§ Sir JOHN M'CALLUMasked the President of the Board of Trade why the principle of equal pay for equal work, which was applied to the men and women clerks in the Labour Exchange and Unemployment Insurance service, ceases to be operative when the salary of £105 is reached, male clerks only being allowed to proceed to the maximum under the Board of Trade?
§ Mr. BURNSMy hon. Friend is not quite correct in supposing that the conditions of service of men and women clerks
— 1912. 1913. 1914. Officers. N.C.O.'s and Men. Officers. N.C.O.'s and Men. Officers. N.C.O.'s and Men. 1st August … … 9,338 256,286 9,417 238,221 — — 1st September … … 9,286 254,211 9,378 237,053 — — 1st October … … 9,279 252,154 9,390 236,389 — — 1st November … … 9,279 250,657 Monthly returns discontinued. 1st December … … 9,274 253,481 1st January … … — — 9,294 254,039 9,366 239,819 1606W
Officers. N.C.O.'s and Men. Strength, 1st January, 1914 … … … 9,366 239,819 Strength, 1st January,1913 … … … 9,294 254,039 Increase and decrease during 1913 … … … +72 -14,220 Establishment, 1st January, 1914 … … … 11,233 301,167 Strength 1st January, 1914 … … … 9,366 239,819 Deficiency … … … 1,867 61,348 in the Labour Exchanges and Unemployment Insurance Service are intended to be identical. Men clerks are on a scale of salary of £60, rising by annual increments of £5 to £150, with an efficiency bar at £105. In the case of women clerks there are two grades, the scale in the lower grade being £60, rising by annual increments of £5 to £105, and in the higher grade £110, rising by annual increments of £5 to £150. The proportion of posts in the higher grade of women clerks to those in the lower grade has been fixed at one to five. These clerks may be promoted from the lower to the higher grade on the occurrence of vacancies, and they then proceed to the same maximum as men clerks. I may add that as regards length of holidays the women clerks have a certain advantage over the men.