[PRCo] Re: Pgh Railways Street Car Operators Wanted Ad

[Phillip Clark Campbell]

Mr.McGuire;
I seriously doubt the 'qualifications' for the job were designed
to purposely exclude women; rather, they were based on the
needs of the position.  I am surprized that weight and a few
other parameters are not included.  Indeed, into the 1980s
Seattle transit required applicants to 'lift' 200-pounds and carry
it an 'X' distance.  "The times" today suggest this has been
eliminated but I don't know that;  it would seem that 1980 is a
very late date to have such a 'reportedly' discriminatory
qualification.

We tend to categorize items into B&W boxes but the reasons
behind qualifications can be multi-faceted can't they.  The
economy today has resulted in ca 10% unemployment; 15% in
Michigan.  This makes for literally thousands of applicants to
any one open position.  'A' way to screen is to increase the
qualifications.  This 'may' result in getting laws reversed that
'reportedly' discriminate - age, weight, strength, height, etc.
Educational requirements may be increased as well as 'experience'
which revives the age-old argument:  'Where does one get prior
experience without the experience of the job?'

In 1941 the world was recovering from a severe Depression;
unemployment in the U.S.A. was over 30% at the peak.  Job
qualifications was a way to screen applicants 'reportedly' to get
the best possible employee.  Again, I seriously doubt the intent
of any of the qualifications was to 'exclude.'

In the archives for the list some have stated that many transit agencies
use 'testing' for positions today.  Some use a combination of written
and oral testing;  the latter would seem to be highly subjective rather
than objective.  This results in a score and a list according to score
from which applicants are called.  'Discrimination' is claimed against
testing since 'legal' immigrants have trouble with the language; other
reasons are given as well.

I can't say how qualifications for a position will increase but if
the economy doesn't get better fast, if unemployment remains
high or increases, I feel it is safe to say that qualifications for
employment shall also increase as one tool of many to screen
the multitude of applicants.



 Phil





________________________________
From: Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Sent: Thu, October 22, 2009 6:35:57 PM
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Pgh Railways Street Car Operators Wanted Ad

Makes perfect sense...in that era. Could you imagine posting
an ad like that these days?

---------- Original Message ----------
From: robert netzlof <wb3iqe at rocketmail.com>
To: pittsburgh-railways at dementia.org
Subject: [PRCo] Re: Pgh Railways Street Car Operators Wanted Ad
Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:20:50 -0700 (PDT)

--- On Thu, 10/22/09, Mark McGuire <macmarka at netzero.net> wrote:

>  Interesting that if indeed a woman,
> you'd have to be fairly tall by womens' standards. I'm
> wondering why you had to be 5'8" or taller.

So as to avoid hiring women without coming right out and saying so?

Bob Netzlof a/k/a Sweet Old Bob