TRANSACTIONS OP SECTION P. 529 



One chemist employing dispensers states that they get the same, or even 

 more if they are more skilled. The question is entirely one of skill. 



A firm employing women instead of boys and youths as messengers and 

 lift attendants pays them 10*-. to 15s., where youths, after some experience, 

 got 12s. 6d. to 18s. and two meals. 



A jeweller employing casual labour to clean silver paid a woman 15s. where 

 a man would have got 30s., though she was acknowledged to be as good. 



A dairy is paying women on milk rounds 19s. 9^. where men got 25s. The 

 number of calls is, however, reduced. Another dairy is paying a woman 16^-. 

 a week for washing cans where a man got 26s. In this case, however, two 

 women are employed to do the work of one man. In the majority of cases 

 three women seem to do the work of two men. 



In the grocery trade three-quarters of the men's wages is felt to be as much 

 as can be asked for by a section of those interested in the question of women's 

 wages. 



Many of the wages at present fixed are to a large extent experimental, and 

 they differ very much between different firms and districts. The Trade Union 

 concerned, though in theory in favour of equal pay for equal work, does not 

 endeavour to secure equal pay. It tries to secure three-quarters of the men's 

 pay for women everywhere except in London, where the demand is four-fifths. 

 It is stated that the best shops pay men more than the minimum demanded, 

 while few pay the women as much. In the second grade shops men are, for 

 the most part, paid the minimum, but very few women attain it. Still a large 

 number of shops do not pay to women one-third of the minimum demanded for 

 them by the Union. The majority of employers state that untrained women's 

 labour is not cheap labour and that women require more supervision than men. 

 Since the War their wages bills for the same output have been heavier than 

 before. One provision firm, having many branches throughout London and the 

 country, stated that the value of male labour over female is approximately 

 30 per cent, on the same wages. Some firms stated that the difference in the 

 wages of trained men and women is greater than is the difference in their 

 efficiency. They generally referred to social custom as explaining this dis- 

 crepancy. For the most part women shop assistants are unorganised, though 

 a considerable number have joined a union since the War. 



33-3 per cent, of employers expressed a belief in equal pay for equal work, 

 27-7 per cent, stating that they were paying it. As the character of most of 

 the work prevents the fixing of piece-rates the employers' opinion alone can fix 

 the question of equal work. One states he pays ' according to the man's or 

 woman's capacity,' another that he believes in equal pay ' where the women do 

 the same work and the same amount without supervision.' 



Of those who do not believe in equal pay for equal work 50 per cent, sav 

 women ask for less and get less, and 50 per cent, that ' being women ' or ' only 

 having themselves to support ' they get less. 



All employers visited say they are ready to take back their men when and 

 if they return. They do not, however, expect this problem to be a serious 

 one. Youths in many cases are now doing the work previously done by men, 

 and women have taken the boys' places. Where women have taken the place 

 of boys and youths, e.g., on lifts, they are likely to remain. The opinion is 

 often expressed that many of the men who return will not wish to return to a • 

 sedentary life. One large drapery firm instanced that after the South African 

 War only 6 per cent, of their men wished to return. Many employers think 

 that women will not wish to remain at rough, out-door work such as milk- 

 delivery and van-driving, especially during the winter months. Many of the 

 women themselves, and especially those from better class families, regard their 

 entry into the trade as a temporary one, though, on the other hand, women 

 from occupations such as domestic service and factory workers intend if possible 

 to remain. Many of the women introduced are young and are now learning 

 the trade and are not likely to wish to leave it.' The majority of employers 

 seem, even reluctantly, to have accepted the fact of the further entry of women 

 into these trades and they are now experimenting and testing. They are 

 unwilling yet to give final opinions, and the above inadequate statement of the 

 problem reflects generally the views of the trade. 



1915. M M 



