Use of Womanpower

Taranaki Daily News, 22 August 1942, Page 2

Use of Womanpower

The inauguration of a major publicity campaign to aid recruiting of women for full-time service in the armed forces dfaws attention to the need for a clearly outlined plan covering the whole question of women's service. At the present time employment of women in the Dominion falls under five headings: (1) Volunteers for full-time service in the armed forces; (2) Volunteers through the Women's War Service Auxiliary organisation for full-time work in industry such as farming; (3) Women registered in age-groups for the purpose of employing them in essential industries; (4) Women who are already in essential industries; (5) Women employed in nonessential industries. In addition to these categories there are women volunteers in various organisations who are trained for work in time of emergency. But the five headings given above are actually an oversimplification of the position because in some cases they actually overlap and in others they are thought to overlap. .t. a ak

In the latter respect an instance is to hand concerning the purpose of the recruiting campaign for women for the armed forces. Numbers of women have identified recruitment for. the armed services with compulsory registration for industrial purposes. In the other respect there is some evidence of confusion between volunteers for service, with the W.W.S.A. and volunteers through that organisation for service with the armed forces. Another aspect of the question which has all the elements of creating muddle is that concerning women now in positions classed as non-essential. In the past many employers have avoided appealing for men and have trained women to do their jobs. Such employers feel that they have a right to be heard before their employees are withdrawn from them. On many grounds the point is a sound one, but primarily because the econoniic structure of the country must be held together by some means. There must be a foundation upon which post-war economy can be built and it is no idle question to ask, what is the value of the legislative guarantees given to servicemen and servicewomen of post-war employment in their pre-enlistment positions if former avenues of employment are closed through lack of manpower? * * * It is true that there is-some protection given to employers in regard to the enlistment of female staff, also in the case of women before they are diverted to essential industries. But the process is cumbersome, it has loopholes and anomalies, and it is far from being clearly understood. For example, it is stated that immediately an employee receives a nQtice of mobilisation for the armed forces, it is open to the employer to Iodge an appeal with the armed forces appeal board in his district. No period has been fixed for the lodging of an appeal but it is stated that, "it must be done several days before the mobilisation date or the woman cannot be advised that her mobilisation is suspended." This provision is vague enough, but there could easily be cases in which the employer had no protection at all because "the onus is on the woman to inform her employer that she is liable for mobilisation." It could arise, therefore, that an employer could receive no notice at all from his employee and thus be deprived of his protective rights. The preliminary examination of a volunteer's status by the district manpower officer would' presumably not provide much protection to an employer in an industry classed non-essential. •fc * *

Another anomalous position that suggests itself is one angle on the current tendency for women in nonessential industries to change their jobs. It might well be that an employer could succeed in an appeal against the mobilisation of a woman for service in the armed forces, but would not have power to prevent her transferring to another job in non-essential industry. 1 It would be possible then for a woman to reach the armed forces by the process of passing from employer to employer until she found one who would not appeal for her. This is admittedly an extreme case and might not arise, but it does, nevertheless, pointedly suggest that where some flaws are so apparent others will show as the fabric of the present set-up is closely examined. All too obviously the position with regard to the employment of women in the Dominion today is one that is based on no more solid organisation than a pious hope that it will sort itself out through the present channels. But the an-

swer to the manpower problem is womanpower, and this must be used without waste for the whole of the requirements of the Dominion. It will not serve either the present or the future if womanpower is used haphazardly and without thought to where the current trend is leading. Granting full and proper appreciation oi the magnificent service that voluntary organisations have rendered, the time has clearly arrived when policy must be formulated and administered by the National Service Department One directive and administrative authority is the only sure channel into which the womanpower of New Zealand can flow to full and effective use.