United labor bulletin., 1912-07-25
LABOR NEWS OF INTEREST
DoINGs IN THE LABOR WORLD
GATHERED HERE AND ABROAD
BRITISH WoRkMEN's INSURANCE
ACT.

The labor group in the British house
OF parliament, in cooperation with David
Lloyd George, chancellor of the ex-
chequer, are quite elated at the pros
poets of the good effects anticipated
from the working out of the Insurance
Act, which went into effect July 10, and
is another step in the great forward
movement which began with the Com
pensation Act and the Old Age Pension
measure. Mr.. George says: THE In
surance Act will help the mother at
child birth and will inaugurate a great
national campaign against consumption
Instead of devoting our strength to fight
our neighbors abroad, we are now going
to organize to fight social evils at home.
l am convinced that it will be hailed
throughout the whole country as one of
the most beneficent measures ever en-
acted by the people, and now that it
will soon be in full operation we intend
to press forward and put all hands to
the great work of freeing the land which
was meant for the use of the many, but
which has drifted into the hands of the
few. We must free it for the people and
for their children forever" This act in
sures against sickness and invalidity
In seven selected industries it insures
against unemployment The principal
features of the act are: % 1t applies
to the whole of the industrial popula-
ton, including the army, navy and mer-
camille marine. (2) Insurance is COM
pulsory for all employed persons in re-
ceipt of wages or salaries. go Its ad-
ministrative machinery is largely in the
hands of the people insured-in the
main, trade unions and fraternal organ
izations. (4) The rates of contribution
and benefits are the same for all en-
ployed persons, regardless of age, pro-
vided they come into the scheme before
July, 1913. (5) The cost is divided
among employers who will pay six cents
per employe per week, the employe who
will pay eight cents per week, and the
government which will. pay four cents
per person per week. (6) The act does
not interfere with the existing "Compen-
sation for Injuries" Act, or the Employ
ers Liability" law. ca 1t is preliminary
to the Old Age Pension Act, persons
reaching the age of 20 coming under the
provisions of the Old Age Pension Law.
(S) 1t makes special provision for
women at the time of child birth. (9)
1t involves a special effort to deal with
tuberculosis. Q0) 1t provides for the
preservation, and will stimulate the
growth of existing organizations like
trade unions and fraternal organizations
promoted to advance thrift and cooper
ative self help. Old Its compulsory
features will be particularly helpful to
those who heretofore have been short
sighted and thriftless. 1t will also pre-
vent wholesale imposition formerly prac-
ticed upon people by private insurance
companies. (12) 1t will open the door
to broad International scheme of COM
pulsory insurance for all workers in all
countries by admitting transfers to and
from foreign countries with which spe-
cal arrangements may be made. The
selected industries against unemploy-
ment are those in the building and en-
gineering trades, designedly chosen for
the experiment because of their especial
irregularity of operation. more than
fourteen million men and women will
be included at the very outset The in
itial cost of government sanitoria will
be s7,500,O00 and the annual allowance
for upkeep and maintenance will be S5.-
100000.