Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1912-08-22
BENEFIT ASSN.
TO REORGAN|zE
Or DISSOLVE
Compulsory Compensation
Act Interferes with Pres
emf Workings of Or
ganiZatiOn


legislature of the compulsory com
pensation act, a crisis has been
brought about in the affairs of the
Employees Benefit Association, com
posed OF employees of the Copper
| Queen Consolidated Mining company.
While this association is composed
of employees of the company in its
several departments, and is a kind of
mutual insurance company, its sta
bility in the past has been largely
due 10 the fact that the company has
contributed $4,000 annually to rhe
insurance fund OF the association. In
this the local company's object was
solely to further the welfare OF its
employees, there being no strings to
the annual contribution.
theoretically, there was a string,
| In that the company bound itself TO
contribute that sum as long as the
membership of the association com
prised - per cent of the employees
of the company. According to a let
ter addressed to the members of the
association by A. Ridgway, trustee
| for the miners on the board OF d.
rectors. this percentage of the en-
ployes has never Joined the associa-
ton Notwithstanding this, the COM
pany, every year since the oTganiZa-
ton, has contributed the full sum of
SIS. 600.
The compulsory compensation law
compels the trustees of the Employees
Benefit Association to propose a plan
for the reorganization of the asso-
citation inasmuch as under the pro
visions of the law when it be be.
comes operative, certain accident
benefits heretofore afforded by the
/ association. become obligatory on
the Copper Queen Consolidated Min
| ing company.
The situation is clearly and frankly
stated to the members Of the asso-
| citation in q letter that was mailed
| to each member yesterday by the
board of trustees. The issue now
/ before the miners and other men who
are privileged 20 Join the association
| is whether they will dissolve the as
sociation to reorganize il to meet the
! changed conditions under the COM
/ pulsory compensation law. Ballots
/ have been distributed among the
members. and they are now voting on
| this issue The Copper Queen COM
pany has generously agreed to con-
/ tinue its patronage, and has offered
/ TO contribute $500 annually. provid-
ed that the average membership
| equals % per cent OF the total work
ing force in any year, excluding
| MexIcans.
Contributions payable by the men,
| hers who are employees of the COM
pany will. under the company's pro-
/ pOsal, be reduced from per cent 70
/ Is per cent of the wages at the daily
rate of pay for the total number of
DAYS in each calendar month which
I It is estimated will be sufficient. with
| the contribution from the company,
\ to meet all obligations for benefits
| and expenses. This estimate IS
based on computations Of the work
/ ing of the association for the last two
/ and one half years. 1t is also esti-
| mated that this will maintain and
/ perhaps increase the present surplus
/ of S21. 600. This is the proposition
that is submitted the members OF
the organization by the board OF
/ trustees.
After sufficient time has been al
| lowed for voting, the vote will be can
yassed and declared.
Benefits 10 members of the organi-
cation will he as follows: For death
occurring from accident at outside
employment formerly two years
wages). one years wages; death from
4 natural causes. ore years wages ;
sick benefits, half wages for one
wear: accidents sustained on duty and
disabling for two weeks, half wages
for the period.
Since its inception January 1. 1910
the association has received incontri
buttons from members only. Sos,
509.37, and the Copper Queen com
pany has contributed s62.500. Elm
mating the benefits which during this
period would have accrued to the
members from the operation OF the
compulsory compensation act, II Il
had been in force. IL appears that
benefits totalling ss0,1s41O would not
have been afforded by the compen
sation act. In addition to this. mem
bers Of the association have received
benefits covered By the compensation
act amounting TO ss4.sss.12.
A comparison of the benefits offered
employees under the plan of reorgani
cation and the provisions Of the com
pulsory compensation act, shows tina
! tle dSSOcidllOu- diueu Dy Nae I'm
J pany, Is more generous than the Law
in the respect of protection.
! The law provides a maximum com
, pensation of $4,000 for death by acct
dent II death occurs within st
, months from the time Of the accident
|. the basfs Of compensation being 2
, 400 times the daily rate of pay. Il
cases of accident disabling for
. longer period than two weeks. one
half time as long as disability lasts
! but not TO exceed total Of $500
; in any case. But for death fror
natural causes. sickness OF any kind
for minor injuries disabling less thai
! two weeks. for injuries received Will
Q not at work and for fatal injurie
! while not al work, the law allow
r nothing For fatal injmy tos any on
l. not having dependent relatives, burfa
: terminates the Obligation OF the en-
ploger. When a victim OF an acc
dent leaves a widow OF children, III
S money ia paced N the hands of a
- administrator and its use restricte
4 by conditions.
d in accident or sickness where tn
n law fails tn afford raliaf III oeQ0ri,