Editing RMS Olympic (section)

=== 1912 strike===
[[File:Scheepvaart, scheepsrampen, SFA022806848.jpg|thumb|left|Stokers on strike]]
[[File:RMS Olympic's new lifeboats.jpg|thumb|''Olympic''{{'s}} new lifeboats, ready to be installed]]
''Olympic'', like ''Titanic'', did not carry enough lifeboats for everyone on board, and so was hurriedly equipped with additional, second-hand collapsible lifeboats following her return to Britain.<ref name=MC79/> Towards the end of April 1912, as she was about to sail from Southampton to New York, 284 of the ship's [[Fireman (steam engine)|firemen]] went on strike, for fear that the ship's new collapsible lifeboats were not seaworthy.<ref name=Brewster78>{{harvnb|Brewster|Coulter|1998|p=78}}.</ref><ref name=NYT-1912-0425>{{cite news |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/04/25/100531187.pdf |title=Firemen strike; Olympic held |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=25 April 1912 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210106103832/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/04/25/100531187.pdf |access-date=6 January 2021|archive-date=6 January 2021 }}</ref> 100 non-[[trade union|union]] crew were hastily hired from Southampton as replacements, with more being hired from Liverpool.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|p=78}}

The 40 collapsible lifeboats were transferred from troopships and put on ''Olympic'', and many were rotten and would not open. The crewmen, instead, sent a request to the Southampton manager of the White Star Line that the collapsible boats be replaced by wooden lifeboats; the manager replied that this was impossible and that the collapsible boats had been passed as seaworthy by a [[Board of Trade]] inspector. The men were not satisfied and ceased work in protest.<ref name=NYT-1912-0425/>

On 25 April, a deputation of strikers witnessed a test of four of the collapsible boats. One was unseaworthy and the deputation said that it was prepared to recommend the men return to work if the boats were replaced. However, the strikers now objected to the non-union [[strikebreaker]] crew which had come on board, and demanded that they be dismissed, which the White Star Line refused. Fifty-four sailors then left the ship, objecting to the non-union crew who they claimed were unqualified and therefore dangerous, and refused to sail with them. This led to the scheduled sailing being cancelled.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|p=78}}<ref>{{cite news |title=Olympic Strikers Make New Demand |newspaper=The New York Times |date=26 April 1912 |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/04/26/104895871.pdf |access-date=13 June 2018 |archive-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210106103832/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/04/26/104895871.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref>

All 54 sailors were arrested on a charge of mutiny when they went ashore. On 4 May 1912, Portsmouth magistrates found the charges against the [[mutineers]] were proven, but discharged them without imprisonment or fine, due to the special circumstances of the case.<ref>{{cite news |title=Free Olympic Mutineers. |newspaper=The New York Times |date=5 May 1912 |url= https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/05/05/100533250.pdf |access-date=13 June 2018 |archive-date=6 January 2021 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20210106103830/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/05/05/100533250.pdf |url-status=live}}</ref> Fearing that public opinion would be on the side of the strikers, the White Star Line let them return to work and ''Olympic'' sailed on 15 May.{{sfn|Chirnside|2004|p=83}}