Stevedores, also known as longshoremen or dockers, load and unload vessels and are known for their strength and salty language. They played a vital role in the union movement and are typically members of trade unions. The term comes from the Spanish estibador and requires knowledge of ships and port equipment. Union membership is often essential for finding work.
A stevedore is someone who loads and unloads vessels, typically working as a team to ensure the process is smooth and efficient. The people who make this work are iconic figures in many cultures, thanks to their extreme strength and infamously rude mouths; historically they were known to have a fairly salty language, just like sailors. They also played a vital role in the union movement in many parts of the world and stevedores today tend to be members of trade unions, making sure they receive reasonable wages and protection from grueling hours and dangerous conditions.
People have used this term to describe someone who handles the loading and unloading of ships since the 1700s. It comes from the Spanish estibador, which comes from estibar, “to stow,” a word that in turn originates from the Latin stipare, “to pack.” The use of the word undoubtedly spread among sailors, famous for carrying foreign language fragments with them around the world.
In addition to being referred to as stevedores, these dock workers are also known as longshoremen or stevedores, depending on regional preference. “Docker” is especially common in North America and probably comes from “man along the shore,” a very apt description of someone who does this work on a continent where many ships are unloaded off the coast and into small craft to make sure their cargo reached small communities.
Traditionally, stevedores are hired on a day-to-day basis, as needed, although some ports maintain permanent dock staff. Brute strength isn’t the only trait the person possesses, though it’s an important one. In addition to being strong, the individual must also be very familiar with ships, as he must know the best way to stow a wide variety of cargo items. Historically, this was extremely difficult due to the use of multiple packing containers; now that most of the goods go in containers, this part of the job is a little less demanding.
Shippers must also be able to handle port equipment, such as cranes and forklifts, safely and efficiently, and must be very aware of emerging safety issues, including hazardous materials on board ship and around the docks. They are often encouraged to look out for one another on the docks, where conditions can change rapidly, and they have brought this fellowship with them into the tradition of unionisation. Those wishing to join the union as a stevedore must generally exhibit the necessary basic skills before being accepted, and in some ports a person cannot find work without a union card, making membership essential.
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