Cardiff academic helps develop port relations
A Cardiff University management expert is helping to improve and develop labour relations in major ports around the world. Peter Turnbull, professor of Human Resources at Cardiff Business School, has written a new publication for the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Social Dialogue in the process of structural adjustment and private sector participation in ports: a practical guidance manual, which aims to provide guidelines for the port industry during a time of rapid change.
Professor Turnbull says: “The world’s ports are experiencing major changes, whether it’s a privatisation scheme to bring in much needed investment or new work practices to increase flexibility and efficiency. However, many ports lack the appropriate mechanisms to involve the relevant parties in the process of change.
“This manual will guide senior managers, government officials and worker representatives in the industry through that process, illustrating how they can achieve successful outcomes for all parties via social dialogue: information sharing, consultation and negotiation, ” he adds.
Professor Turnbull has also written a training programme to support the guidance manual. The first of a succession of training programmes for representatives of the port industry will be held at the ILO’s training centre in Turin in July 2006.
“Until now, there has been no framework in the industry to support and negotiate the changes that are taking place.
We hope that the training programme will encourage people to go back to their countries and develop good practice in port labour relations, ” says Turnbull.
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