Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1912-11-16
AWARDS FOR
PHONE WORKERS
stO,OOO,OOO Fund Set Apart
For Pensions and Insurance
GOES INTO EFFECT JAN.

by Accident, Sickness, and For Life
Insurance Payable to Dependents
Most Complete Plan Ever Applied
Anywhere
On Jan. /. 1913, $40 900 900 fund
will be applicable to pensions, sick
ness and accident benefits, and life
insurance for all employees of the Bell
telephone system and associated i'm
terests. including therein the Western
Unior Telegraph company and the
Yves Electric company.
g the associated companies
cd are the New England Tele-
phone and Telegraph company and
its allied companies, which will sup
PIGMENT their present pension plan by
tho substitution OF this much broader
proposition. II is the intention, how
over, that the status Of those already
pensioned shall not be affected.
The plan for the distribution OF this
fund has been characterized as
the most liberal, comprehensive
and ideal ever inaugurated. Presi-
dent Vail has provided combined
benefits for approximation, sickness.
accident and death, for an Industrial
army more than twica as large as the
standing army of the United States.
This provision 10 made entirely at
the expense of the various companies
Interested. without contributions Of
any kind from the employees them
selves. The application OF these
varied benefits will be strictly demo-
cratic and will be for the benefit of
employees OF every rank.
The terms by which provision is
made for the needs OF age, illness,
accidents and death. may be sum-
married. as follows:
Pensions: Male employees who have
reached the age of 60 years and who
have been twenty years in service,
may retire ON pensions. They may
be retired at the option Of the COM
pany when they have reached the age
of 55 years and have been twenty Ave
years In service. The pension age of
female employees is In each case FIVE
years younger than that of male en-
pioyes. Any employe who has been
thirty years In service, regardless OF
age. may be pensioned ON the APP
proval OF the president of the COM
pany.
The amount Of the pension Is auto
matically based on the years of SER
vice and the amount of pay, and will
be percent Of the average annual
pay for ten years. multiplied by the
number of years OF service. There
fore. man who had been thirty
years in service would get 80 percent
Of the average salary which he had
been receiving during his last ten
years OF service. No pension will be
less than $40 a month.
Accident Disability Benefits: In the
case OF accidents occurring In and due
t. the performance of work for the
company. the employe will receive.
for total disability, full pay for thir-
teen weeks and half pay for the re-
Of disability, up to six years.
II the disability is temporary, he
will receive full pay for thirteen
weeks and half pay until able to earn
\ livelihood, not exceeding six years. >
sickness Disability Benefits: EN-
ployes who are disabled by sickness,
or by accident outside of the regular
course OF duty after ten years in SER
vice. will receive full pay for thir-
teen weeks and half pay for thirty
nine weeks; IL from ave to ten years
In service, full pay for thirteen weeks
and half pay for thirteen weeks; IL
rom two to ave years In service. full
pay for four weeks aud half pay for
iine weeks. In the case of employees
who have not been two years In SER
nee. heads of departments will be
permitted the same discretion as here
'oSore, In continuing pay during tenn
porary Illness.
Life Insurance: In the case OF death
from accident in and due to
Of work for the COM
,any, an Insurance amounting to
hree years pay will be paid to the
iependants OF the employe. the maxi
num payment being $4,000.
In the case Of death resulting from
or from accident outside the
,usiness, the payment win be one
fear's pay for employees who have
,een ten years in service. and one
,aif OF one years pay for employees
Who have been from five to ten years
n service, tho maximum payment be-
ms $1,000.
The American Telephone and Tele-
'raph company has set aside from it's
surplus q fund which provides for
hose whom 1t directly employs, and
Ilso provides a reserve, upon which,
'nder certain conditions, the assoc
dated companies may draw. This
und IL supplemented by funds set
side by each local company. The |
otal appropriations will aggregate
more than $40, 900 200.
me benefits, IL is estimated, will
ost annually 81. 900 900 more than
he present payments ON this ac-
cunt.
Mrs. Bert Semple Of Woodlord