 The strike was a rank-and-file protest for an increase in basic pay, and was not officially supported by the Transport and General Workers Union.The strikers were condemned as 'unpatriotic' by Arthur Deakin, General Secretary of the T&G.The government used troops to keep the ports open, and the strike ended after six weeks when the striking dockers accepted an assurance from the T&G leaders that they would negotiate a 'Docker's Charter' with the government.