The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1953-01-30
Continued from page onel

StanISy uiVi
tana Federation of Labor executive
board, stressed the Importance of al
adequate law to businessmen, show
ING how adversely the purchasing
power of families of disabled men is
affected by the present law. On 9
dollar and cents basis he pointed out
that the approximately 10000 men
disabled in 1852 will cost the COM
pensation fund an estimated $3,000,-
600, and that, according to author
tiles in the field, this first cost
amounted to only about 20 per cent
of the total loss to the state. Loss
of purchasing power, trained per-
sonnet, production time, ETC., will
add another $12 million loss to the
economy of Montana because of
those $4,000 accidents.
Thurston further emphasized that
Montana workers want Health, Not
Handouts; that they want safe con-
ditions under which to work; that
one proven way to materially in
crease job safety was to increase
compensation payments. Increased
benefits not only hasten safety eff
forts of employers, but, in turn then
reduce compensation prem i u m
charges against employers. In Cali
fornia, for example, before 1851,
maximum weekly benefits were S35
and mining companies were paying
insurance premiums in excess of
seven dollars per one hundred dol
lars of payroll. Since 1851, maxi
mum weekly benefits have been in
creased to $685., and mine oper-
ator premiums have dropped to a |
little over five dollars. Installation |
of safer equipment has brought
lower frequency of accidents, and |
thus reduced the cost of compen-
sation to employers of miners.
Thurston also told the committee ,
to bear in mind that all state en-
plOyers are cover under the |
compensation act and recalled the
case Of Highway Patrolmen Roy
Wright who was shot while attempt
ing to arrest a criminal. Wright's
spinal column was severed and he
will be flat on his back the rest of
his life, yet, his family can receive
compensation for maximum of 500 |
weeks, if hospital and medical costs
do not materially reduce the amount
to this man who was work
ing in the interests of all of US at
the time he was wounded.
Robert Weller, business represent
alive, Montana District Council
Lumber & Sawmill Workers, told
the legislators OF the hazards to
workers in the lumber industry and
the Importance of re
Mobilization of the disabled. Weller
also cited cases of men permanently
disabled who, if disqualification and
medical expense don't eat up all their
will receive a maxi
mum of 500 weeks benefits, although
heir life expectancy is much longer
than " years.
Recalling Labor's long fight for
? decent compensation act, We'll
Ter told the legislators: Thanks
to last years initiative, the people
of Montana now know about COM
pensation. A lot of people are
watching HB 49 and will want to
know if you gave serious consider
alton to this bill that makes a
real attempt to improve the act"
Ernest Salvas, IUMM&SW repre-
tentative, told the legislators he was
| director of the Montana Safety
Council, an employer-employe, gen
eral public organization. Salvas /
briefly outlined the recommends |
ions of the 1852 safety council |
Meeting and the Governors Safety |
Conference, and emphasized how i'm
oortant safe working conditions are
to be by both manage
nent and labor participants in the
council.
Salvas also compared the pro- /
visions of HB 40 with the recon- Il
nendations of the U. S. Department
If Labor, and indicated that HB 40 Il
s substantially in line with every /
by that federal II
agency. H
E. F. English, chairman of Mon II
ana State aoic1a tive Go,,o,,o;++oo e III