EMPLOYMENT ON TRAMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 93, 22 April 1942, Page 3

EMPLOYMENT ON TRAMS

WOMEN CONDUCTORS J WELLINGTON' CONFERENCE = - - < (P.A.' Auckland, April 21. ; On Fridav last representatives oi 1 the Auckland. Wellington, Christ- ( .church, and Dunedin tramways un- ' dertakings met in Wellington to consider the question of the employ- £ ■ ment of women as conductors, said 1 ; the chairman of me Public Pas>en- 1 I ger transport Association of New ( 'Zealand, Mi. J. Sayegh, who is aiso ' J chairman of the Auckland Transport i I Board. 1 i Mr. Sayegh said to-day that sev- | era! oi -ne under:akings, including ■ Auckland, were faced with the im- * I mediate employment of women. The | association’s decision, however, ■ tbai before this step was taken mem- 1 1 bers of the Tramways Union throughout New Zealand should be offered' the opportunity of working a six-dayl 1 'week, the wages of the sixth day to!, be ordinary rates. Mr. Sayegh said all undertakings! : now had the right to work members j !of the union for an additional day!; I weekly, but the order authorsing this! • provided that wages for the additional day should be at time and a- ' half. The extra expense thereby involved was more than the undertakings could economically bear. “The acceptance of the present offer," said Mr. Sayegh, “would mean that as further employees are called for militarv service so will the number of men called upon to work six days increase, while at the same timi the total wages bill of each undertaking will remain the same. If the offer is declined then men wili lose an opportunity of an extra 25s weekly approximately, as most of the undertakings concerned will have no alternative but to employ women im- | mediately.” I. Mr. Sayegh added that as far as he | could see the working of a six-day | week might, mean that women would not be required for some little time. !He also explained that when th? .time came that women were required it was proposed to employ them on a the basis of a five-day week and bccause of increasing dillicuilius no i guarantee could be given that a si.x- -! ■■!■. week for men w’ould be continued ■ .after that date. Mr. Sayegh said that ■ihe matter had been referred to th> I union and the union decision was