CAB129-35 — Page 333

Page 333 FUNCTIONS AND RELATIONS OF THE ORGANISATIONS CONCERNED WITH THE OPERATION, &C., OF THE PORTS

The organisations concerned with the operation, &c., of a port are many and diverse in character. A brief summary of their functions is given below.

A-The Port Authority

In most cases the port authority is a statutory body, but whether statutory or not the authority's main function is the provision and maintenance of the docks, quays, locks, sheds, warehouses and cranes and certain other equipment for the loading or discharge of goods. They receive their funds from the dues which are raised on the ships and cargoes making use of the ports.

B.-National Dock Labour Board

A statutory body which is the "legal employer" of some 75,000 registered port transport workers in the most important ports of Great Britain. The port transport workers, usually known as dock workers, are engaged by the master stevedores or master porters, who obtain their labour from the National Dock Labour Board, for the loading and discharging of ships, and the movement or storage of cargoes within the dock estate. The Board obtains its funds by raising a levy on the stevedoring employers.

C.-The National Association of Port Employers

An association of stevedoring employers. The employers range in size from the Manchester Ship Canal Company to one-man firms. All stevedoring work in Manchester is performed by the Canal Company, whilst in London there are about 800 employers.

D-The National Joint Council for the Port Transport Industry

A Council composed of representatives of the stevedoring employers and the Trade Unions in which the dock workers are organised. The Council deals with matters of national importance to the industry, and provides the industrial machinery for the negotiation of rates of pay and conditions of employment, including hours of work, holidays with pay, &c. There are local Joint Committees in the individual ports.

E.—Trade Unions

The dock workers are organised in several trade unions, of which the largest is the Transport and General Workers' Union. Negotiations between the Unions and the Employers are carried out without the intervention of any other organisa- tion which may be interested in the operation of a port.

F-Shipowners

The shipowners themselves have their own organisations, such as the Chamber of Shipping and the Liverpool Steamship Owners' Association. Shipowners are not responsible in any way for the operations of a port, but merely use the ports as a means of unloading and loading cargoes. They are sometimes engaged in stevedoring work.

G.-Appeal Tribunals

Where a registered dock worker available for work fails to comply with any of the provisions of the scheme, the Local Dock Labour Board may

(a) determine that for such period as it thinks proper he shall not be

entitled to any payment of attendance money;

(b) suspend him without pay for a period not exceeding seven days; (c) give him seven days' notice of termination of employment, or (d) dismiss him summarily.

If aggrieved by the decision of the Board, the docker has a right of appeal to an appeal tribunal. The tribunal is appointed by the Local Dock Labour Board on the nomination of the Port Joint Committee and usually consists of an employer, a dopkers' representative and an independent chairman 3Theoflegion of the tribunal is given by a majority vote.

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