Union Belle

When the first effects of the 1951 waterfront workers' strike ripple through the country, Ellen McCabe - wife, mother, union supporter - is happy with her life in Pukemiro, a coal-mining town in Waikato. Even when her husband's union strikes in support, and making ends meet starts to wear her down, she's still prepared for leaner times... But when Jack Vaughan arrives, something inside her shifts. Jack, a friend of her husband, is a handsome, charismatic war veteran. Suddenly everything changes irrevocably, as the turmoil and divided loyalties amongst the townspeople threaten to tear her apart... This is a story of love, duty and passion during the strike that turned friends into enemies, shattered communities and almost brought New Zealand to its knees.