Labour/management relations in North American ports

Labour/management practices in North American ports are undergoing fundamental changes in their shift from confrontation to Cooperation. Cooperation is increasing to counter competitive threats from other ports arising from intermodalism and transportation deregulation. Technological advances in port operations are reducing the number of longshore forces required and changing the skills required of those which remain. A recent survey of North American container terminals provided a 'snapshot' of current approaches of improving labour/management relations. Focusing on growth and development needs of individual port workers enhances morale and motivation resulting in environment. Many ports are introducing new management techniques including improved communications and training to enhance the motivation and productivity of their longshore forces.     

Organizational change for port authorities: a social information processing analysis

Port authorities, like other organizations, have been constantly required to evolve in response to business, environmental, and technical changes since the 1980s to continue improving their competitiveness and performance. However, people often resist change due to various reasons, and the uncertainty of change has been pointed out as one of the most important reasons why this happens. This study contributes to social information processing (SIP) research and constructs an SIP model to explore employee’s response to port organizational reform in Taiwan. Empirical results are consistent with general job schema, where employees with job security orientation are less supportive of port corporatization, and those with corporate development orientation are more supportive of port organizational reform. Organizational trust and job conception are related to port workers’ attitude to port corporatization. Nevertheless, organizational communication does not positively moderate the relationship between job schema and employee attitude to port organizational change.     

Labour relations and the transfer of the Panama Canal[1]

The international maritime community is concerned about Panama's preparedness to undertake the responsibility of what many consider to be the world's greatest maritime asset, the Panama Canal. In accordance with treaty provisions, the longer within the dominion of the U.S. government and its attendant regulatory framework and policies. To a great extent, Panama's efforts to prepare for the transfer thus far have been driven by its objective of a seamless transfer, whereby the status quo (meaning the Canal's existing institutional and organizational framework and attendant policies and procedures) would be preserved as much as possible. This would assure the maritime community that it can expect the same service and cost standards traditionally enjoyed under the Panama Canal Commission's stewardship. Still of great concern, however, is the continued reliability and productivity of the Canal's labour force; the Canal's reliability and efficient performance in the past is often attributed to its history of harmonious labour management relations. This article addresses some of the critical labour relations issues that will need to be considered even if Panama's status quo objective for the transfer is achieved.     

The British port transport industry Part 1. Operational structure, investment and competition

Abolition of the National Dock labour Scheme in July 1989 has intensified competition in Britian's ports and allowed the major port authorities and other port operators to restructure their operations and develop new investment plans. But the result has been to add to excess capacity in the industry and to porduce a 'zero-sum' process of traffic redistribution between Britain's driven largely by customer demands for lower charges.     

Sea-going labour and Greek owned fleet: a major aspect of fleet competitiveness

This analysis aims to examine the current picture of maritime manpower in the Greek registered and owned fleet, as it has been formed during the post-war years. This objective entails the analysis of the current supply and demand for seafarers, the estimation of any shortfalls and their confrontation. Moreover, this study further investigates the contributory factors of the present employment trends, which simultaneously constitute special problems of the sea manpower of the Greek owned fleet and attempt some recommendations. In the context of the above mentioned objective, this analysis emphasizes issues such as recruitment, marine education and wastage. Furthermore, special consideration is given to the significance of labour costs for the development of the Greek owned fleet, particularly to subjects such as the various ways of reducing manning costs and their repercussions on the employment of Greek seamen. Finally, this analysis examines the trends of the state shipping policy concerning labour issues and proceeds to some recommendations.     

Sea-going labour and Greek owned fleet: a major aspect of fleet competitiveness

This analysis aims to examine the current picture of maritime manpower in the Greek registered and owned fleet, as it has been formed during the post-war years. This objective entails the analysis of the current supply and demand for seafarers, the estimation of any shortfalls and their confrontation. Moreover, this study further investigates the contributory factors of the present employment trends, which simultaneously constitute special problems of the sea manpower of the Greek owned fleet and attempt some recommendations. In the context of the above mentioned objective, this analysis emphasizes issues such as recruitment, marine education and wastage. Furthermore, special consideration is given to the significance of labour costs for the development of the Greek owned fleet, particularly to subjects such as the various ways of reducing manning costs and their repercussions on the employment of Greek seamen. Finally, this analysis examines the trends of the state shipping policy concerning labour issues and proceeds to some recommendations.     

The mid-Atlantic load centre: Baltimore or Hampton Roads?

Competition between closely situated seaports in not new. The ports of Baltimore and Hampton Roads, located at either end of Cheaspeake Bay, have been locked in a fierece battle to gain dominance in the lucrtice mid-Atlantic container traffic for a number of years. The probability that ech will succeed is not great, as shipping lines, concerned with the high costs associated with idle port time, will select one,rther thatn serve both. Indeed, evidence is beginning to mount that, dispite massive expenditures by the Stte or Maryland, the Virginia ports a reemerging as the region' load centre. This paper examines recent trends in container movements through these two major ports and suggests the long-termprospects for each. among measures considered are the location of eachi in relation to other ports both North and South, sizes of the port cities and their immediately adjacent hinterlands, proximity to inland population centres (markets), connectivity between the ports and these inland centres (by both rail and truck), expenditures by port agencies and land crries, labour relations, and availabillity of space for expansion.     

Accessing the global seafaring labour market

As a global labour market exists for international shipping, a challenging issue facing this industry is to get access to reliable, accurate and timely information of seafarers’ demand and supply. Related to the deregulation environment and great variety in the availability and quality of relevant information, an enquiry into the global seafaring labour market is more complex than a national labour force survey. To cope with the challenge, a novel approach has been developed by the Seafarers International Research Centre (SIRC) at Cardiff University. Viewing capital (ship), labour (seafarers) and services (cargo or passengers) as interconnected and interwoven to each other, it collects and analyses crew lists from main ports world-wide, resulting in the creation of the first global seafarers database. The purpose of this paper is explain its methodological principles, and to illustrate its application potential. Taking the cruise sector as an example, research findings and methodological implications are highlighted.     

The impact of a port on its local economy: the case of Plymouth

It has been suggested in two potentially influential documents that the development of ports could be an important tool of regional economic growth in areas such as South West England. This proposition is analysed in this article by detailed examination of the case of Plymouth, one of the areas in the region for which port development has been mooted. It is concluded that the Plymouth evidence suggests that it is easy to exaggerate the existing and potential role of ports in the regional development process. Ports are not big employers of labour and are no longer the inter-related industrial complexes that they once were. In most cases, therefore, they serve industry in areas distant from their own.     

Is the West doomed to lose its maritime-related industries?

The continuous decline of maritime-related industries, i.e. shipping, shipbuilding and metallurgy in Europe has been accomplished in the same period as their growth in Asia, especially in the newly industrialized countries (NICS). European public policies have been impaired by feelings of a fateful trend in the new international division of labour, based upon economic theory. At least two of those theories, viz. the theory of difference between absolute cost and the theory of comparative advantage are not confirmed by statistical analysis. Sociological factors are more relevant in explaining this trend. Present public policies may therefore be questioned.     

Some aspects of cruise ships

Historically there have been only two groups involved in the conflict that has engulfed the US maritime industry for the past fifty years maritime labour unions and shipping companies. The configuration of these groups at different times in this struggle, has led to distinct periods of conflict in the industry. This paper analyses the basis and continuation of the problem.     

Conflict in the US maritime industry: An account of historical cycles

Historically there have been only two groups involved in the conflict that has engulfed the US maritime industry for the past fifty years maritime labour unions and shipping companies. The configuration of these groups at different times in this struggle, has led to distinct periods of conflict in the industry. This paper analyses the basis and continuation of the problem.     

The Philadelphia story: 1975

Fishneck, a small and isolated fishing community in the Chesapeake Bay area, has been characterized by low education levels, few suprafamilial organizations, and little participation in institutions outside the community. Community members have resisted proletarianization through barter, exchange, supplemental wage labour, fill-in work, and family mutual aid.

These patterns are changing as contact increases with the wider society. Leisure is identified as the strongest pull toward participation. Results of greater contact include a more positive image to outsiders, a sharpened sense of community and community boundaries, and greater participation in the educational, economic, and political arenas. Whether this community changes toward a small-town fishing hamlet depends first on moving from clan-based to community-based internal organization.     

De-isolation in the backwater

Fishneck, a small and isolated fishing community in the Chesapeake Bay area, has been characterized by low education levels, few suprafamilial organizations, and little participation in institutions outside the community. Community members have resisted proletarianization through barter, exchange, supplemental wage labour, fill-in work, and family mutual aid.

These patterns are changing as contact increases with the wider society. Leisure is identified as the strongest pull toward participation. Results of greater contact include a more positive image to outsiders, a sharpened sense of community and community boundaries, and greater participation in the educational, economic, and political arenas. Whether this community changes toward a small-town fishing hamlet depends first on moving from clan-based to community-based internal organization.     

The Port of Baltimore: off the beaten track?

The Port of Baltimore has recently experienced alarming traffic trends. Most measures of port vitality have been going the wrong way—tonnage, ship calls, market share, steamship service. rail service. Baltimore has been squeezed by external forces and circumstances. Dergulated rail and truck rates have not favoured Baltimore, nor have railroad mergers that have led to rail traffic concentrations at rival seaports. Federal approval of dredging projects has been delaed. Crises in the labour market have created a climate of uncertainty. Global trade patterns and intermodel itineraries have shifted, again, it seems, not to Baltimore'advantage. Baltimore needs new public port policy recommendations. This paper explains some of the problems and offers preliminary suggestions.     

The dynamics of port reform: different contexts,similar strategies

Research into port reform in Taiwan and Australia indicates that reform was undertaken in different contexts while committed and adopting similar strategies. Reform in both countries has been consistent with paradigmatic shifts towards market orientation, and within this context, privatisation was considered the preferred option. In both Taiwan and Australia, however, governments, reluctant to relinquish control over their ports, opted for corporatisation models. This article discusses the dynamics and drivers of reform and examines the outcome of these strategies. Both countries commenced port reform with deregulation of dock labour employment and introduced enterprise-based employment replacing the labour pool system. Privatisation of stevedoring operations was introduced at the same time in Taiwan. In the second reform phase, Taiwan amalgamated the four major commercial ports under a single state-owned port company in March 2012, with the objective of reducing inter-port competition and creating a central port planning mechanism. Australian ports, on the other hand, have undergone restructuring with the implementation of corporatisation, privatisation and commercialisation strategies since 1990s. Reform strategies in both countries display some similarities, e.g. rationalisation strategies in both Taiwan and Tasmanian ports, but also display some distinct dissimilarities with the increasing move to privatisation in Australia, e.g. the sale of South Australian ports and in 2010 the sale of the port of Brisbane.     

Transformations and continuities of issues related to Chinese participation in the global seafarers’ labour market

Since the 1990s, Chinese seafarers have become a force to be reckoned with in the global seafarer labour market, particularly against the backdrop of the manning crisis. Compared with other groups of seafarers dominating the market such as the Filipinos and the Indians, they are commonly associated with perceptions of low cost, poor English skills, different safety/work culture, problems with the International Transport Workers’ Federation, etc. This article identifies transformations and continuities of problems related to Chinese seafarers in the global market in the last two decades or so by reviewing relevant Lloyd’s List reports as well as official documents and previous research. The review shows that Chinese authorities have been taking various initiatives to take advantage of the manning crisis and to expand and promote seafarer education, supply and export, which in general serve to make seafarers better educated and improve their communication skills. Although such initiatives have helped increase seafaring labour export, the success is nevertheless limited by tight government control on recruitment, which makes some foreign managers reluctant to employ Chinese seafarers.     

基于BP神经网络的船舶企业员工综合评价模型

为了保障船舶工业企业内部对其员工的使用管理和评价上的客观性和准确性,提出基于BP神经网络的综合评价方法,在建立了员工评价的指标体系基础上建立了基于BP神经网络的评价模型,将评价员工综合素质的指标值作为模型的输入量,评价结果作为模型输出量,用样本对神经网络进行训练,利用收集的中国船舶工业集团某造船企业管理执行层员工信息,使用MATLAB对模型进行模拟仿真训练,用验证样本对评价模型检测,检测结果是仿真输出与期望输入基本一致,说明网络合理,评价模型能够较好对船舶企业员工的综合素质进行评价.     

Competition in ship handling: a study of market turbulence in North European harbour towage

This paper addresses the issues of an increasingly competitive towage industry in Northern European ports. Enhanced competitiveness reflects the trends in the global mobility of capital, labour, enterprise and management within the context of deregulated port markets. Up until the early 1990s, the long term trend in major North European ports had been towards market concentration. Many small towage firms have been taken-over, bought out or merged. Alternatively, a pattern of consortia has emerged with co-operation and market sharing seen as preferable to ruinous competition. A contrasting trend has occurred in the 1990s, with new entrants into hitherto stable markets. In a number of ports Antwerp, Rotterdam, Bremerhaven, Hamburg, Southampton, Thamesport, Bristol Channel new fleets have brought competitive challenge to the incumbent towage fleets. The process of enhanced competitiveness raises questions of safety, reliability, investment and professionalism. The movement towards an openly competitive shipping industry has been in evidence from the 1960s onwards. The momentum of a dynamic shipping industry, with its competitiveness sharpened by the use of global supply factors, has intensified from that period. The movement in European tonnage towards flags of convenience and global labour supplies began in the tanker and bulk carrier markets; more recently this has spread to deep sea liner, short sea and even cabotage trade shipping. The towage industry is the last North European shipping sector to make this transition, following the trends towards port deregulation in the 1990s. From this perspective, this paper considers the impact on the towage market of global mobility and deregulation in North European towage markets the impact of increased competition on the traditional operators and the likely effect on operational towage standards.