WATERFRONT WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 31, 5 August 1944, Page 8

WATERFRONT WORK

COMPENSATION CLAIMS An amendment to the Waterfront Control Commission Emergency Regulations, 1940, has been gazetted clarifying the position regarding workers' compensation insurance and common law claims as affacting waterside workers and foremen stevedores employed in connection with the loading or unloading of any ship or the loading, unloading, or storage of any cargo. There has been some doubt as to who is the true employer of waterside workers under the co-operative contracting system, and the interested parties haye been negotiating to clarify the legal issues. At the express wish of shipping companies, the Waterfront Control Commission did not disturb the existing arrangements whereby shipping companies and other employers of waterside labour accepted the full responsibility for workers' compensation insurance and common-law claims.

In view of the liability placed on employers under section 9 of the Workers' .Compensation Amendment Act, 1943, and in order that the existing arrangements whereby shipping companies accept full responsibility for workers' compensation and commonlaw claims are not disturbed, and to ensure that the injured person may know who is responsible for meeting such claims, an amending regulation has been passed. Other amendments have been made to the Commission's regulations covering administrative details. .