TELEPHONE GIRLS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 15, 19 January 1933, Page 12

TELEPHONE GIRLS.

Telephone girls in London in future will work later at night, according to the "News-Chronicle." tjp to now the telephone exchanges have been operated by men after eight o'clock, but, following a recommendation of the Bridgeman Committee on the Post Office, it has been decided that girls must in future share duty with the men until eleven o'clock. The reason given for the change is that women are better operators than men. At the same time, the. girls were informed that "the artificial protection of women must be discontinued."- The Postmaster-General has virtually said to them: "You have been claiming equality for a long time—well, now you can have it. But you must take the rough with the smooth, and do late duty." Thousands of the girls, however, dislike the idea of working later at night, and are protesting. They say .it will mean the end of their social life— and that they will 110 longer be able to go to parties and dances. WL'en will they be able to meet their sweetheart.3'( Many of them will have to wait until midnight and after for their homeward trains, and others will have long and lonely walks 'home in the dark. The men,, as well as the girls, are protesting. They argue that they will lose employment. The Post Office replies that there is no question of dismissing men, but that girls -will replace the men as vacancies occur. Many of the night operators at present are ex-service men. Discussions are taking place between the unions concerned and the Post-master-General.