WOMEN IN OFFICES.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16724, 6 January 1920, Page 5

WOMEN IN OFFICES.

. « MEN COMBINE AGAINST GIRL LABOUR. The cause of the women clerics in Whitehall and the City of London is being championed by the Association of Women Clerks and Secretaries (snys tho "Daily News"). "There is no doubt th&t ill-feeling un- | fortunately exists in offices where exservico men and women workers aro employed." said Miss Dorothy Kvans. secretary of the Association. ' Some ot our members who wcr« transferred ■ from tho I,ondon offices of the Mmistrv of Pensions to local branches at Julmburgh and Cardiff found the attitude of tho men in those offices *-o uniriendlv that they requested to bo reappointed in London. , . __ "Reports havo also veathwl us trom members working in municipal offices in tho province? to the elfec.t that men clerks in some instances are combining with the object of bringing pressure to bear on the authorities to dismiss all the women. I know or no girl who w>sents giving up her position to tho man •who had it before tho war; but the Ctrl •who has to earn her living feels that this want of svmpathy on the nart or the men an 4 tho general public, is unjustified. "Many Government Department's whero women are employed woro not in existence before tho war, and many banks and city offices havo increased their activities sufficiently to give employment to larger staffs than in prowar days. Wo feel that the girls who, fill theso newly-made positions have a right to keep them if their employers are satisfied with their work. "I do not despair of a friendly agreement with the men's unions. In tho case of individual offices, where tlio ■women's vierws have been clearly laid before the men, tho latter have shown a sympathetic attitude. Wo aro hoping to bo able to come to a similar understanding with the Bank Officers' Guild. Ohnce the principle of equal pay is established thero will bo an end of sex jealously in offices." Mr H. Kav, secretary of the London Employers' I'Vderatkm. said that without a doubt some of tlio men's federations and unions were trying to bring pressure to bear on firms to sack all their women employees. "Of course," ho said, "evcrc firm must make room for the male employees who are nowreleased from tho Army. But the women must not be scrapped regardless of their merit or of the valuable work they did during the -war. "The men have right ou their side ii* demanding work, but tho women's case roust be analvsed. I have no sympathy "with the girls who work tor a hobby, but efforts must bo made to find em,ploymont for tho women who are obliged to -work. Industry, when it is onco again in full swing, should be able to absorb all the workers of both sexes. Somo heads of firms tell mo they havn .women who work better than tho men they previously employed: others say they havo found that they require threo women to do the work of two men."