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Improving Longshore Labor by Decasualizing labor of a port is practical; it has been done many times. Longshoremen and waterfront em- ployers both benefit from decasuali- zation; not at the expense of each other, but from the elimination of wastage, human and material, The only requirement is that both groups co-operate in a port plan of employ- ment, sharing equally in control-of- the-job rather than each struggling for sole control. The objective of the recovery act for longshore labor can only be reached by decasualization. The code provision seems admirably designed to encourage all parties at interest to take the necessary beginning steps toward that objective. The individ- ual port is the natural, practical unit, since labor is necessarily local and stevedoring is concerned almost solely with labor. The kernel of the problem is the “reserve” of labor needed in each port; though all the labor of the port coneerned in handling cargo should be taken into the port plan. The crux of the difficulty is to maintain an adequate reserve yet avoid a surplus. The work of cargo-handling is inher- ently casual as carried on by a single employer, but can be compensated through a port plan. The principle of decasualization places the responsi- bility on the industry to provide a livelihood for the men it needs to do the work efficiently and with reason- able dispatch. D ECASUALIZING the longshore | Limit the Number Eligible The method of carrying out the principle is to limit the intake of men eligible to work a waterfront to the needs of the waterfront and then distribute the available work accord- ing to the needs of the men as well as the requirements of the ship. The approach requires stevedores who are competitors in securing con- tracts to become co-operators in their labor problems which are common, not competitive. Under the recoy- ery act labor may take a share in the program. Experience indicates employers should willingly give la- bor its full share in the program if the largest measure of progress is to be made and to endure. Both sides contribute in full measure but management has the greater respon- sibility. for preventing abuses be- This article is an abstract of a pam- phiet on the Decasualizing of Long- shore Labor and the Seattle Hxuperience, by F. D. Foisie. 32 cause it should have the larger un- derstanding of the problem. Longshoring is regarded by many as an attractive job. It pays well but requires skill, is hard and hazardous. The labor abuses are not inherent in the job and can be remedied. The rewards of decasualization are: — For the longshoremen: A self-respecting craft, with satis- factory condition of work; Steady and good earnings, though irregular hours; Leisure time, heretofore looking for the next job; More time on the job, less in the hospital; A voice on wages and working con- ditions; The opportunity to sit around the table and talk things over with the employers. For the ship: Reasonable and sure turn-around, through a dependable supply of competent men; More economical cargo-handling; Proper stowage, the minimum of accidents, and little or no pil- ferage. For the stevedore: Freedom from strikes (including striking-on-the-job) ; An adequate supply of dependable, competent men; A chance to do his management job rather than to spend his time recruiting and battling cas- ual labor. These rewards are to be had if the industry will but take them. The National Adjustment commission (war labor board for longshoring) at- tempted to decasualize the work and challenged the industry to do so for itself. Not much progress has been made, but the recovery act offers promise of accomplishing it. The ex- perience in the port of Seattle proves it can be done. spent Methods Vary in Detail The method of decasualizing long- shore labor will vary in detail with the several ports because of the yary- ing conditions; but everywhere the essentials have been the same, These are: Central registration, and cen- tral dispatching. Central registration is control of the selection of longshoremen eligible to work in the port vested in a cen- tral body, usually of equal numbers of longshoremen and employers, The purpose is to limit the number of men to the need. This involves MARINE REVIEW—June, 1934 agreement by the individual employ- er to give up, or at least curtail, his freedom to hire at will, and instead to draw upon this eligible group for his labor. Central dispatching is the com- panion policy. It not only furnishes the facts by which is known the number needed but it provides the machinery of distributing available men according to ships’ needs and of spreading available work to provide a living for the men. Orders for men are placed by the several ships and docks in a centrally located hall; the men go or telephone to the hall to be directed as to when and where to work. The telephone and auto- mobile, though not indispensable, are valuable helps to decasualization. Mobility of the men and rapid com- munication help to overcome dis- tance in a large port, and substan- tially reduce the number of men needed, thereby increasing earnings. Hire Only Registered Men Freedom of the employer to hire at will from within the registration is usual; just as under a union agree- ment, where he undertakes to hire only union men, but is free within such limit. There is limited intake, there is to that extent the beginning of decasualization, but further cur- tailment of freedom to hire is nec- essary if the reserve of men in the port are to be provided a living. Un- less there is some plan for spread- ing the work, the usual result will be a minority of the men will get most of the work; the majority will get by though under-employed; and the fringe will have to eke out a pre- carious existence with the aid of charity. Italian Line Sailings The Rex of the Italian line arrived in New York on April 26 from Naples, Genoa, Villefrance and Gibraltar, with a total of 1529 passsengers in her four classes, which is said to be a record passenger list for any transatlantic liner this year up to that time. The REX with her sistership, the ContTE pI SAvorA divided the honors for the largest passenger list and largest total of passengers carried in 1933. On sailing from New York April 28, the Rex had 1530 passengers in four classes which is a record eastbound passenger list for any transatlantic liner up to that time this year. The Roma of the Italian line sailed from pier 97, North river, New York on May 5 with a total of 503 passen- gers. The CONTE pri SAvora sailed from New York at noon on May 12 for Gib- raltar, Naples, Nice and Genoa with 1100 passengers. The Saturna arrived in New York on May 16 from Adriatic and Mediterranean ports. She had 551 passengers on board.