State Employment of Dock Labour
Drastic measures are to be taken at key ports in the north- western area and later, it is hoped, in the Clydeside area to speed-up the turn-round of work at the docks. To ensure overseas supplies the provision of more ships is not the only necessary measure ; it is also essential to make fuller use of the ships that we have by eliminating delays in loading and unloading, thus enabling each vessel to make more voyages. It is to secure more continuity of work and greater flexibility of labour that the decision has been taken to make the Minister of Transport the employer of all the registered dock workers in Liverpool, Manchester, Preston and other north-western ports. The ports in this area have accepted the scheme. It will give the dockers continuous work, security and good pay; they will be available to turn their hands without delay from one job to another ; with the sound co-operation which has been promised by shipowners, dock authorities and trade unions, it is calculated that there should be a 40 per cent. quicker turn-round, and time wasted by ships in port will be saved. The Greenock men are also ready to come into line, but at Glasgow there has been considerable opposition from the Scottish Transport and General Workers Union, which does not love Mr. Bevin.
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