19세기 말 런던 부두노동자의 임시노동 실태

Abstract

Dock labor mainly occurs when ships come in or out of a dock and it is significantly affected by the weather and the change of seasons. According to the kinds of loads handling in the dock, the work processes of the dock were definitely divided into peak seasons and off seasons. Also the employment of London docks was directly influenced by weather that changes several times a day. Dock labor itself is irregular work, however, skilled laborers amongst dock laborers belonged to regular laborers and could maintain employment security. Therefore dock foreman requested those laborers bribes and treats with the excuse for employment. These contradictory condition was customary practice in the dock. Thus, dock laborers displayed conflict and antagonism in order to get employment. The wages of London dockers were different according to time and docks and the wage difference between skilled and unskilled laborers was significant. Both contract system and direct employment by dock company in London docks, the wage of casual, unskilled laborers were poorly paid. During the late nineteenth century the wages of casual, unskilled laborers improved, which led to increase of workload, so their real standard of living didn’t get better. Their wages were lower than the minimum cost of living. As long as typical employment form of London docks where casual labor is generally needed did not change, poor condition of dock laborers and conflict between them for employment could not be solved. When the time of employment insecurity comes, it was irregular, casual laborers who were hit hard very first. People who had the right to employ laborers disrupted Unions using employment as bait and forced low paying job. Therefore wage and working day disparities between dock laborers made minority, regular, skilled laborer as privileged group even though they were all the same laborers. Irregular, casual laborers under the circumstances felt relative poverty and deprivation and at the same time they were under absolute poverty.