The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1910-10-21
OUT OF WORK AID
Belgian Scheme of Insurance
Against Unemployment.
THE SYSTEM OF GHENT.

Based on Trade Union Plan of Paying
Benefits to Idle Members-Many Eu-
ropean Cities Contribute to Union
Funds.
Louis varlez, Belgian statistician,
devised the most practical and sincere
proposal to relieve unemployment
among organized skilled and unskilled
workers. The system is based upon
the mutual insurance funds Of the
unions.
In times Of prosperity the unions col
lect from their members certain dues
which make up the unemployed bene-
fit fund. From this fund In times Of
unemployment the unions pay out
small sums to their unemployed mem
bers.
However, at periods of a severe cri-
sis the funds of the unions are easily
overdrawn. Here enters in Varlez's
scheme. By municipal allowance the
unions are put in the position to in
crease their unemployed fund.
The city Of Client, in Belgium, intro
duced this system in 1904. 1t worked
so successfully that by now 1t is uni
versally recognized as the most eff
cient measure against unemployment,
and many states and municipalities
have already introduced "the system
! 80
date realization.
In France more than forty munich
palities and several departments have
adopted the system Of Client. Since
the law Of 1905 the French state is au-
thorized to aid the unions financially
in case Of unemployment
Ten cities in Holland have lately in
troduced Varlez's scheme. The Norwe-
gian state, conforming to the law of
1906 reimburses one-fourth and Den
mark one-third Of the sum paid out by
the unions in unemployment benefits.
The salient features of the unem-
ployed insurance statute of the city of
Strassburg are the following:
every unemployed who belongs to
trade union or an association of en-
ployees that pays unemployed benefits
gets from the city an additional allow
ance.
1.-THE city pays an allowance only
in cases of involuntary unemployment
If unemployment is caused by strikes,
lockouts or their consequences, by ill
ness, accident or invalidity, the city
is not obliged to pay.
"The aid Of the city amounts to 80
per cent of the sum paid by above
associations In other words, If the
person unemployed draws so cents
from the trade union fund the city
adds 25 cents to the sum. However,
the allowance of the city cannot ex-
coed 25 cents a day.
eff the person unemployed is pro-
vided with suitable work the city stops
the payment of the allowance. Unmar-
ried people must accept work outside
the town If special circumstances do
not initiate against it.
"Only such unions and associations
have a claim upon the aid of the city
which have an organized unemployed
benefit service for their members and
which ask the Office of the mayor for
the aid of the city and accept the
statutes of this unemployment ordi-
nance"
The results attained in Strassburg
are so satisfying and encouraging that
the unions of such a great industrial
city as Berlin, where during the last
industrial crisis more than $4,000 or
ganized workers were without work,
have unanimously directed their repre-
sentatives to take steps for the reah-
cation of a similar institution in that
city.-Twentieth Century Magazine.