ment of a strike benefit of five dollars per week to all members out on duly approved strikes,-the benefit to be paid as long as the strike was continued.

The provision for strike benefits in the Amalgamated Union, while differing somewhat in detail, has followed the same general plan already outlined. All members, engaged in a legally authorized strike, are entitled to $5 per week as long as the strike continues.31 An improvement has been made in abolishing the strike fund and paying benefits out of the general receipts of the union. General Secretary Kidd called attention to the need for this change at the Third Annual Convention and the suggestion was later adopted. This change places all the funds of the general organization at the disposal of the general council in case of a protracted strike.32 In case the general funds become depleted the general council may levy a special assessment of twenty-five cents per month on all members not affected by the strike. The strength of a union is no greater than its ability to protect its members in their effort to maintain their bargaining power. The experience of the Amalgamated Union has shown, even when all the funds of the organization were available for this purpose, that strike benefits had to be suspended during periods of large and prolonged strikes. And from the founding of the Furniture Workers' Union to the present time, the officials of the organization have had a constant struggle to convince the membership of the necessity of providing adequate means for supporting the men out of work on account of a contest in behalf of union principles.

A large part of the Second Convention of the International Furniture Workers' Union was devoted to the question of sick benefits. Provision was made for the establishment of sick benefits by the local unions and, like the tool insurance fund, the right to participate was made optional. The fund was created by the

Const. A. W. W. I. U., Rev. 1904, sect. 139.

Proceedings Third Conv., p. 16. Kidd recommended that the provision requiring the payment of $5 benefit be repealed and the general council be em powered to donate what the situation and the general treasury would warrant. He stated that this had, as a matter of practice, been done by the general council, for otherwise many of those involved in strikes would have received no financial assistance.

contributions of the participating members, and the management of the fund differed widely in the various locals. The dues ranged from 30c to 50c per month.38 Some locals charged an initiation fee and this varied from $1 to $3.34 The benefit provided for was usually out of all proportion to the premium charged. One of the New York locals provided a benefit of $6 per week for 13 weeks, $4 per week for the next 26 weeks and then $2.50 per week until the amount paid had reached $390, after which a weekly benefit of $2 was to be paid without limitation as to time.35 A Cleveland local made provision for a benefit of $4 per week for six months, after which the local took whatever action seemed wise.80 These cases may be taken as typical of the sick benefits as managed by the local organizations, and illustrate the attitude of the membership toward the question of benefits.

The International Furniture Workers' Union established a sick benefit in 1880, but the provisions were completely changed at the convention of 1884. The constitution of the fund as modified at that time, required a medical examination of all prospective members. The membership was divided into three classes, and the initiation fees and dues were graded according to the class. The initiation fees were $3, $5, and $8, and the dues were $.50, $.75, and $1 per month respectively. After three months each member was entitled to a benefit of $6, $9, or $12 per week, according to the class to which he belonged. The benefit began with the first day of sickness, but it would not be paid unless the duration of the sickness was for one week or longer. Besides the payment of the sick benefit, free medical assistance was given also in many cases, the union retaining the services of certain physicians for this purpose.3

37

The practice of leaving the provision for sick benefits to the

23 Cleveland Local No. 2, 1882.

84 Cleveland local No. 2, had a graded initiation fee. Up to 45 years of age the fee was $2, and $1 per year additional for each year up to 50 years of age. $5 Local No. 9, (N. Y.) 1881.

80 Cleveland Local No. 2.

BT Constitution of the Sick Benefit Ford of the I. F. W. U., 1885, Art. II, par. 2-4; Art. III, par. 2; Art. IV, par. 1; Cf. also I. F. W. Journal, Aug. 17, 1889.

local unions has been retained by the Amalgamated Union, and there is a wide variation in the rules of the locals governing the benefits, except in one feature, namely, that the benefits promised bear little or no relation to the charges made for its support. 38 It is not uncommon to find locals agreeing to pay $4 and $5 per week in sick benefits from funds collected in dues of 50c per month. The inevitable result has been the depletion of the funds. In some cases the locals have established separate sick benefit funds to which members contribute a sum in excess of their monthly dues. The weakness of the system has been recognized by the general officers. General Secretary Kidd in his report to the convention in 1904, sets forth very vividly the situation as it prevailed at that time39; he commended "the goodness of heart" which prompted the unions to adopt such generous policies. but called attention to the fact that such a policy was suicidal, because it robbed the local of its sinews of war, rendering it weak and impotent. He argued that "a trades union was a business institution and should be governed accordingly," and therefore a union governed by sentiment was doomed to failure. Furthermore, he condemned the practice of making donations and loans to members, arguing that no well, governed union will allow its treasury to be depleted by such methods, nor should any union be permitted to bring its career to such an ignoble end.

All three unions made provision for the payment of a benefit upon the death of a member. The Furniture Workers' Union paid a mortuary benefit, which was run on a mutual basis. An initiation fee of $1 was charged, and an assessment was made in case of the death of a member. The benefit paid was $250 upon the death of a member, and $100 upon the death of the wife of a member.40 In the Machine Wood Workers' Union a

$8 Conet. A. W. W. I. U., Rev. 1904, sect. 138. The Amalgamated Union is in no sense responsible for the payment of sick benefits established by the locals. The Machine Wood Workers' had no provision for sick benefits, except that made by the local unions.

39 Proceedings, Third Annual Convention, p. 29.

40 The monthly cost per member from July, 1883 to September, 1884 was given as 16c. Protokoll der sechten Congresses, p. 9.

41

funeral benefit of $60 was paid from the general treasury upon the death of a member and $30 upon the death of a member's wife, provided that each were in good health at the time the member was admitted to the union. The funeral benefit paid by the Amalgamated Union is graded according to the length of time a member has been continuously in good standing. A benefit of $50 is paid, providing the member has been six months in good standing; $75 after eighteen months, and $100 after three years' membership. This benefit is paid to the widow, or other relatives of the deceased member, and it amounts to little more than the payment of the funeral expenses, which are usually a heavy burden for the family of most laborers.42

The Machine Wood Workers' Union provided for a total disability benefit of $100 to be paid to any member who had been over one year in good standing at the time of the accident which incapacitated him, providing that the accident was not caused through drunkenness or other misconduct.43 This benefit was incorporated into the benefit system of the Amalgamated Union and like the funeral benefits, the amount paid was graded according to the length of time the member had been continuously in good standing. The amounts paid were $150, $200 and $250, according as the member had been in good standing one, two or three years. The amount paid from the treasury of the Amalgamated Union on account of benefits during the interval between 1900 and 1904, was $16,900 in death and disability, and $17,060 in strike benefits, or 25% of the total expenditure of the union between the dates mentioned.45

44

41 Const., M. W. W. I. U. 1890, Art. XXI sect. 1-5. The benefit paid upon the death of the wife of a member was discontinued at the second convention and the benefit payable upon the death of a member was raised to $75. Cf. M. W. W., Sept. 1891, p. 2.

42 Const. A. W. W. I. U., Rev. 1904, sect. 136.

43 Const. M. W. W. I. U., 1890, Art. XXI, sect. 4. The amount paid was raised at the second convention to $250. Cf. M. W. W., Sept. 1891, p. 2. At this convention an accident benefit was established which provided for the payment of $6 per week for a period not to exceed ten weeks, payable to those incapacitated by any accident resulting from the pursuance of regular work. This benefit was discontinued during the first year on account of the number of claims made upon the funds.

Const. A. W. W. I. U., Rev. 1904, sect. 137.

45 Proceedings Third Annual Convention, p. 26-28.

In the payment of all claims the initiative must be taken by the persons interested in the claim. Application must first be made to the local union with full particulars concerning the basis for the claim. The local then becomes the agent, as it were, for the individuals applying. A committee of three is appointed by the local to investigate the claim and report back to the local. If the claim is approved, the financial secretary of the local forwards it to the general secretary with full particulars of the case, together with a medical certificate from a reputable physician, if the case involves the death or disability of a member. The financial secretary is also required to send a correct statement of the standing of the members, together with his membership book, as a means of determining the justice of the claim. The general secretary passes upon the case, according to the evidence at hand. But the parties interested may appeal from the decision of the secretary to the general council, whose decision is final. In case the claim is granted, payment is made through the financial secretary of the local union, to which the member was affiliated, to the party entitled to receive the benefit. All claims against the Amalgamated Union of whatever character must be filed with the general secretary within sixty days from the time they accrue, otherwise they will not be allowed.

46

46 Const. A. W. W. I. U., Rev. 1904, sect. 142-49. Formerly these claims were passed on by the General Council, but as it was a matter of routine in most cases, the work was turned over to the Secretary, protecting the membership by an appeal to the General Council. The regulations governing the payment of claims in the Amalgamated Union were incorporated in large measure from those that existed in the M. W. W. I. U.. Cf. Const. M. W. W. I. U., Art. XXII, sect. 1-3.