PAY OF WOMEN CLERKS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXV, Issue 31, 6 February 1913, Page 9

PAY OF WOMEN CLERKS

EFFECT OF MELBOURNE AWARD. Commercial women in Sydney mny profit by the example of the Melbourne pioneers in the cause of obtaining better pay for Women' clerks, and equal pay for equal work (telegraphed the Melbourne correspondent of the Sun last week). The consternation that prevailed in commercial houses when the award of the Wages Board for stenographers and clerks was made known is dying down. It was stated that most of the women engaged in clerical work Would be dismissed, and that there would be piteous scenes when the ex-employees endeavoured to find other positions. As a matter of fact, very few girls have lost their employment, although many have been sacked temporarily. The Typists' Association and the Clerks' Union urged clerks and stenographers to join their numbers bofore the fatal day when all those engaged in clerical work had to be paid 48s per week of 48 hours, and all typists and stenographer* 45s per week of 42jr hours. Girls who had had position* ac typists announced that they had had notice to leave, as their employers could not pay them the standard wages. Women who were doing bookkeeping were told that their services would be dispensed with from that date, and men would be obtained to do their work. For a week or so after the publication Of the award there was great unrest amongst the employees of commercial houses. But then things quietened down. The staffs did more work and did it mote quickly, and gradually, after some grumbling, the excitement died away. It was then that the employers who had decided that they would do their own books at night, and in their spare time, found that they had less spare time, and that they began to get behind with their work. _ The girls who had been dispensed with in order that men might do the stenft graphy which had previously been their business were, in many cases, requested to cpme into the offices at the wages fixed by the. board, because there are not very many male stenographers in the city, and certainly not enough . to fill all the positions that were vacant. Miss Muleahy, the organiser of several minor unions, and now connected with the huge Women Workers' Union, speaks quite cheerfully on the subject. "Things will right themselves in time." she says. "The work has got to be done, and when the employers find that the decreased staffs cannot cope with it, well, then the other employees will be taken back. I noticed yesterday that a girl cashier in a city shop w/io had boon dismissed when the Wages Board award came out had been reinstated. They tried several youths in her place, but they were not a success. "A good many typists have been put out, but some of them have g6t other positions. Some of the employers tried sending their work to an agency, but they soon discovered that it was very expensive, and then they thought it would bo as well to pay the standard rates. Quite a number of the girte have taken offices, and do piecework, as they find it pays them better. But when the employers begin to total it up they will find agency work is very expensive. "One gratifying instance of the result of the Wages Board is the number of new membera coming to the union. Although our last meeting occurred in the midst of the holidays, there was a larger attendance, and more nominations for new members, than there ha« been since it commenced.'' This last statement sounds ac though the women workers were at last waking up to a sense of their own importance, and if they do co they will be a factor to be counted with. The percentage of women workers in all branches of life is very high, and a strike amongst them would pretty well paralyse many trades, at teaet for some time, and much may be done in a short time, especially in the business world. It is the opinion of most stenographers that file increased rate of pay is a bleesing, bocauee it weeds out the incompetents and the girls who work only to «ke out allowances. Stenography is work that requires concentration of mind, and also a better education than that of the ordinary State school, and the better remuneration" will help to lift it out of the low position it has occupied, and place it amongst the professtone.

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