The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1891-01-14
A Case of PrOiit-Sharing.

IN OdoC WI y
The Bourne mill at Fall River,
Mass, adopted system of profit
sharing about two years ago and has
continued it with apparent success up
TO the present time. Recently the
directors issued circular to the en-
ployes in which the results thus far
achieved are pointed out. The circu-
lar says:
We have noticed that some of you have
taken an interest, that the percentage OF
second.quality work is less, and we think
many of you have been careful about waste.
In comparing the first six months with the
last there has been gain of about six per
cent in the average weekly earnings of
those who share, so that Independent of
any dividends you have, on the average, re-
ceived six per cent more pay. One weaver's
earnings during the year were equivalent to
a net advance in real wages of about thirty
seven per cent, while the dividends to our
stockholders were sixty per cent greater
during the last six months of 1889 than in
the same time of 1890. There will be no
change in the plan for the Cotton Manufac-
turers' Association. You can best express
your appreciation of pro6t-sharing by earn
ing more pay. This does not mean that You
will have to work harder-hard work brings
rsor wages-but rather by attention and
sAll take the stitch in time that saves
nine If, by a little more care and watch
fulness, you can earn forty or fifty cents
more week, it equals five per cent advance
in your wages. ThHs you get the extra pay
and we get the extra production. This is
the secret of proft-sharing."
The actual success of an experiment
of this kind, continued for period suf-
ficiently long to show that it is a per-
manent effect, is worth whole books of
theorzing. Here is case in which
protit-sharing has shown itself possible
and proftable; and if so at the Bourne
mill, why not in any other mill? The
conditions are essentially the same in
all manufacturing establishments. 1t
is confidently believed by many of the
most clear-headed business men and
economists that if prolit-sharing were
generally introduced the gordian knot
of the labor problem would be cut. Be
that as it may, it seems indisputable
\ that employees would come somewhat
nearer getting their share of the
product and better relations between
the employer and employed would be
established.
Several things in the circular are
significant. The very first statement
of the above quotation contains an i'm
portant point-namely, that the work
men take greater interest in their work
Both economically and socially this is
fact of immense consequence. The
man who is interested in his work
usually does better work and more of
it than the man who is chiefly con-
cerned with the wages he receives and
the shortness of the hours. A greater
degree of efficiency is always observa-
bic in such cases. Indeed, no really
first-class work is doue except by those
who are thoroughly interested. This
is too well understood to need ilustra-
ton. But the effect on the workman
himself and the community is quite as
great. The contented man Is law
abiding, good citizen and valuable
addition to society. In fact, the really
important result of prolit-sharing is
that of creating an interest in the work
on the part of the workman. When
ambition begins it is impossible to
foresee to what great ends it will reach.
Another point of interest in the circu.
lar is that there has been regular
gain in the product of the Bourne mill
From this fact it may be inferred that
the industrial efficiency of the men will
under such judiciOus fostering, in
crease until marked difference can be
seen in their work as compared with
that of the men in mills which do moi
work on the proft-sharing principle
Still another point which is well worth
digesting is that hard work means poo
wages. while careful work means g0ol
wages. The Bourne mill directors evi
IDENTITY fully appreciate the fact tina
intelligence is the important elemen
of the makeup of a good workman
Let man toll as long and as hard a,
he will, he will not become efiicien
unless he studies his work, gets out o
ruts, and, in word, brings his Who'll,
mind to bear upon it. Good work il
never done unless it is approached il
this way. 1t seems to us that the cir
cular is sermon which working-mel
everywhere may read with profit.
they do not believe in pro6t-sharing
they will still find in it several lesson
worth learning.