EXCHANGE STAFF

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31115, 19 July 1966, Page 12

EXCHANGE STAFF

‘Conditions Are Satisfactory 9 The staff committee at the Christchurch telephone exchange was quite happy with the arrangements made on behalf of telephone operators, the Chief Postmaster (Mr M. E. Wilson) said yesterday. Mr Wilson was commenting on a report published in a Wellington newspaper about conditions at the Christchurch exchange. The report claimed that 100 operators had left the staff during the last year mainly because of the conditions. The report also claimed that girls were given a 20-minute lunch break asd five minutes for a tea break. For each shift of 40 operators there were only two toilets available nearby. Mr Wilson agreed there had been a considerable turn-over of staff during the last 15 months. “But during the last three months, this has dropped off considerably,” he said. The staff turn-over on telephone exchange shift work was influenced by the number of girls who left to get married, went on overseas trips, were transferred at their own request or whose services were terminated because they were unsatisfactory. Referring to tea and lunch breaks, Mr Wilson said the staff on the exchange preferred a short lunch break which meant that they spent only six hours and a half on duty. Those who worked on the six hours and a half shift also received a five-minute break, which was not classified as a tea break. Mr Wilson said the girls were entitled to take, without question, any breaks for their own personal comfort.

He said the maximum staff on duty at any one time in the exchange was 60 and four toilets were available. This was more than the number required by Health Department regulations.

The total staff on the telephone exchange is 160. There is a waiting list of 55 girls for positions on the staff.