Working Class history in the UK. Rare footage of early 1970s labour and trade union movement struggle turning over the establishment but not winning the global class war. Of its day with parallels with today and lessons to be learned?
1989: Dockers' 'jobs for life' scrapped
Chaos in Britain's ports is looming after the government announced it is to abolish legislation which, in effect, guarantees work for more than 9,000 dockers.
Employment Secretary Norman Fowler told MPs the National Dock Labour Scheme (NDLS) had become "a total anachronism" which stood in the way of a modern and efficient ports' industry.
Mr Fowler said an abolition bill would be presented before the House of Commons tomorrow.
Employers at the 60 British ports covered by the NDLS have long complained they are losing business to other ports in the UK and Europe because of the restrictions it imposes.
Introduced by a Labour government in 1947, the scheme was intended to end the scourge of casual labour by giving dockers the legal right to minimum work, holidays, sick pay and pensions.
A National Dock Labour Board was set up consisting of 50% union and 50% employer representatives.
It gives the unions an absolute veto over dismissal and total control over recruitment.
'Wilful sabotage'
Registered dockers laid off by any of the 150 firms bound by the scheme have to be taken on by another or be paid £25,000, meaning they virtually have a "job for life".
In the wake of Mr Fowler's announcement a ballot of the 9,400 registered dockers for industrial action is expected to be held soon but early reaction does not bode well.
Dock workers at the Port of London staged an unofficial half-day strike on Thursday and there was also unofficial action at ports in Bristol and Glasgow.
Labour has accused the government of "wilful sabotage" which will plunge the docks into strikes.
But Mr Fowler said there would be generous compensation of up to £35,000 for men laid off as a result of the scrapping of the scheme.
He had also received assurances from the port employers that there would be no return to using mass casual labour, Mr Fowler said.
By the time Mrs Thatcher's government squared up to the dockers' unions, it had already broken the miners' and printers' unions after they took strike action.
However, many later argued that if the main dockers' union, the TGWU, had balloted for strike action sooner they may have been more successful.
By the time the dockers came out on strike in July the NDLS had already been abolished.
It meant port employers could once again use casual labour, lessening the impact of the dockers' action.
In August most dockers voted to return to work.
However, port workers in Liverpool remained on strike culminating in 500 of them being sacked.
It meant port employers could once again use casual labour, lessening the impact of the dockers' action.
By the time Mrs Thatcher's government squared up to the dockers' unions, it had already broken the miners' and printers' unions after they took strike action.
However, many later argued that if the main dockers' union, the TGWU, had balloted for strike action sooner they may have been more successful.
By the time the dockers came out on strike in July the NDLS had already been abolished.
It meant port employers could once again use casual labour, lessening the impact of the dockers' action.
In August most dockers voted to return to work.
However, port workers in Liverpool remained on strike culminating in 500 of them being sacked.
It meant port employers could once again use casual labour, lessening the impact of the dockers' action.
Interesting article, it was felt that the T&G let their members down. We now call our selves 'Unite' the Union but has our Union become to political and forgotten why we needed Union representation in the first place, to protect the working man from greedy companies. Most top Union leaders have fallen into the trap of forgetting what it is like to be at the coal face and working 12hr shifts, day, night and weekends. Lets get back to basics and forget the politics and start representing the workers. Stop using the laws of the land as an excuse, these laws do not stop local branches from being organised and committed to their members.
ReplyDeleteShould our union leaders / shop stewards / officials get back on the shop floor every now and again to see what is going on with the front line workers ??? Seems to be a good basis for a debate
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