Finding aid databases

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, seventy-sixth day's proceedings, 29 June 1934. The meeting heard evidence on behalf of the Post Office Controlling Officers' Association. Misses M Hogg, G Little and J Quinn were amongst the representatives. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers. The Chairman inquired into the promotion prospects for women. 'Are any of the Overseers in the Dublin Postal District or the provincial officers women? - None ... The position is that the majority of the staff controlled in the provinces and in the Dublin Postal District are male and I think the departmental view is that it is not desirable to have ladies in charge of a large body of men'. Miss Hogg was also questioned on the promotion prospects for women, 'Have women Post Office Assistants Grade A any avenues of promotion? - They have very few avenues of promotion. The ordinary avenue would be Assistant Supervisors and it opens very seldom ... they would be quite capable because they already take complete control of the duties in some offices but when these vacancies are advertised it is understood that the salaries for female applicants will be one-third less ... No sensible woman would ever apply for a position of that kind. They do the same work and receive a less salary'. Miss Hogg also outlined the stressful conditions under which women were working. 'Our duties are overloaded. You cannot give it proper attention if you have a staff of 30 or 35 with, perhaps, fifty circuits working at the same time ... The nature of the work is such that there are frequent cases of hysteria'. The representatives concluded that the existence of staff associations was beneficial to both the supervisors and telephonists. 'The Associations generally take up things that are of assistance to the telephonists and anything that is of assistance to the telephonists will help the supervisor. For instance they agitate for up-to-date apparatus and this will help the supervisor'.

s 6247/Fo/76

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, seventy-seventh day's proceedings, 5 July 1934. Nine people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle and Miss N Ryan. The meeting heard evidence on behalf of the Post Office Controlling Officers' Association. Miss G Little and Miss J Quinn were amongst the representatives. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers. Miss Little spoke of the promotion prospects for Assistant Supervisors. 'There is no outlet at all for supervisors. That is one of our chief grievances ... even if she was in the service for 15 years there is no outlet. She is in a sort of cul-de-sac'. The Commission discussed at length the terms and conditions for women workers with particular reference to staff shortages, breaks and supervision for example. 'Would you have many cases of over-fatigue by reason of the nature of the work? - The nature of the work is such that it is inclined to cause hysteria, especially nowadays when there is such a concentration by the Traffic Officers on delays and so forth. The staff has been so finely cut that it tends to put a bigger strain on the telephonists'. The Commission also heard evidence from Mr EJ King, Postmasters' Association. Miss Ryan requested information on the number of women employed as postmistresses. 'Are there ladies heads of Post Offices in the country? - They are old appointments. I do not think it is the practice to appoint ladies in the country'.

s 6247/Fo/77

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, seventy-seventh day's proceedings, 6 July 1934. Eight people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle and Miss N Ryan. The meeting heard evidence from Mr EJ King and Mr PT Timoney on behalf of the Postmasters' Association. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers.

s 6247/Fo/78

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, seventy-ninth day's proceedings, 12 July 1934. Nine people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle and Miss N Ryan. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers. The meeting heard evidence on behalf of the Irish Post Office Clerks' Association. Miss E Gartlan was amongst the representatives. The tasks and duties performed by post office clerks were outlined in detail by the Association's representatives. Miss E Gartlan pointed out that 'as far as the women employed in telegraphs are concerned, lack of a half holiday has been a constant grievance. They cannot see why they are the only class in the service who cannot obtain a half holiday, or even obtain any regular concession'.

s 6247/Fo/79

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, eightieth day's proceedings, 13 July 1934. Nine people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle and Miss N Ryan. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers. The meeting heard evidence on behalf of the Irish Post Office Clerks' Association. Miss E Gartlan was amongst the representatives. Mrs Kettle questioned Miss Gartlan on the pay and conditions for telephonists. 'I should like to draw the attention of the Commission to the position in the Dublin Central Telegraph Office. At the present time there is no increase in the traffic or in the daily amount of work, yet the staff are working approximately 100 hours' overtime daily ... the women very often are compelled to do two hours' overtime. It is really a hardship'. The matter of promotion was also dealt with. 'Do you think that in the Post Office there is a definite prejudice against women having any of the higher posts? - The practice seems of late years to be to cut down the number of higher posts for women. When a post became vacant they filled it by appointing a man'. Overall the Association acknowledged the inequality of the situation. 'As a general rule, the women in the Department perform the same work as the men and they are paid a very much lower wage. We would like to see equal wages for equal work'. They also pointed to 'the general tendency that when a male vacancy occurs it is abolished as such and the position is filled by a woman. That tendency is cheapening labour'.

s 6247/Fo/80

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, eighty-first day's proceedings, 19 July 1934. Eight people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle. The meeting heard evidence from Dr J Bell, Dublin University. Amongst other topics, the Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of graduates in the civil service. Dr Bell noted an absence of women graduates in the Civil Service. 'I have no recollection of any woman candidate going in for the open competitive examination'. Mrs Kettle questioned Dr Bell further on women graduates and drew his attention to a successful female graduate from Dublin University. 'As regards the value of women Civil Servants as opposed to men, you said you had no knowledge, personally, if they were as good. At any rate, you can take credit for your college that one of your women is occupying, as I said, one of the highest posts in the service today, but she got in before this Government. I am afraid things were fairer in the old days, as far as women were concerned'.

s 6247/Fo/81

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, eighty-second day's proceedings, 20 July 1934. Nine people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle. The meeting heard evidence from representatives of the temporary postmen. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers. The meeting also questioned Mr S MacGearailt, Accountant General, Office of the Revenue Commissioners. Mrs Kettle inquired into the promotion prospects for women in this department. 'Would it ever be possible in your Department, I understand that in the Post Office it is not possible, for a woman to become either an assistant Accountant or an Accountant? - Oh yes. We have two Junior Executive Officers and they may become Accountants and Generals'.

s 6247/Fo/82

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, eighty-third day's proceedings, 26 July 1934. Eleven people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle. The meeting heard evidence from Mr Maurice Kinsella and Miss Mary McGeehan, representing District Inspectors of National Schools. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to inspectors of national schools. The number of women in the post was outlined. 'You mention in your memorandum that there are 53 District Inspectors ... How many of the District Inspectors are women? - Four at present including a recent appointment'. Mrs Kettle discussed the position of women inspectors with Miss McGeehan. 'Has any reason been
given for the paucity of women Inspectors? - None ... Over sixty per cent of the teachers in primary schools in the Free State are women ... women are not getting a fair proportion of the positions that are going, and that should be worth a protest by a resolution at any rate'.

s 6247/Fo/83

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, eighty-fourth day's proceedings, 27 July 1934. Nine people were present including Mrs Mary Kettle. The meeting heard evidence from Mr Thomas A Murphy, Secretary, Civil Service Commission. Amongst other topics, the Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants. Mrs Kettle inquired into the male/female ratio on interview panels. 'Does it always include one lady? -Always at least one and sometimes two ladies ... I suppose it never included three ladies? - No, never a majority of women. The majority of candidates would be men'.

s 6247/fo/84

report

Transcript of the Commission of Inquiry into the Civil Service, eighty-fifth day's proceedings, 2 August 1934. Six people were present including Miss N Ryan. The Commission heard evidence from Mrs M Wall and Mr R Richardson, representing the Sub-Postmasters' Association. The Commission discussed problems relating to the grading, recruitment and remuneration of civil servants with particular reference to postal workers. Mrs Wall put forward the case of Sub-Postmasters in urban areas. 'Then you must consider rent. The rent in cities is very different to that existing in the country. We have a host of grievances'.

s 6247/Fo/85

report