Sir, your obedient servant, Sydney, January 25. O. F. Pools.

The following is the telegram received, dated January 25 :—

If they will receive Bowen's crew under protest against boatswain and watchman, send them in. For confirmation of instructions already sent, await result of deputation. I cannot understand why constant hands have not gone back. O. F. Pool*.

Letters had also been received during the week from Mr. J. White, of Ruthven station, Lower Barcoo, and Mr. H. J. Campbell, of Blackall, the former enclosing a oheque for £11 on behalf of the writer and employee's on his station, and the latter forwarding £11 6s. from residents of Blackall.

Mr. Mobrow also reported that, on the arrival in port of the Lady Bowen, the old crew of that steamer waited on Captain Cottier and Mr. Williams, who informed them that, in consequence of their having broken the agreement entered into on their behalf when the vessel was last in port, they had forfeited all claim on the company and could not be reinstated. The wages due to them for about five weeks' work had not been paid, nor could the men ascertain from the Local Manager when, if at all, they were to receive them. The men, being without dis charges, were unable to join other vessels. They had, it appeared, sent a letter to the directors,, acknowledging their fault, and asking to be reinstated in the company's service. The crew of the Queensland had joined their ship. The Yaralla had arrived in port with her Chinese crew, and concerning this vessel some of her old crew were in attendance, and would explain what had been done. One of the men had received a telegram, stating that Mr. Poole was coming to Brisbane.

Some reference having been made to the conduct of the company's wharfinger with regard to some of the men who had been on strike, one of the men was called in, and stated that he had been engaged on the wharf for the past two years, and had been in the company's service for four years prior to the strike. He had been promised a job by Mr. Moffatt, and in the meantime had been doing casual jobs for him. The other day, he was on the wharf helping to load a dray for Mr. Moffatt, when he was ordered off, and had to leave the work half done. Mr. Todd, the wharfinger, had told Mr. Moffatt not to employ him again, and had told him (the laborer) that if he had come back in the middle of the strike it would have been all right

The members of the committee expressed themselves very strongly with regard to Mr. Todd'a conduot; Mr. Rutledge considering it a piece of gross tyranny, and that it was very strange that the wharfinger should be allowed to act in this way. One of the Yaralla's old crew (a fireman) was then called in, and stated that he had seen the chief engineer of that steamer, who had said that, as far as he knew, the Chinese crew were to remain on board for three months. One of the Bailors belonging to the crew of this vessel, who was also in attendance, stated he had seen the chief officer immediately after his arrival in port, and that that gentleman had said he expected instructions would arrive by the Wentworth.

The Wentworth having arrived, the man had waited on the captain of the Yaralla that day, who said he had received no word from Sydney, and would have to sail with his Chinese crew. The vessel had since sailed with this crew. The Chairman said it was evident no satisfactory information could be obtained from Sydney, and it was high time the committee acted upon their own responsibility. Two or three men were apparently being persecuted by the company. Some action would have to be taken with the view of seeing justice done, and it was no use wasting time and money in sending telegrams to Sydney, which had no satisfactory result.

Mr. Rutledqe said the company were treating the committee as a parcel of fools, and it was high time some decisive action were taken. He proposed that the chairman, the hon. H. E.King, the hon. secretary, and himself form a deputation to wait on Mr. Williams in the first instance, with a view of effecting an amicable settlement of the present difficulties, and that, if no satisfaction could be obtained, a special meeting of the committee be called by circular to consider what further action should be taken. The motion was agreed to.

The disbursements of the committee during the week amounted to £42 Is. 5d., and the receipts to £27 3s. 6d. The total amount received up to date was £939 18b. lid., and the credit balance at bank £316 Bs. Bd.