Women
are to be given permanent employment beyond the end of the war, though
Hull’s Labour councillors claim women tram conductors will suffer
‘mentally and morally’
The railway managers have now given women a fair trial in the railway
service, and have come to the conclusion that their experience during
the last few months justifies the employment of women not only as a war
emergency measure but as part of the permanent system of working the
railways.
It is proposed to begin at once the employment of some thousands of
women on the railways, and at the end of the war these women will be
retained in the service except to the limited extent that it may be
necessary to discharge some to permit of the reinstatement of former
employees who enlisted in the army or navy.
The following are the branches of work in which women are to be employed:-
Ticket collecting.- At all stations except where the character of the
traffic makes it desirable that men only should be employed.
Booking Clerks.- Women
will be employed in increasing numbers as booking clerks save for
offices dealing with complicated bookings or requiring an unusually long
spell of standing.
On the Tubes.- With the exception of driving women can be employed in
almost any capacity on the London tube railways, but for dealing with
emergencies it will be necessary to retain the services of a high
proportion of male employees.
Porters.- The duties of light porters can be performed by women, and a
limited number will be engaged in this capacity all over the country.
Clerical Work.- With the disappearance of competition among the
companies one of the strongest objections to the employment of women
railway clerks goes, and they will be employed to a greater extent in
future.
Women as tram conductors: medical arguments against the practice
The Hull City Council yesterday adopted a recommendation of the Tramways Committee to employ women as tram conductors at the same rate of wages as men, if suitable men were not available.
The proposal was strongly opposed by Labour members, who said they
were not satisfied that the Tramways Committee had made an effort to
obtain male labour.
Dr. Webster said that while they accepted the doctrine that women
should have equality with men politically, socially and industrially,
there were psychological and physiological reasons which barred women
from certain kinds of employment. No more trying occupation for women
could be suggested than that of running up and down stairs winter and
summer amongst crowds of people.
These women would be debarred from the marriage market, and the
increase of population so absolutely necessary now would be curtailed.
They desired womenly women, but these women must suffer mentally and
morally in this occupation. He read a letter from a Manchester medical
man fully agreeing with his statements, and condemning the employment of
women as railway clerks and tram conductors.
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