The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-01-13

| TdyHetts OF oiCN anu 6eatH DeHeHIs
Mainly For the Purpose of Strength
enine the organization-An Added
Incentive to Keep the Membership In
Good Standing.
| Lest there be some misconception In
| the minds of the members as to the
true functions Of the benefits paid by
| this union, we desire to outline our
| conception of the relation of the fra
ternal benefits paid to our members.
In the first place we wish to say that
1t was never intended that this union
should be purely sick and death
benefit society. We wish to make this
statement for the information of GER
tain members whose chief purpose in
belonging to the union seems to be to
draw sick benefit
This union was never intended to ex-
ist for its benefits, but on the contrary
the benefits were created and provided
for with the purpose Of strengthening
the union. In other words, instead of
the union serving beneficial purposes
as prime object, the object was that
the benefit plans should further and
serve the interest of the union.
The object in establishing and main
tanning the sick and death benefits
was to take care of the needy mem
bers In sickness and In death. There
are so many wage earners, especially
under factory conditions, who become
subject to disease or who become run
down in health, the shipwrecks of In
drtstf wto that that It It
devolves upon the trade union to help
them.
Prior to the adoption of high dues
and benefits by this union in the year
1899 the only assistance usually rem
dered to shoe workers who were inca
pacitated from work by sickness was
In extreme cases, and then only by
popular subscription. The popular sub.
scription plan meant that when the
sick member was popular he was as
sisted-perhaps- but If he had not won
friends who would take the trouble to
start subscription movement In his
behalf he was plunged into restitution
without aid.
Moreover the subscription plan
smacks somewhat Of charity, while the
plan of regular benefits is not so faint
ed. In this union. when member pays
dues. payment Is made for the limited
amount Of sick and death insurance
that we offer, and so If member be-
comes Ill or dies and the claim comes
within the law Of the organization the
member has a right to the benefits pro.
vided and 1t is not charity in any
sense.
But still 1t must be remembered that
the benefits were created for the mem
bers with the main purpose In mind of
Strengthening the union by taking care
Of Its members in distress and thus ce-
menting the membership together more
strongly. 1t was intended as an added
incentive for members to keep them
selves In good standing with the union
SO that the union might be stronger in
caring for the interests of the members
In their everyday wage working life.
Now, while the member that has paid
dues and becomes legitimately sick and
puts In a call strictly In accord with
our laws governing sick benefit and
the rules governing the same is en-.
titled to the amount of sick benefit pro-
vided, and the union wants to pay 1t
because 1t was SO intended, when sick
claims that are manufactured or fraud
ulent are presented for payment 1t is
reasonable to the interests of the
union and all of its members. because
1t means nothing more nor less than a
raid upon the union treasury and a
sapping Of its financial resources by
unworthy members. q
Provided the Claims are just, there is
no disposition to quarrel over the
amount. The more the union pays out
on just claims the better it is, but
there is no reason why sick claims
should multiply in dull times. 1t may
be distressing to be out of employment,
but to say that lack of employment
makes twice as many members sick is
carrying 1t little far. We want to
warn the members of this union
against permitting an undue increase
of sick claims due principally to the
fact that more members are at any
time out Of work. Remember that the
benefits were created for the assistance
OF the union and that it was never In
tended that the union should be sacri-
feed to its benefits or to unworthy
claims on the same.