Our Civilian Employment Exchange.
Page 15
Page 16
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Remarkable Success of Our Efforts to Mitigate the Effects of the Transfers of Labour in the Industry. 547 Applications Promptly Dealt With. All Owners of Vehicles Wanting Drivers and Others Requiring Mechanics are Requested to Communicate and Take Advantage of Our Efforts to Keep Good Men at Work, and to Assist Employers. Requests from Men in Regular Employment Destroyed upon Receipt. Men with Industrial-Vehicle Experience Given Preference_ A Considerable Demand for Steam-IV agon Drivers.
It was within twenty-four hours of the country's declaration of war that the first practical steps towards the initiation of our employment exchange were taken. We record this with no desire to seek approbation for promptitude, but in order to emphasize the act that we at once came to the conclusion that there was certain to be an excess of organization springing into being with the object of assisting the Government in some way or other. In our own corner of our own country's industry, we felt, under such circumstances, our organization could be best turned to account by taking every step possible to ensure that the means to hand should be turned to the best advantage. We foresaw that certain branches of the motor industry, and in particular those w hie]: were associated with the more pleasurable class of motoring, would inevitably economize their resources in various directions. We realized, too, that, with large numbers of Territorials and Reservists called straight away to the Colours) there would be no inconsiderable number of vacancies for men at once to take up the work in the place of those who had gone away to serve their country. It was in every way desirable, considering the great calls which the nation was bound to make on the industrial-vehicle industry, that the number of vacancies thus occurring should be limited as far as possible. Our employment exchange, whilst in a general way corresponding with the Labour Exchanges established by Government to grapple with unemployment of a normal kind in all parts of the country, was necessarily able mere promptly and more specifically to deal with the credit and debit sides of the labour account in our own particular industry than could any great organization established with a view to meeting out-of-work requirements in the whole of the industries of Great Bnfain. It is no secret that the Labour Exchanges, excellently conceived as they were, have almost entirely failed to secure the confident support of employers, for reasons which are not far to seek. In our surmises we have, without exception, found ourselves to be correct.
Co-operation of the Trade.
We wish to proffer our thanks to the many offers of ready assistance and expressions of approval which have poured in upon us from all branches, not only of the commercial-vehicle, but also the pleasure-vehicle branches of the trade. It was solely due to this wholehearted co-operation that we were enabled so quickly to get into touch with the needs of those employers who had been temporarily deprived of the services of their drivers, and in certain cases of their mechanics, and to register the names, addresses and qualifications of those men who suddenly found themselves without vehicles on account of the Government's requisitions, or because of the cessation of some of the many businesses which have, unfortunately, so quickly felt the effects of the present upheaval.
The Classification and Registration.
Up to the time of going to press we have dealt with no fewer than 547 definite applications from either employer or employed, and in a large number of cases we were able, by return of post or so. to fix things up as between the two. A certain proportion of applica tion forms, on the face of them, told of unsuitability ; these we promptly side-tracked. Of the majority WE have used best discretion as to registration. We, ol course, must leave the actual " vetting " of applicant( to employers. No one will ask us to take that responsibility.
Men Who Want to Enlist Not Wanted Here.
With that regrettable lack of observation which h so often noticeable amongst a certain class of ern, ployees, quite a number of applications came to in from men who stated they had seen our posters _it various parts of the country " advertising for recruit: for the transport branches of the Army." No suck requirement, of course, was indicated by our posters ; our intentions were clearly stated, and applications o: this kind went some way to indicate the class of mar who had written in such a careless manner. Suck applications, however, were in no sense wasted, a: although we were compiling no list of the kind_ our selves, we promptly notified our correspondents a: to where they could enrol in the appointed way. Ir this connection it will perhaps save further trouble we here state that at the time of going to press then is still a demand in the Army for skilled services o various kinds, for transport drivers, artisans, etc. and that applications for enrolment should be mad( in London at the branch recruiting offices at King': Road, Chelsea, whilst in other towns the necessary in formation may be obtained either at the police statior or at the local recruiting office if one has beer established.
We once again reproduce the official stipulation: with regard to the recruiting of skilled labour of thh kind.
We also give for general information the prineina particulars which pertain to the engagement in Hi: Majesty's Army of men belonging to the followins trades, for which there is still a demand
Rates of Pa: Weekly all Trade. Found,
Foreman Artificers ... 70 0 Coppersmiths, Electricians, Pattern Makers 52 6 Blacksmiths, Dispensers, Drivers of Motor Painters, Saddlers, Turners, Wheelers 42 0 Lorries, Farriers, Fitters, Moulders, Bakers, Butchers, Clerks, Cooks, Ho ... 28 0spital Subordinates, Tailors ... ..
Labourers and Loaders (packers) ... ... 21 0 Married men must allot one-third of their pay Lc their families, who will also receive separatior allowance at Army rates. In the case of private soldiers not on the lodging list, separation allowance amounts to 7s. 7d. a week, and is higher for senioi ranks.
A bounty of .25 will he paid to each man approved and a further 25 on discharge for any reason ease than misconduct, in addition to any war gratuits issued to the troops. Clerks, labourers and mechanical transporl drivers must be between 20 and 45 years of age the age for other classes is 20 to 40 years. D5
We Want Steam-Wagon Drivers.
The first steps in our Employment Exchange organization were intended to deal with petrol-vehicle drivers only, and this was because only machines of that class were being commandeered and impressed by the Government, and also because drivers who were then out of employment might be drawn from various pleasure-car sources, the vast majority of such men, of course, being familiar only with the petrol engine. But a considerable demand soon became evident for capable steam-wagon and tractor drivers, and against these, at first, we had no applications, or practically none, from men of this class seeking employment. This was explained by the fact that the Government only in a few cases had made use of additional steam wagons and tractors, but that nevertheless a considerable number of drivers of that type of machine had been called up to the Colours either as Special Reservists or as Territorials. We promptly took further steps to include steam-wagon drivers in our organization. Lastly, we began to receive applications for the services of duly accredited motor mechanics, the demand for which arose from much the same reasons as those which brought applications for steam-wagon drivers.
On the whole, therefore, in this the second week of the nation's trouble, we are happy to be able to record that our efforts to alleviate some portion of the inconvenience and distress which such a national up heaval was bound to cause have met with more than considerable success. This Bureau continues hard at work as we go to press, and we shall maintain it so long as the need for it is revealed in the applications from employers and workpeople which reach us. We again reproduce the form of application which must be sent in to us in order that a name may be recorded on our registers. We have special facilities to secure qualification for a certain number of motorbus drivers, but in all cases they must be 5 ft. 7 ins. in height, and have some knowledge of the geography of London.
We wish to make it particularly clear that IN NO CASE WILL WE CONSIDER APPLICATIONS FROM MEN WHO ARE ALREADY IN EMPLOYMENT AND FROM THOSE WHO WISH TO CHANGE TO SINT THEIR OWN CONVENIENCE OR FOR ANY REASON OF THAT KIND. This is not a time to quibble with conditions : we must all make the best of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. We must turn our hands to the job which offers and which we can tackle best. Applications from men who are already in employment as well as from those who do not say why they are at present out of employment are destroyed as soon as they reach us. Men who have experience of commercial-motor driving, or mechanics who are familiar with that. class of work, will in all cases have preference over those who are only familiar with pleasure cars of various kinds.
We welcome the co-operation of employers in order to enable us with as little delay as possible to place available men.