CLAIM OF WOMEN UNEMPLOYED

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21861, 14 August 1936, Page 12

CLAIM OF WOMEN UNEMPLOYED

SUSTENANCE PAYMENTS SUGGESTED MANY TOO FRAIL FOR ORDINARY WORK The claims of elderly unemployed women for a sustenance allowance from the unemployment funds when they were no longer able to compete « in the labour market were urged yesterday by Miss F. L. Cooper, who has had a long association with the relief of unemployment among women as honorary secretary of the Christchurch Women’s Unemployment Committee. Miss Cooper was supported by Cardale, a member of the executive, and both claimed that women’s contributions to the unemployment funds through wages tax justified better provision being made for them.

Some of the older women were definitely not employable, said M’u Cooper. They were willing enough, but because of their age or frailty were unable to compete in the labour market.

The provision of sustenance for these v omen would be a good thing Something was needed to carry them ever the period when they were getfng too frail to do a proper day’s work until they became eligible for the old-age pension. The women who came under this category were thoroughly deserving, the important fact about them being that they were tin? able to stand up to continuous weak. When they had no relations or re-' sources to fall back on their plight could be very serious. Case Put to Minister Representations had been made bv the committee to the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) about the need for special provision for these 1 women. The Minister claimed that the invalidity pensions planned by the Government would’ cover them. Miss Cooper thought; however, that when these pensions were put into force it would be found that there were so many claimants that the payments would have to be limited to actual invalids. That would mean the exclusion of these women from benefits, because an essential fact about them was that they were' not invalids, but merely reaching an age and a state of health where they, could not satisfy the demands of continuous employment Unemployed women should be to obtain more benefits from the unemployment funds. Miss Cooper added. Women had contributed a very large amount to those funds through toe payment of the unemployment tax on their wages, and the feet that they were exempt from the separate levy of £1 a year meant very little. Taking wages tax and annual levy- together a woman receiving £3 a week paid the ■unemployment fund only onesixth less than a man on the same, wage. On that basis a great. more should be done for unemployed women, and the provision of sustenance for deserving cases among J&e older women was one of the things that most needed attention. Same Bights as Men That unemployed women should have the right to receive sustenance ‘ in the feme way as men did was view expressed by Miss Many of toe older women unemployed were incapable of going to service and working, and there was certainly' 5 , need to provide for them until they became eligible for the old age pension.

Some of these women throughout the country were of pension age, hut could not receive it because they hajJT not yet lived in the douaby lo*u£. enough to- comply with qualification: While they were in ployment they had contributed theit share to the fund in taxation.