1951 waterfront dispute

The 1951 waterfront dispute was a major Australian industrial conflict where maritime workers, represented by the Waterside Workers' Federation (WWF), went on strike to oppose a government plan to replace them with cheaper, non-union labor. The government responded by using naval ships to unload cargo from docked ships, effectively bypassing the strikers. The strike lasted 9 days, causing significant disruption to the economy and highlighting tensions between labor and government over workers' rights and industrial control. It remains a key event illustrating the power struggles in Australia's labor history.