The financial operations and benefit features of trade unions are shown for only 100 of the principal organizations. These in 189 comprised 1,117,465 members, or 62 per cent of the total trade-union membership reported. The following statement shows the financial operations of the 100 principal trade unions for the eight years 18 22 to 1899: FINANCIAL OPERATIONS OF 100 PRINCIPAL TRADE UNIONS, 1892 to 1899. The figures show an increase in the funds at end of year, and in total membership, but a decrease in the income and expenditures. This decrease is attributed to the comparative freedom of the year from large disputes. The total expenditures of the 100 unions in 1899 were £1,279,506 (86,226,716), or 22s. 10 d. ($5.57) per member. This was expended mostly on various kinds of benefits, the nature and amount of which varied considerably in the different unions. All unions pay dispute benefits, a few paying this class of benefit only. Of the 100 principal unions, 71 paid unemployed or traveling benefits, 65 paid sick or accident benefits, 41 paid superannuation benefits, and 88 paid funeral benefits. There were 19 unions which paid all classes of benefits. The following tables show the total expenditures and the amount expended per member on each of the various benefits during each of the years 1892 to 1899. EXPENDITURES OF 100 PRINCIPAL TRADE UNIONS ON VARIOUS BENEFITS, ETC., 192 a In a few cases it was not possible to separate a certain amount of unemployed benefit from dispute benefit. bIncludes grants to members, grants from one society to another, payments to federations, trade councils, congresses, etc. 368,409 $332,318 members. expenses. $383,519 $1, 234, 534 1,350, 901 365,966 298,574 1,228,694 385,636 558,100 1,525,837 405,993 500,510 1,486, 229 454, 419 338,465 1,574, 405 EXPENDITURES PER MEMBER OF 100 PRINCIPAL TRADE UNIONS ON VARIOUS BENEFITS, ETC., 1892 TO 1859. [The expenditure per member is calculated on the basis of the total membership of the 100 principal trade unions, and not on the membership of the unions paying the particular classes of benefits.] a In a few cases it was not possible to separate a certain amount of unemployed benefit from dispute benefit. bIncludes grants to members, grants from one society to another, payments to federations, trade councils, congresses, etc. A comparison of the items of expenditures during the eight-year period shows a steady growth of expenditures per member on superannuation benefits, marked variations in the expenditures for dispute and unemployed benefits, and a comparatively uniform cost per head for sickness and accident, funeral, and other benefits and grants to members. The expenditures per head for dispute benefits and for unemployed, traveling, and emigration benefits in 1899 were smaller than during any year of the eight-year period. The other forms of labor organizations considered in the present report are trade councils and federations of trade unions. These institutions have been defined in the digests of earlier reports. The following table shows the distribution of federations according to groups of industries and the trade councils for the years 1896 to 1899: FEDERATIONS OF TRADE UNIONS AND TRADE COUNCILS, 1896 TO 1899. The number of federations of trade unions reported in 1899 was 112, with an affiliated gross membership of 1,518,780, as compared with 993,511 in 1898. This large increase in membership was chiefly due to the formation of the general federation of trade unions in 1899. Owing to duplications arising from the fact that the same unions are sometimes affiliated with more than one federation, the gross membership is much larger than the actual number of individuals represented. Federations were most numerous in the building trades, but the largest federation membership was reported in the group of mining. The general federation of trade unions represents a membership of 373,290. There were 154 trade councils reported in 1899, representing a total membership of 687,008 persons. The report also contains a chapter giving an analysis of the financial rules of the principal trade unions, and showing in tabular form for each union the age qualifications, entrance fees, and weekly contributions of members, and the amount of dispute and various friendly benefits paid to those entitled to the same. Statistics of Proccedings under the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1897, and the Employers' Liability Act, 1880, during the year 1899. 38 pp. (Published by the Home Office.) This report contains such statistical information as the Home Office could collect with regard to the workings of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1897, and the Employers' Liability Act, 1880, during the year 1899. It shows for each of the countries, England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, statistics regarding the cases of arbitration under the Workmen's Compensation Act in the county or sheriff courts and memoranda registered in the same, the number and results of actions in county or sheriff courts under the Employers' Liability Act, statistics of the proceedings of each court, appeals to higher courts under each act, and a list of appeals under the Workmen's Compensation Act. As these statistics cover only cases which have come before the court-, they leave untouched the great body of cases in which compensation was settled by agreement and by informal arbitration. A summary statement of the more important statistics relating to cases under the Workmen's Compensation Act in England and Wales in 1898 and 1899, and a copy of the act itself, have been published in a recent article in the Bulletin.() In the two tables following are given the statistics contained in the report in relation to cases coming before the courts under the Workmen's Compensation Act and under the Employers' Liability Act, respectively, during the year 1899, in England and Wales, Scotland, and Ireland: a The British Workmen's Compensation Act and its operation. Bulletin No. 32, pp. 103-132. CASES OF ARBITRATION DURING 1899 IN COUNTY OR SHERIFF COURTS UNDER THE WORKMEN'S COMPENSATION ACT, 1897. [In England and Ireland cases are brought in the county courts; in Scotland in the sheriff courts.] CASES DURING 1899 UNDER EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY ACT, 1880. In England and Wales, of the 1,347 cases under the Workmen's Compensation Act during 1899, coming before the county courts, 828 were decided by award of the judge, 98 by award of an arbitrator, and 73 by acceptance of money paid into court. The remaining 348 cases were withdrawn, settled out of court, or otherwise disposed of. Of the 999 cases settled within the cognizance of the court, 246 were in favor of the defendant and 753 were in favor of the plaintiff. In 317 cases lump sums amounting to £40,907 16s. 11d. (199,078.03) were awarded. These were mostly cases of deaths. In 418 cases, weekly payments were awarded. These were all cases of total or partial disability. Of the 1,347 cases coming before the courts, 357 related to deaths, 374 to total disability, and 616 to partial disability. Of the 505 cases under the Employers' Liability Act coming before the county courts during 1899, 153 were decided in favor of the plaintiff, 91 in favor of the defendant, 1 was removed to a higher court, and 260 were otherwise disposed of. Damages were awarded in 153 cases, aggregating £10,679 16s. 10d. ($51,973.45). The number of cases under this act show a considerable decrease since the enforcement of the Workmen's Compensation Act, namely, from 688 in 1897 to 681 in 1898 and 505 in 1899. The solicitors' costs awarded amounted to £5,932 8s. 5d. ($28,870.12) in 506 cases under the Workmen's Compensation Act and to £3,715 9s. 11d. ($18,081.46) in 176 cases under the Employers' Liability Act. In Scotland, of the 292 cases under the Workmen's Compensation Act during 1899, coming before the sheriff courts, 184 were decided by award of the judge and 108 were withdrawn or otherwise settled out of court. Of the 184 cases settled in court 80 were in favor of the . 100 in favor of the plaintiff, and 4 were cases at avizandum. |