The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-03-19
PROMOTE HAPPY. FAMILY PLAN" IN
 BIG CORPORATION
Great Industry Recognizes Value of Shop Comit-
 tee and Fosters It

For more than year large and l progressive industrial corporation
 with plants scattered over a large
 territory in several states of the southwest has been improving it's re-
 lations with it's employees through the
 medium of a so-calledj industrial rep resentation plan-an industrial con-
 stitution drawn on basis or democ-
 racy and mutual confidence between | the head of the company ana the
 workmen who number from l0,0OO to
 12,O0O.
 | To deal with the diverse interests
 of such vast body of men is seri- ous task involving stern responslblh- ties. Nevertheless the company,
 through it's representation plan, has
 not only carried on social and indus
 trial betterment work on compre-
 hensive scale but has succeeded in settling all grievances without fr1c-
 ton and without interference from
 the outside. During the year several increases in pay have been made up-
 on the initiative of the company. | Altogether the plan has demonstra- l ted itself to an important forward
 step in the establishment of amicable relations between all the factors in in-
 dustry "A more widespread adoption
 of such schemes in plants and factor
 ies is heartily recommended by the
 broad minded manufacturers of the country who have started the Nation al Industrial Conservation Movement
 for the purpose of getting employers
 and employees together. The suppor- ters of the conservation movement
 realize that the captain of industry and the workingman must fight shoulder to shoulder to protect Ameri can industry against conditions that are sure to prevail after the war. Workers Elect Representatives 1 The Industrial Representation plan l was adopted in it's present form by l the directors of the company and by 1 a referendum vote of the workmen. l By secret ballot the workmen in the 1 companyS various plants select repre- sentatives who act as their authorized agents in all matter pertaining to em- l ployment, living and working cOndl- tions the adjustment of differences, and other matters of mutual concern | and interest. On the other hand, the president keeps in direct touch with l the workmen through officers known as presidents industrial representa- I lives. a Employees have been made to un- derstand that they are absolutely free to present all their grievances even 1 though they involve charges against the foremen or superintendents under whom they work. Through the work mems representatives the complaints are referred to the presidents indus | trial representatives, who in turn in- vestigate them carefully and report | their findings to detail to the presi- dent
 In every case the grievances have been investigated fearlessly and inn partially and adjustments have been
 made on a strict basis of fairness, ir-
 respective of whether the award was ! in favor of the workman or the com pany official The workman dissatis- fled with the decision of the presi- dents industrial representatives, can
 appeal to the company in consecutive order up to the president. Then, if
 he still feels that he has not received full justice, he can carry his case to the joint committee on Industrial Co.,
 operation and conciliation, comprised
 of both employees representatives and | the company's representations, and | finally to the State Industrial Com-
 mission.
 l Confer on Wage Increases
 Under the industrial constitution | drawn up matters of wages, hours of l service and other vital factors in the
 company's relations with it's employees are settled by a written contract. In- creases in wages are worked out in
 conference between company officials
 and the workmen's representatives. In all matters of industrial better
 ment the employees representatives
 play an important part. They are as- 1 signed to joint committees on which l they serve with representatives of the company. The names of these com
 mittees- Safety and Accidents, Sani- tation, Health and Housing, and Rec reation and Education-give an ade- I quate idea of the broad scope of the Fl company's interest in it's employees. To carry out the schemes endorsed by the committees the company has Il spent money and effort unstintingly, \ although it has always avoided any semblance of paterna1ism.
 Since the inauguration of the plan
 the company has enlarged it's pre-
 vious program of providing model
 homes for it's employees who, live on fencing, free of charge, each en- ploye's home. A series of prizes is given every year for the cultivation of lawns and gardens. Many of the workers own their own automobiles. At the plants garages have been pro- vided, with stalls rented to employees