The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-15
BONUSES and PAY
BASED ON MERIT
ATTRACT WORKERS
Company Wins Loyalty of Men
by Recognizing Ability
and Service.
INSURES LIVES OF ITS men
Wage Rate Limited by Capability Only,
but Cannot Fall Below Fixed Mini
mum-Workers Promoted From One
Glass to Another.

but Cannot Fall Below Fixed Mini
mum-Workers Promoted From One
Glass to Another.
By recognizing individual effort on
the part of its employees and by re-
warding them literally for faithful
ness and industry a big machine tool
company in Connecticut has succeeded
In solving practically all the Tabor
problems incidental to the manage
ment of large manufacturing plant.
So effective is the system adopted by
the company that in a tribe over a
year it increased its working force
from $50 to over 400 hands, and that,
too, In the highest labor market, this
country has ever known in the metal
working industries.
But this was not the only wonder
accomplished. By perfecting the plan
SO that it gave even greater incentive
to labor initiative able workers were
attracted to the plant and remained
there, so that gradually the coming
and going of laborers, with the attend
ant waste, ceased and a permanent
working staff of about LOO men re-
manned. Moreover, records prove that
these !, 100 men turned out more work
than the 1.4OO employed by the firm at
the zenith of its hiring experience.
:, The basis of the system which work
ed all these reforms in the tool plant
is the well esta blished rule that the
highest priced man does the best and
most work and the short time man
causes a direct loss Thus the elimi-
nation of the hiring and firing evil
in the plant In question resulted, as 1t
usually does, In increased output, de-
creased spoilage of work and decreased
spoilage Of tools.
Methods Used to Hold Good Men.
The company employs four methods
to SECURE and retain the most profit
able type of workmen. It has in OPP
Grafton a ''maxi-pay" wage plan, pro
duction bonus, a service bonus and an
attractive form Of insurance. From
time to time happily worded pieces of
literature are distributed to the work
men to call attention to some. phase of
cooperation.
The ''maxi-pay' plan offers full op-
portunity for advancement along def
mite lines to those showing ability, pro-
vides a wage rate limited only by abil-
fty and occupation and advances wages
in recognition Of ability. The work
men are divided into these classes:
Glass IA includes sub-foremen and
leaders In charge Of working gangs OF
mechanics, and, so far as possible, all
foremen and shop executives are Sc
lected from this class. The minimum
rate per hour Is 65 cents, but the maxi
mum rate is dependent on ability.
Glass A includes skilled mechanics Of
demonstrated ability with minimum
rate of 80 cents per hour and the pos
sibility of a higher maximum rate.
Glass B includes mechanics of good
average ability, and the rate is 45 cents
per hour Mechanics of limited expert
ence are placed In Glass G.. The rate
per hour for this class is 40 cents.
Apprentices, both special and regular,
are included in Glass D. Men from this
class upon completing their courses are
advanced to. the class determined by
computing their average efficiency rec
ords over the last three months Of their
apprenticeship.
In Glass e Is found labor of all kinds,
skilled Or unskilled, which Is not di.
rectly productive. The minimum rate
per hour is 30 cents, but the maximum
is dependent upon ability and occupa-
ton. In the employment of men OF
this class preference is given to those
who speak and write English and who
show qualities which will later war
rant advancement. This "maxf-pay"
plan has been, In successful operation
since May Is, 1916.
Reward For Skill and Service.
A production bonus which was in.
1916, provides extra compensation fol
employees who can beat the standard
time set for the turning out of the va
rious pieces.
OF course the basis of efficiency va
ries according to the class rating OF
the operator. In the lowest class OF
productive employees, for instance, the
basis is set at Is per cent, and l pei
I
cent of wages is paid for each per cent
of efficiency above 70 per cent. The
records Of bonuses earned are used as
basis for advancement from one clas:
to another in the t'maxi-pay" rating.
An employee also gets bonus
amounting to 10 per cent of the weekly
wages he earns during the regular
hours Of operation.
Buys Insurance For Workers.
On Nov. IA, 1916, the company tool
| out group insurance for all workne1
who had been six months or more II
| the employ of the company.
| It can hardly be said that the sue
cess Of the system as whole Is du'
entirely to the technique Of the system
itsslf. Back of 1t Hes a wise selection
| of administrators who have won tn
confidence Of the men.-Indmstriol Con
serU0tioa, Nep York.
\ American soldiers and French
Poilus boxed four matches for purse
of tobacco not far from the firing line
According to an official Berlin state
ment the Allies lost 213 airplanes dur
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