Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-11-11
BELL employees
TO Be PENSIONED

and Telegraph company, numbering
more than 10000, were officially noti-
fed yesterday of the inauguration OF
a permanent pension and insurance
system affecting the Chicago Tele-
phone company and the Western
Electric company.
The American Telephone and Tele-
graph companys subsidiaries provide
employment for about 175,000 people.
OF this number 10000 are employees
Of the Bell Telephone system. The
total yearly pay for the whole group
is about S155, 100000, something over
$50 100000 being paid out in wages
by the Bell Telephone system alone.
a fund of $4,000, 900 has been pro- .
vided and will be made available Jan. .
], 1913, for the pensions, SICK Dene- I
fits and life accident insurance. This
fund, according to the announcement
Of President Thomas y. Vail OF the
Telephone and Telegraph company,
will be made good from year to year
through appropriations by the various
associated companies. Employees will
not be called upon to contribute one
cent
If any state statutes provide for
more liberal compensation than is pro-
v'ded under the benefit plan, the
statutory provision will prevail.
Where the employees have legal rights.
as in some accident cases, they will
have the option of exercising such
rights or accepting the companys
{ benefits.
The pension plan, which with the
irFurance and disability plans, is the
same in all the companies, provides
for a pension per annum of per cent
Of the average annual pay during the
ten years next preceding retirement
multiplied by the number Of years in
service. For instance, a man with 30
Years of service behind him would re-
ceive a pension equal TO 80 per cent
OF the average amount earned annual
" by him during the ten years pre-
ceding his application for the bene-
fit.
Disability in the performance OF
duty will be met with full pay for 13
weeks and half pay until able to earn
a livelihood, the time not to exceed
six years. Disability not in the per
Torrance Of duty will be met with
graduated compensation, depending
on the length of service of the EN-
, ploye.
All employees having relatives de
pendent on them VIII be entitled tC
Insurance against death by accident
occurring in and due to the perform
ance of work for the company In the
sum Of three years wages rot n eX
cess of a total amount of $4,000, pay
eble to their dependent relatives.
= All employees having relatives de
: pendent on them, and who have beer
FIVE years in the service, will be en-
3 titled to insurance against death II
T a sum equal to six months wages
3 y hen the term of employment ha
\ been from FIVE to ten years, and L
{ ore years wages when the term o
+ employment has been ten years o
r mere, with maximum of $1,000 L
e either case. Such insurance to b
y paid to the dependent relatives lei
8 by the employe.
d President Bernard Z. Sunny of tn
d Chicago Telephone company, in con
d renting on the plan, said:
& THE five Bell Telephone con
l. ranies with headquarters in Chicag
X the Chicago Telephone compan,
Central Union Telephone compan,
tie Cleveland Telephone compan
Michigan State Telephone compan
& and Wisconsin Telephone company
W will adopt the pension, disability be
n Gifts and insurance plan in behalf
e. their employees.
y The approximate number OF Ell
I'd pIoyes in the five companies opera
irg in the five states of Illinois, WI
Y' ccnsin, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio
$4,000
n. THE telephone companies a
I'd among the largest employers OF laD
IN ard the pay rolls are unusually larg
n, III. equivalent of so per cent OF Il
a erCss receipts. This is a larger d
nd tribution of the gross revenue amor
employees than any other industry.
THE pension, disability and inst
auce plan now put out by the te
Dbope companies is another eVideh
nj their determination to retain [
~ services of their employees who c
give the best results and to look an
- these employees when they are q
i abled or are no longer able TO wori
hu The administration of the funds "
uu he in the hands of an employees bel
1r committee of five, to be appoint
hy the board OF directors OF each
sCciated company.
IAN Greenfield. Ind-Guy Stuart is IN ]