On 17 July 1916, mechanics working at Abermain No 1, Pelaw Main, Richmond Main, and Stanford Merthyr Collieries refused to work, thus causing the mines to be idle. The mechanics protested against "the contemptuous manner in which their requests to the proprietors for a conference" was treated. Their union, the Colliery Mechanics' Association, which had 700 members, had made a claim to the wages board in June, but it had been rejected. Subsequent requests for a conference were ignored by the proprietors.
Two days later, the whole of the fourteen collieries on the South Maitland coalfield were thrown idle, in support of the mechanics. Further dissatisfaction was noted in regard to the South Maitland District Colliery Deputies' Association and other matters. As a result of the action of the mechanics, 4,700 men were on strike, and a mass meeting was held. The men decided to remain on strike until the proprietors attended a conference with a satisfactory outcome.
The Mechanics included surface hands, labourers, weighmen, colliery railway guards, fitters' assistants, storemen, tool sharpeners, rope-splicers, cable-hangers, boilermakers' assistants, pipemen, carters, horse-shoers, grooms, gangers, fettlers, concrete mixers, carpenters' assistants, bricklayers' labourers, painters, blacksmiths and their strikers, and fitters. Associated unions were also involved in the action. A few mines had already started paying the rates requested, resulting in disparity among the workers in the various mines.
A conference took place on 21 July in Newcastle, between the Colliery Proprietors' Association and the Colliery Mechanics' Association. The workers were represented by Mr W WALLER (union official), and a group of men from the various mechanics' occupations. An adjournment was made until 24 July. The following day, the proprietors made an offer to increase wages. The Cessnock Mechanics held a combined meeting on 26 July, and accepted the offer. Another meeting, in the Kurri district on 27 July, also accepted the offer. At a further meeting on 28 July, the men of East Greta Colliery rejected the offer. Thus, thirteen of the fourteen collieries had accepted. Mr WALLER, and the executive, overrode the East Greta men's rejection, thus securing "by conciliation what had been denied by a wages board" and declaring it a "victory for the men". Mr WALLER was praised as "a moderate in industrial matters who regards a strike as the last weapon to be used with reluctance".
Sources:
Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate, Tue 18 Jul 1916, page 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article133877103
Tamworth Daily Observer, Wed 19 Jul 1916, page 2, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article116826191
Maitland Daily Mercury, Sat 22 Jul 1916, page 7, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122173454
Sydney Sun -
Thu 20 Jul 1916, page 1, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223379861
Mon 24 Jul 1916, page 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223375575
Thu 27 Jul 1916, page 6, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223383405
Fri 28 Jul 1916, page 7, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223369538
Sat 29 Jul 1916, page 5, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article223374529
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