WOMEN AND WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 64, 17 March 1931, Page 13

WOMEN AND WORK

JOBS THEY CANNOT DO

Although women have invaded .almost every trade and profession in Britain in the past few years there are still some jobs which are absolutely closed to them. Because of a law which prohibits them from working during the night, they cannot be railway cn-gine-driveis, construction ■ engineers, power station engineers, or printers. "We are doing what we can to get the law changed," an official of one of the best known societies engaged in the advancement of women's interests said lately. "In nearly every big building job the work goes on day and night, and women are ousted at the beginning. No matter what her qualifications may be, a woman hasn't a chance. The law won't let her compete with men.. ■In the engineering classes in our universities women have been well represented for many years. So far, they are lacking in the years of experience that men have had." The foreman of a big building job in London, when asked what he thought of the possible entry, of women into building construction, said: "Why shouldn't they? As long as a woman has ,the nerve to walk along girders a hundred feet in the air to see that tho men are doing the job properly, and as long as she knows what is required, why not?"