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While the railway companies of the United Kingdom exclude women, altogether from the list of their servants, those of France employ them by thousands. Nearly all the booking clerks, for example, are women. They do their work excellently, according to all reports, proved by the fact that within a few years they have superseded almost entirely the men, although starting in the career with a strongly expressed prejudice on the part of many managers and directors, who doubted their efficiency. It was by no means a desire for economy that led the French railway companies to employ female booking clerks and has made the system universal, but a desire to see a rather difficult work well and quickly done ; and they now all acknowledge that the women do it better than the men. The salaries paid to the “ lady ” booking clerks, as they are called, are the same as those formerly j^iven to the men, and in some instances higher. The salary of an ordinary clerk varies from 40/. to 52/. per annum, while the head clerks at important stations receive from 72/. to 96/. per annum, with an allowance of from 12lt;. to 24/. for young assistants, as “ apprentices. ” The railway companies likewise employ women as telegraph clerks, at an average yearly salary of 32/. In all cases a preliminary training is required, together with an examination, in which, as reo-ards booking clerks, proficiency iu arithmetic and° the art of bookeeping is considered of paramount importance. But it is found that very few women fail to pass the requisite examination, a notable fact being that nearly all excel in arithmetic. It isa special feature in connection with the employment of women by French railway companies—one, perhaps, not unworthy of imitation—that in all’cases preference is given to the relatives of male railway j servants, especially their daughters and widows. As regards the widows of men who have lost their lives in the exercise of their duties, the companies nearly always find them employment, if in nohigher capacity in such as waiting-women in ladies’ rooms, with a regular salary of from 16/. to 24/ per annum, and allowed “ perquisites.” There are not wanting other employments for wives and widows. All travellers in France must have noticed that included among the female servants on French railways are not a few “ pointsmen” and “ signalmen ” posted at small stations and sidings, and bravelv swinging their red or white flags. 7
Newspaper Details
British Mail
London, Middlesex, GB
Fri, Nov 01, 1878
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
Leigh B.
GB 23 Dec 2021
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