The National Dock Labour Board (NDLB), which administered the National Dock Labour Scheme, was an administrative board for the operation of

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

docks The word dock () in American English refers to one or a group of human-made structures that are involved in the handling of boats or ships (usually on or near a shore). In British English, the term is not used the same way as in American Engli ...

Creation of National Dock Labour Board

In 1947,

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introduced the "Dock Workers’ (Regulation of Employment) Scheme". The scheme was administered by the National Dock Labour Board, and by local boards, made up of equal numbers of "persons representing dock workers in the port and of persons representing the employers of such dockworkers", the scheme was financed by a levy on the employers. Each local board was responsible for keeping a register of employers and workers, paying wages and attendance money, controlling the hiring of labour, and responsibility for discipline.

Reasons for creation

The scheme was introduced by the Labour

government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a State (polity), state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive (government), execu ...

in response to the Dock Strike of 1945. The

strike Strike may refer to: People *Strike (surname) * Hobart Huson, author of several drug related books Physical confrontation or removal *Strike (attack), attack with an inanimate object or a part of the human body intended to cause harm * Airstrike, ...

was a rank-and-file protest for an increase in basic pay, and was not officially supported by the

Transport and General Workers Union The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU or T&G) was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland—where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union (ATGWU)—with 900,000 members (a ...

. The strikers were condemned as 'unpatriotic' by

Arthur Deakin Arthur Deakin (11 November 1890 – 1 May 1955) was a prominent British trade unionist who was acting general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union from 1940 and then general secretary from 1945 to 1955. Background Arthur ...

, General Secretary of the T&G. The government used troops to keep the ports open, and the strike ended after six weeks when the striking dockers accepted an assurance from the T&G leaders that they would negotiate a 'Docker's Charter' with the government. Under the scheme, dock work was considered a "job for life", with any registered docker laid off by any of the 150 firms associated with the scheme either being guaranteed employment elsewhere or a £25,000 pay off.

Abolition of the National Dock Labour Board

The National Dock Labour Scheme was abolished in 1989 by the

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

government under

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013), was a British stateswoman who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of th ...

. The then Employment Secretary,

Norman Fowler Peter Norman Fowler, Baron Fowler, (born 2 February 1938) is a British politician who served as a member of both Margaret Thatcher and John Major's ministries during the 1980s and 1990s. He held the office of Lord Speaker from 1 September 201 ...

, told MPs the scheme had become 'a total anachronism' that stood in the way of a modern and efficient ports industry. Fowler offered assurances that any docker laid off as a result of the scheme being abolished would be compensated up to the value of £35,000.

Notable members

Notable members of the National Dock Labour Board included Jack Dash.

Sport and recreation

The NDLB introduced a sport and recreation programme for the workers which included a rowing club called the Argosies Rowing Club. The club achieved national success when winning the coxless pairs title at the inaugural 1972 British Rowing Championships.

References

External links

''Registered files relating to the administration of the business of the National Dock Labour Board (NDLB)''
- nationalarchives.gov.uk
''National Dock Labour Board: Photographs 1953-1963''
- nationalarchives.gov.uk *Statistics and circulars relating to all 20 local Docks Labour Boards in ports around Britain are held a
Special Collections and Archives, Cardiff University
* Account of how the board was abolished and why it mattered to the employers and Conservative Government do so
Iain Dale: 27 Years Ago Today the Dock Labour Scheme Was Abolished - And Here's How I Helped It Happen
{{Authority control Labor relations boards Labour relations in the United Kingdom British trade unions history Government agencies established in 1947 1989 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Water transport in the United Kingdom 1947 establishments in the United Kingdom Government agencies disestablished in 1989