The Post Office has . recently deserved and received praise for
the enterprise. which has earned profits and. made them available for the benefit of consumers. But it must, not be forgotten that it is a very. large employer of labour, and cannot afford not to be a model employer. Speakers at the annual conference of the Union of Post Offiee Workers had complaints to make—some just, some not so just--7about. conditions of work. There are cases in which the hours Of 'work are too long, notably among the caretaker-operators and certain other. classes. of employees. This matter should be carefully examined, and we have no doubt will be. In regard to mechaniza- tipn, the department owes it to the public to make the utmost use of recent inventions, but care must be taken that no avoidable hardship is caused to the human workers. . There is little to be said in favour of the Union's protest against the policy of increasing the pro- portinn of Women telephonists. Telephony is work for which women 'by voice and temperament are peculiarly fitted. They are; on the whale, more efficient than men. .•
Previous page
