§ MR. BAUMANN (Camberwell, Peckham)asked the Postmaster General, Whether the female clerks employed in the Clearing House Branch of the Office of the Receiver and Accountant General of the Post Office are frequently kept at work till seven P.M. and later, both on week-days and on the Saturday half-holidays, although their official hours are from ten till four on week-days, and from ten till one on Saturdays; whether it is true that, although this overtime work is nominally optional, the female clerks are not allowed to leave at their regular hours, and are led to believe that any refusal to do this extra work will be detrimental to their chances of promotion; whether it is true that, since October last, several female clerks in the Clearing House Branch have applied for sick leave; and, whether, if these things are the case, he will take steps to prevent the overworking of the women in question?
§ THE POSTMASTER GENERAL (Mr. RAIKES) (Cambridge University)In reply to the hon. Member I have to state that, owing to the rapid increase in the number of telegrams, the work of the Clearing House Branch has been greatly augmented, and a considerable amount of overtime work is unavoidably imposed upon the staff until the arrangements for affording relief can be completed. The subject is one of considerable difficulty, as, although the employment of 82 extra clerks has been authorized since the reduction of the telegraph rate, the accommodation only admits of the employment of 62; and steps are being taken as speedily as possible to obtain new premises. I find that out of a staff of over 150 the number detained on extra duty up to 7 P.M. last week averaged four per day for the first four days; but 43 stopped on duty on Friday in order not to interfere with the Saturday half-holiday. The additional clerks already appointed are daily becoming more efficient, and are reducing the overtime work. Every effort is being made, by rotation of duty, to make the work as light as possible to individuals. It would be impossible to exempt the 560 female staff from the obligation to perform extra duty in times of emergency altogether without striking a very serious blow at the employment of female labour in the Post Office. The Returns of sick absences in this branch do not show any exceptional increase since October; and although there are two or three cases of prolonged absence these cannot well be attributed to pressure of business consequent on the reduced rate, as the absences date from a time preceding the pressure.