The Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948
The Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948
The Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act, 1948 has been enacted to provide for regulating the employment of Dock workers and their welfare. A Dock worker is a person employed in or in the vicinity of any port on work in connection with loading, unloading, movement or storage of cargoes or work in connection with the preparation of ships or other vessels for the receipt or discharge of cargoes or leaving port.
The Act envisages that provisions may be made by initiating schemes for the registration of dock workers with a view to ensuring greater regularity of employment and for regulating the employment of dock workers, whether registered or not. Schemes may be formulated for the following purposes:
For defining the obligations of dock workers and employers subject to the fulfillment of which the scheme may apply to them and the circumstances in which the scheme shall cease to apply to any dock worker.
For regulating the recruitment and entry into the scheme of dock workers and the registration of dock workers and employers including the maintenance of registers, the removal of names from the registers and the imposition of fees for registration
For regulating the employment of dock workers, whether registered or not and the terms and conditions of such employment including rates of remuneration, hours of work and conditions as to holidays and pay in respect thereof
For securing a minimum pay to the dock workers who are governed by the scheme in respect of periods in which employment or full employment is not available.
For prohibiting, restricting or otherwise controlling the employment of dock workers to whom the scheme does not apply and the employment of dock workers by employers to whom the scheme does not apply.
For providing punishments in case of violation of any provision of the scheme.
The Act provides for the constitution of a Dock Labour Board for a port or group of ports to be known by such name as may be specified by notification. Every such Board shall be a body corporate having perpetual succession and a common seal with power to acquire, hold and dispose of property and to contract and may by the name sue and be sued. Every such Board shall consist of a Chairman and such number of other members as may be appointed by the government.
