§ 43. Mr. VIANTasked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the staff at Telephone House, Belfast, have been subjected to what they term overwork in the form of systematic overtime which has been the practice for a considerable time past; and will he issue orders that such a policy must cease and thereby give employment to a number who would otherwise be unemployed?
§ Major TRYONThere has been heavy pressure on the clerical staff at Telephone House, Belfast, for some time past, due in the main to the conversion of the Belfast telephone service to automatic working. The situation was rendered more difficult on the engineering side by the urgent necessity for repairing the extensive damage to plant caused by the heavy gales which were experienced early this year in Northern Ireland, and on the commercial side by an alteration in the method of dealing with subscribers' accounts. Such help as is possible has been given and increases in the establishment have been authorised, with the result that there has been within the last few months a steady reduction of overtime. I hope that that reduction will become more marked as the newly recruited staff gain in experience.
§ Major TRYONThe position now is very much better than it was a year ago, and I am glad to say that at the present moment it shows further signs of improvement.