FACTORY WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 111, 6 November 1941, Page 11

FACTORY WORK

THE RATES OF WAGES

RECENT STATEMENTS

GIRLS IN REPLY

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—May we, as girls working in one of Wellington's;large manufacturing factories, take up some of your space to query the article appearing in a recent issue of "The Post." To a person not -working in the factories it would appear that a young girl of 16 to 18 years is receiving a wage far in excess of that received by many married men with a family to support. In that respect alone your article is misleading. Girls start in our trade as apprentices and are on award wages, which are £1 7s 6d. If they are apt and quick to learn they may go on a bonus, which does not come anywhere near £8 per week; more like £8 a month. If a girl has had a number of years' experience in her job, and is a first-class worker, why shouldn't she be worth some extra money? Eight pounds a week to a 16-year-old may mean a lot of overtime in the evening, Saturday morning work, and maybe Saturday afternoon, all of which is paid for at time-and-a-half and double rates. This type of job is by no means a commonplace, and is the exception rather than the rule. Your representative should visit more places and verify his facts. Regarding the allegation that workers walk out in support of their friends, did your representative study both: sides of the question? We have only to remember some of the employers and their attitude to their employees to realise why some girls adopt that method. However, we personally have no such experience as that. —We are, etc.,

12 FACTORY GIRLS.