The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-14
HOME FOR SALE.
INSURE AGAINST STRIKES.
How German Employers Have Done
 Away With Industrial Wars.

From Ti,-Dits.
 The astuteness of the German manu- fact Ter well illustrated by the manner in whicl. he has enthusiastically well comad the proposition, made by certain socicties, that he should insure against atrikes. Luring the last three years many st Ike insurance companies have sprung up in different parts of the father land and they embrace practically all in- dustries. Tn 13 of these societies are in sured manufacturers employing altogeth- CT about 100000 men.
 Tn addition, there are some 26 employ CTS unions, which have a regular sys- tenn of strike insurance, paying compen- eation at fixed rates, and yet nine more uniof which pay compensation accord ing lo the merits of the case, but without a fixed r. te.
 The teno .ncy in some quarters is to re- gard this development as merely new weapon in class warfare, says the Vest minister Gazette, analogous to the strike funds of trade unions; but 1t Is more generally admitted that it is really in the interests of employed as well as employ CTS that industrial undertakings should be secured against unexpected losses from strikes as from other contingencies. and the fact that strike insurance societies do net pay compensation where the em- ployers have been guilty of forcing on strike unjustly prevents the institu- tion beinh abused by rovocative-minded employers.
 Indeed, the employer must establish the fact tha, he is not responsible for the strike or lockout. The rules of the va- rioas societies differ somewhat. Some pay compc nsation from the day of the outbreak Of the strike; others from the day + is first formally reported to them; others only after 1t has lasted week. The length of the strike also comes into account. some societies do not pay any con. Dens@ ton for a strike of less than four days Curation; others consider that a strike Is no strike until 1t has lasted a fortnight. A further limitation is laid upon the maximum length of the strikes compensation for more than three months ctoppage of work, while a gen. eral strike, they hold, release them from all obligations.
 Then, again, nearly every strike and insurance society and every employers union which insures against strikes has it's own peculiar standard of compensa- tion. Some pay a fixed sum, the maxi nnn usraily being Is a day for each hand on strike, but the vast majority pay percentage calculated on earnings Thus the league of German employers unions Tor compensation during stoppage of work equires premiums one-half per cent nf inc wages Dill, US compensation rate being 12H per cent in cases of strikes up 10 1000 men; over 1000 and under 2Ooo the compen sation dr' ps to 10 rel cent, and so tn. LnLi iE oese of a lookout of over s60' band. the employer seis com rcnsat.vn at the rate of ah,J 2h per cent.
 The operations carried on by the special strike insurance societies are very large. The society mentioned above collects pre- miums or wages amounting to f23, 33s, ,oO0 Another society which operates only among the metallurgical industries, col iects premiums on wages of &10,I4.000 and paid out during last year over E14,000 in ompe:-sation to insurers.