§ MR. NANNETTI (Dublin, College Green)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that the two female telephone operators who were transferred from the National Telephone Company's central office in Dublin to the General Post Office in May, 1897, have since that time received but two increments of salary, and being still without established appointments have no right of pension; and that their work is as important as that in large English towns, where operators, similarly transferred, have received increases of salary, and have therefore been selected for exceptional treatment; and whether, in view of the fact that the salaries of the two operators mentioned are 13s. and 14s. per week respectively, and lower than that received by female telegraphists who entered the service since the date mentioned, and than that of operators who have from time to time assisted them, he will, pending the settlement of the question of pay for telephone operators, at once grant these officers, an increase which shall be retrospective.
§ MR. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAINThe Postmaster General is aware of the position of the two female telephone operators referred to by the hon. Member, but it is not the case that their work is as important as that of operators similarly transferred who have received larger increases of salary. Such larger increases have been granted only to telephone operators—whether in England, Ireland, or Scotland—who are regularly performing supervising duties. As recently stated in this House, the general question of the pay and position of telephone 985 operators is under consideration, and will be settled very shortly. In the meanwhile the Postmaster General cannot deal with the case of the two young women in question apart from the rest of the staff, or make any promise at the present moment regarding their position.