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(e) The maintenance of healthy conditions. This implies that she should, from the point of view of the health of the female em- ployees, see to the general cleanliness, ventilation and warmth of the factory and keep the management informed of the results of her ob- servations.

(/) The provision of seats. She should study working conditions so as to be able to bring to the notice of the management the necessity for the provision of seats where these are possible.

Unless the factory is a small one it would hardly be possible for the welfare supervisor to manage the canteen. The management will probably prefer to entrust the matter to an expert who should satisfy the management in consultation with the welfare supervisor on the following matters :

1. That the canteen provides all the necessary facilities for the women workers; that is to say, suitable food, rapidly and punctually served.

2. That canteen facilities are provided when necessary for the women before they begin work so that no one need start work with- out having taken food.

3. That the canteen is as restful and as comfortable as possible so that it serves a double purpose of providing rest as well as food.

Supervision of Ambulance, Rest Room and First Aid. While not responsible for actually attending to accidents, except in small factories, the welfare supervisor should work in close touch with the factory doctor and nurses. She should, however, be responsible for the following matters:

1. She should help in the selection of nurses, who should be recognized as belonging to the welfare staff.

2. While not interfering with the nurses in the discharge of their professional duties, she should see that their work is carried out promptly, and that the workers are not kept waiting long before they receive attention.

3. She should supervise the keeping of all records of accident and illness in the ambulance room.

4. She should keep in touch with all cases of serious accident or illness.

It would further be useful if she were allowed to be kept in touch with the Compensation Department inside the factory with a view to advising on any cases of hardship that may arise.

Supervision of Cloak-rooms and Sanitary Conveniences. The wel- fare supervisor should be held responsible for the following matters :

1. General cleanliness.

2. Prevention of loitering.

3. Prevention of pilfering.

The management will decide what staff is necessary to assist her, and it should be her duty to report to the management on these matters.

Provision of Overalls. The welfare supervisor should have* the duty of supervising the protective clothing supplied to the women for their work.

Extramural Welfare.

The welfare supervisor should keep in touch with all outside agencies responsible for :

1. Housing.

2. Transit facilities.

3. Sickness and maternity cases.

4. Recreation.

5. Day nurseries.

In communicating with any of these agencies it will no doubt be preferable that she should do so through the management. 1

Records.

A. The welfare supervisor should for the purpose of her work have some personal records of every woman employee. A card- index system is recommended.

B. The welfare supervisor should have some way of observing the health in relation to the efficiency of the workers, and if the management approved this could be done :

(a) By allowing her to keep in touch with the Wages Department. She could then watch the rise and fall of wages earned by individual employees from the point of view that a steady fall in earnings may be the first indication of an impending breakdown in health.

(b) By allowing her to keep in touch with the Time Office she should be able to obtain records of all reasons for lost time. From such records information can be obtained of sickness, inadequate transit and urgent domestic duties, which might otherwise not be discovered.

(c) By keeping records of all cases of accident and sickness occur- ring in the factory.

II. WELFARE SUPERVISION FOR BOYS

The suggestions contained in this memorandum are founded on the experience of employers who have in actual operation the whole or part of the scheme. Nothing is suggested that has not been proved to be successful in its result.

1 The work referred to above as " extramural " was the direct outcome in many of its features of the activities initiated by the Women's Employment Committee, appointed at an early period of the war by the Home Office and the Board of Trade.

The essence of the scheme lies in placing on some member of the staff the responsibility for the general well-being of the boys.

In large firms there is enough work to occupy the whole time of an officer.

In smaller firms various alternatives have been adopted:

1. The services of an officer are shared by two or more firms.

2. An officer already on the staff is given special duties as regards the boys.

3. An officer is specially appointed, but has placed on him other duties in addition to those connected with the supervision of the boys.

Among the duties performed by such an officer the following are the more important of those usually placed upon him:

Engagement. I. He will keep in touch with the employment exchanges and the special advisory committees frequently attached to such exchanges. In this way he will secure valuable information relating to the health and school career of the boy.

2. He will interview boys and parents, explain to them the nature of the work and the importance of good time-keeping, and will take up references.

3. He will arrange for suitable boys to be brought before the heads of departments who will decide whether the boys shall be engaged. In some cases the actual engagement is left to him.

4. He will see that an Engagement Form is filled up; and in the case of indentured apprentices, carry through the indenture.

5. He will, especially during the first weeks of employment, keep in close touch with the boy, and assist him in the various difficulties which confront a boy on first entering industry. He will consult with the foreman as to the suitability of the boy for the work on which he is engaged.

Progress and Discipline. I. He will receive reports from foremen on the boys' progress; will consider complaints, and, in the event of threatened dismissal, will see the boy before a decision is reached. (In no case has the Department discovered any evidence to show that focemen resent this procedure.)

2. He will see the boys from time to time and afford them opportunity of making complaints to him.

3. He will send reports to parents on the boys' general progress, wages, and time-keeping; and occasionally visit their homes.

4. He will discuss with heads of departments schemes of transfer, promotion and training. In the case of indentured apprentices he will see that undertakings are carried out.

Continued Education. I. He will consider schemes for securing attendance at Continuation Classes.

2. He will offer inducements to secure regular attendance.

3. He will discuss with the Education Authority:

(a) The question of technical training in the cases of boys who are learning a trade.

(6) The question of general education of other boys.

4. He will obtain from the head of the school reports on the boys' progress and attendance.

Health. I. He will endeavour to become acquainted with the information contained in the report of the school doctor.

2. He will be present at the medical examination of the boys at the factory, and note the doctor's recommendations.

3. He will give special attention to ailing boys and cases of sickness, and endeavour to ascertain the cause.

4. Where lodgings are in demand, he will keep a list of suitable lodgings.

5. He will endeavour to secure that the boys obtain suitable food ; and may be made responsible for the general supervision of the canteen and messroom, and for the arrangements for heating carried food.

6. He will be responsible for seeing that boys obtain First Aid in case of accident; and may be entrusted with the duty of super- vising the First Aid equipment.

7. He will encourage boys to use overalls ; will see that the wash- ing and sanitary arrangements are adequate and in good condition, and will supervise order and decency in their use.

Thrift. He will be responsible for the initiation and carrying out of thrift schemes, as for example:

1. By the voluntary stoppage of a certain weekly sum from wages.

2. By weekly collection.

3. By payment of good conduct bonus to the boys' credit. Recreation. I. He will be responsible for organizing outdoor

games; and for the management of a recreation room, if such exists.

2. He will consider the question of forming a Cadet Corps or Scout Troop.

Records. He will keep systematic records of each boy.

The work was throughout closely interlocked with action taken from the summer of 1915 onwards by the Central Control Board (Liquor Traffic) to establish and maintain (by themselves or through agents) refreshment rooms for the sale or supply of refreshments. Employers in England were during the war stimulated to pursue welfare schemes and erect canteens by being permitted to write off expenses against excess profits duty.