UNEMPLOYED WOMEN

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 130, 5 June 1933, Page 10

UNEMPLOYED WOMEN

THE U DAY W€EK v

STATEMENT BY MAYORESS

Interviewed regarding the proposed change to a s|-day week for women at the Women's Unemployment; Bureau, the Mayoress (Mrs. T. C. A. Hislo-p) gave some of the reasons for the step., "Instead of continuing with the present relief work scheme of 2J days of profitless—that is, individually speaking —occupation of the Women's Unemployment Centre," said the Mayoress, "it will from June 5 function as a training school where instruction in all branches of domestic work, sewing, raffia, and toymaking will be given. The new' regime will be entirely beneficial to those concerned.. . "Relief workers at present visit the rooms -three times, daily for -meals, so that no extra expense in .fares,'etc., is entailed. The kitchen has already been operating satisfactorily on the SJ-day basis for the past,nine weeks, and it was .partly from, observations made there that the extension of the scheme was proposed. It was found that' unemployed women were at a disadvantage, having lost the discipline and routine of cvery-day work. They lacked concentration, application, punctuality, etc., and the scheme received further support from a number of mothers, who visited the secretary and confessed that'they were at a loss to know what to do with their daughters, who, in the absence of work, used the bureau as an excuse to leave the home and family duties and to idle away time to their own detriment. "Employers also report innumerable cases where no applications have,been received for situations offering. "The 2J days with a return equal to 17s- 6d per week is obviously unfair to those employed. Many girls in factories are working for, 12s 6d per week, from which they, must provide meals and shelter. , "It has also been found that some parents exploit, the" bureau by employing their daughters as housekeepers, the 2J days' relief work fitting in with their requirements. Such women never seek, work, .and cannot be genuinely termed 'unemployed.' "In view of these circumstances the committee has come to the conclusion that the occupation rather than the relief of unemployed women is of paramount importance, and has instituted the- new working hours in accordance with such a decision. In whatever work these unemployed women may in time be absorbed, they will havo ■ at their command at least one new interest and hobby, learnt during their period of unemployment.. Such at least is the idea of the new training centre. "Special provision is made for older women, who continue on- the • 2j-day basis. This morning 60 girls attended the toymaking, raffiia, , and sewing classes, and appeared happy and contented with the new arrangement."