Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1926-02-26
Relief Plan of Bricklayers
Provides Generous Aid
For 2,776 LabOrers

r., International Labor News Service.
washington, Feb. l0.-Figures jus
e,a+e pubic Tor the first time show
ia. operation Of the benefit system
s5opted in January, 1914, by the
Rrieklayers, Masons and Plasterers
International Union. According u
Secretary John J. Gleeson, there are
now 2.7l6 men and women drawing
aeeklv bnefits through the relief de
rartment OF the organization.
OF the total number OF persons
drawing benefits, 676 are widows,
Job are members drawing cid age
benefits and 7 are members drawing
disability benefits. Each beneficiary
in all classifieations draws 81 per
Wek. The total amount being paid out
in benefits per week Is Sl9,432. These
we're the figures as of December 81.
system Authorized in 1911.
The benefit or relief system was
adopted by the Bricklayers, MaSons
and Plasterers' International Union at
us convention in January, 1914, and
vas put into effect i year later. An
assessment of 20 cents per member
or month was levied TO cover the cost
of operating the new department. In
1916 this was increased TO % cents
per member and in 1922 II was in
creased TO 20 cents. At the outset
the benefit paid was 50 per member
per week but in 1922 this was in
creased to 81, the present figure.
The retirement age is go years. III
is recognized, OF course, that the num-
br of members eligible TO retirement
bnetits will increase as the years pass
BY, but the actuarial probabilities were
taken INTO account when the fund was
established. The benefit paid upon
the death of member varies accord |
ing to the length of membership. The |
minimum amount is 500 A benefici- |
airy is entitled to this minimum a
mount If the deceased member had |
been on tn rolls of tn organization
six months. The moftuary benefit in
creases as follows: $3.50 after a MEM |
bership oil one year, $500 after a mem |
bership of five years, and $500 is the |
maximum after membership of over
ten years.
Large Amount Paid Out.
There was in the treasury of the |
relief department at the beginning of
the current fiscal year 100000 while |
there was $265, 40S.47 in the mortuary
fund. The total amount of all bene-
fit and mortuary claims paid during
the last fiscal vear was 81, li9,779. |
For the last calendar year the amount |
of expenditures would be trifle larg- |
er than the figure for the fiscal year.
The expenditures from the relief fund
for the last six months of 1925 to-
tailed $48S,962.
In addition to the benefit system the
organization grants paid-up life MEM
bership cards to all who have held
continuous MEMBERSHIP for 80 years
and to soldier members totally disab-
led in the World war. Of the six vet
Grams who have applied for and have
received paid-up membership cards
three of them are residents of Cana
da two live in New York state and
one in Pennsylvania. There are 60
members holding paid-up life mem
bership cards following so years of
continuous active membership.
Plan Generous In Scope.
The relief plan of the Bricklayers,
Masons and Plasterers' International
Union is one of the most pretentious
in operation among trade unions In
the United States, bringing under its
protection directly and indirectly al
most half million men, women and
children and providing more gener-
ously than most labor organizations |
for their relief in time of need.