Unemployment

Press, 20 November 1981, Page 12

Unemployment

Sir,—May I suggest that D. Bennett (November 17) read with greater care the letters of S. L. Donaldson (November 5) and myself (November 13). Both offered ideas for careers for some of our unemployed young. — Yours, etc., W. MACINTOSH. November 16, 1981. Sir,—Mrs M. Taylor (November 19) has completely missed the point of my letter. I consider it a fundamental right that women should not be

denied paid, employment by reason of their marital status or gender. She says that she would rather choose to put her energies into training for four young children. Fine. However, other families may like to choose other ways of discharging . their family responsibilities, e.g. husband and wife sharing a job and child minding or wife working and husband looking after children. Under S. L. Donaldson’s remedy for unemployment, “sending married women back to their kitchen sinks,” the right to choose is denied. Also, many married women either do not have children or they have left home. New Zealand needs the skills of all of its people and many married ■women have spent long years in training and have much to offer. For Mrs Taylor’s information I have schoolchildren and have chosen to remain at home. — Yours, etc., HEATHER J. AIM. November 19, 1981. Sir.—S. L. Donaldson will now be aware why no politician will grasp his particular nettle but I agree that if married women not. in need and superannuitants were riot employed there would be plenty of vacancies for school leavers. However, what employer in his right mind will take on juniors with the problems of training and supervision, the difficulty of dismissing unsuitable staff, the prospects of punitive redundancy payments, when he can get mature workers whose conditions of employment are not hedged with restrictions? We need forward-looking employers to take and train juniors so conditions of employment must be such that they are not penalised for so doing. Union leaders and some politicians should think of the unionists of the future and negotiate realistic wage rates to encourage the employment of school leavers and not raise the false cry that the employment of a junior will mean the sacking of a senior.—Yours, etc A. K. HAMILTON. Rangiora. November 18, 1981.