The Irish standard., 1915-04-03
The Trade Union and Social Insur.
ance-The Catholic FraternaI and
Trade Union Natural Allies.


gress held during the sessions of the
American Federation of Catholic So
cieties Mt Baltimore last September,
the position was taken that the state
shall not undertake to do for societies
what societies are able to do for them
selves. This is the position assumed
by Pope Leo in his encyclicals. The
trade unions assume the same atti-
tude, as is plain from the statement
of Mr.. Hugh Frayne, Catholic New
York labor leader, who is in close
touch with the official heads of the
American labor movement.
Nearly All Unions Have Insurance
Features.
very few people are aware of what
trade unions have accomplished in this
regard, unless directly connected with
them or having some business or fra
ternal relation to them.
During the past twenty-five years,
practically every trades union-that is,
national or international union-has
adopted and put in operation some
form of benefit to help their members,
other than that of establishing better
working conditions and general i'm
provement in their employment; aside
from the shortening of the hours of
labor; aside from the increasing of
wage standards; the establishment of
sanitation, factory regulations, safety
appliances; the promotion and estab-
lishment of legislation for the better
protection of the working people gen.
orally. They have established benefi-
cial features and have borne the re-
sponsibilities, the burdens, of this work
practically unknown to the rest of the
world.
The Cigar Makers.
"The Cigar Makers International
union has paid in total benefits to its
members in thirty-three years the sum
of $1O,7S4,195.55. This has been given
in sick benefits, death benefits, and
the out-of-work benefit. Might men.
ton that the cigar makers, as well as
others, have established in their work
shops, side by side with women and
men working, the same hours of labor,
the same conditions under which they
work, equal pay, equal rights, equal
privileges, equal conditions. And the
same thing applies to the Topographic
cal union, the bookbinders, in which
there are large number of women
employed, showing that there is no
discrimination, with absolute equal
rights and equal privileges, irrespec-
tive of sex.
The Printers.
"The International Typographical
union has been in existence nearly
sixty years, and has approximately
10000 members in the United States
and Canada. They pay strike, sick
and death benefits, and also have a
approximation benefit of five dollars
per week for all members sixty years
of age or over. Twenty years good
standing membership entities the
member to enter the printers home
for the care of those affected with tu-
berculosis. This home is valued at
one million dollars today. They main.
tain employment bureaus for their
members and have commission on
technical education for their appren.
tees. In the last twelve years they
have paid out to members in benefits
of all kinds approximately five million
dollars.
aside from what our national
unions do, our local unions-that is in
local localities-are doing a tremen-
dous work in the way Of protecting
and taking care of their members,
aside from that of establishing better
working conditions.
The MouIders.
"The Iron Moulders' Union of North
America is one of our powerful inter-
national unions, conservative, careful,
and one that has gone along keeping
up to date in matters that bring about
better and more healthful conditions
for their members. Their sick benefit
was established on June LIST, 1896.
They pay sick benefits after a men,
bership Of six months for thirteen
weeks In any one year. Out-of-work
benefits are paid for the same period,
after the length of membership of six
months. Death benefits are paid after
a years membership from $3.50 to 5000.
Local unions pay $50 Immediately
to beneficiaries. That is so that there
will be no delay. If there happens
to be sickness for long period before
the members die, and that member
may have all Of the funds or resources
exhausted, they need immediate help.
The local union Immediately advances
$50 pending the arrival of the benefit
from the international headquarters.
which usually comes Immediately upon
notification; but lest there be suffer-
ing in the meantime, the local union
of the moulders furnishes immediate
help in the way Of this $50. They paid
out from June LIST, 1896, to June 30th.
1914, $780, 1855.
Street Car Men.