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Book Review
| Jim Comerford, Lockout: The Northern New South Wales Coal Lockout 2nd March 1929 – 3rd June 1930, CFMEU Mining and Energy, Sydney, 2006. pp. 536. $35.00 cloth.
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| In March 1929 the Northern Collieries Proprietors' Association locked out workers in an attempt to lower wages and working conditions and to weaken the relevance of the various unions involved in mining. The lockout lasted for 15 months, constituting one of the longest industrial disputes in Australia's history. Jim Comerford was a 15-year-old pit boy when the lockout commenced. He lived through and witnessed many of the major events which occurred during this dispute. He subsequently became active in the affairs of the Miners Federation. Over 31 years he held numerous positions within the Federation, including that of national General Secretary. |
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In Lockout Comerford provides a detailed account of the numerous twists and turns associated with this lengthy dispute. He says (pp. 8–9) his aim in writing this book was
to get working people, particularly those in a strategic industry like coal mining to see what can and will be done to them when the profit-driven free enterprise system sinks into deep crisis. If this account has any value it will show today's miners and other workers what was done will be done again in one form or another. The big thing to be forever kept in mind is that when capitalist law gets in the way of powerful capitalist interests it, the law, is thrown into limbo.
Comerford combines archival research with his memories as a pit boy and numerous conversations he had over the years with various contemporaries involved in the lockout. He says 'it will not surprise if critics detect flaws in this work. I am certainly not a professional researcher' (p. 5). The major criticism of Lockout is that it is not reader friendly. Its 49 chapters, which are essentially organised chronologically, do not have headings, there is not an index and, while there are endnotes, it does not contain a bibliography. The problem here is that it is difficult to locate material which is of interest. In addition, especially in the first part of the book, there is a high level of assumed knowledge and repetition. The reason for identifying these flaws is a fear that they may reduce the audience for whom Lockout is intended. This would be most unfortunate, for Comerford's examination and analysis of the playing out of this dispute, especially after approximately the first third of the book, makes for fascinating reading. |
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The Northern Collieries Proprietors Association sought to lower wages and working conditions to protect profit levels, in the context of declining markets, associated with the advent and eventual setting in of the 1930s Depression. In doing so, they were aided and abetted by the coalition governments of Bruce and Bavin, at the federal and state level, respectively. The election of the federal Scullin Labor government, despite its promises to the Miners Federation, did little in the way of helping to resolve the dispute. It might also be useful here to remember the role of the Chifley Labor government in the 1949 coal mining strike. Despite lockouts being illegal no action was initiated against the Northern Association. |
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The consistent stance adopted by the Miners Federation was to confine the dispute to the northern New South Wales coalfields and levy employed members to provide financial support for those locked out. In addition, locked-out workers, rather than those on strike would receive food relief from the state government and by not striking, the Miners Federation would not be subject to penal provisions under arbitration legislation. Despite calls by more radical elements, such as the Communist Party, the Militant Minority Movement and some craft unions, to convert the dispute into a national strike the rank and file steadfastly stood behind its leadership in maintaining a policy of containment. |
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The strength of Lockout is Comerford's ability to take readers into the different orbits which combined to make up this dispute. He presents information on political and legal manoeuvres at both the state and federal level, tensions within and between different unions on how to respond to changing circumstances, negotiations between the Miners Federation and the Northern Association and various companies, the activities of the unions in trying to support locked out and unemployed workers and the day to day life of people, in various mining communities, and the support they provided to each other. The various chapters on community life provide an extra human dimension to the analysis of this lockout. |
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Comerford provides a chilling account of the protest mounted by miners against the use of scab labour at the Rothbury mine on 16 December 1929 and their running battles with police. On at least three occasions the police used weapons on miners resulting in many injuries and the death of Norman Brown, the last worker killed in an industrial demonstration in Australia. Information is also provided on the Bavin Government using 'basher squads' in unsuccessful attempts to intimidate and break the morale of miners. |
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As the lockout passed the one-year mark both sides felt the need to reach a compromise. The costs of disagreeing were becoming greater than the costs of agreeing. As the Depression progressed and became more intense an increasing number of mines were closed which resulted in an increasing number of miners being made redundant. The ability of the Miners Federation to provide members with financial support was declining. For their part, the companies who belonged to the Northern Association, had received little or no income and had the added burden of maintaining their mines in the event of the dispute being resolved, were also feeling the pinch. Their solidarity declined as they realised that it would be difficult to survive. In late May 1930 an agreement was reached, endorsed by the rank and file, whereby there would be a return to work. The Miners Federation agreed to a reduction in wages and the maintenance of employment conditions – the most important being the maintenance of seniority and no victimisation – and the companies to the removal of scabs. |
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Comerford maintains that the ability of the Miners Federation to maintain itself and its organisation during this lengthy lockout against the combined forces of the Northern Collieries Proprietors Association, the Bruce and Bavin governments (and the indifference of the Scullin Labor Government) and the Depression represents one of the great victories in its history. This victory is explained in terms of the strength of the relationship between the leadership and the rank and file. He says (p. 484):
the twin influences of Lockout and Depression stayed with the miner generation who went through it all ... And for the duration of their lives they held to their federation. And their federation held to them.
A reading of Lockout will provide some solace and guidance for unions and unionists in the struggles that lie ahead. |
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| University of Melbourne |
BRAHAM DABSCHECK | |
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