Fusataro Takano Papers |
Chicago, Ill. May 31, 1894
MR. F. TAKANO,
126 GOLD ST.,
BROOKLYN, N. Y.
DEAR SIR:--
REPLYING TO YOUR FAVOR OF THE 25TH INST., REFERENCE THE BENEFIT FEATURES CONNECTED WITH OUR ASSOCIATION, FIRST LET ME SAY, THE SYSTEM OF PAYING BENEFITS IN OUR ORGANIZATION COMMENCED NOVEMBER 1879; THAT IS THE LAW PROVIDING FOR BENEFIT WAS ADOPTED AT THAT TIME, BUT ONLY ONE BENEFIT, NAMELY: STRIKE BENEFIT WAS ADOPTED AT THAT TIME, AND NO BENEFITS WERE PAID FOR SIX MONTHS LATER.
THE NEXT BENEFIT OF ANY IMPORTANCE WAS ADOPTED IN 1881, NAMELY: THE SICK BENEFIT OF $4.00 PER WEEK. HOWEVER, NO BENEFITS WERE PAID FOR SIX MONTHS LATER. BUT, THE DUES WERE INCREASED TO 5¢ PER WEEK, AND, SO ON WE APPROVED. IN THE COURSE OF TEN YEARS, THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS: STRIKE, SICK, TRAVELING, DEATH AND OUT-OF-WORK.
WITH THE ADOPTION OF EACH BENEFIT WE INCREASED THE DUES 5¢ PER WEEK UNTIL WE NOW PAY 25¢ WEEKLY DUES AND A SEMI-ANNUAL SPECIAL TAX OF 50¢.
I AM OF THE OPINION THAT, ALL OF THESE BENEFITS, THAT WE NOW ENJOY, ARE TOO MUCH TO ADOPT AT ONCE, UNLESS YOU PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF HIGH DUES AND SET THE TIME THAT THE BENEFITS ACCRUE OR TO BE PAID SIX MONTH OR A YEAR LATER.
MY ADVICE, HOWEVER, WOULD BE TO ADOPT ONE OR TWO BENEFITS AT A TIME, SAY ONE OR TWO AT EACH ANNUAL CONVENTION.
WE HAVE NO SPECIAL FUND FOR EACH BENEFIT AS ALL THE DUES ARE PAID INTO ONE GENERAL FUND FROM WHICH ALL BENEFITS ARE PAID.
SECOND, I HAVE PRACTICALLY GIVEN YOU THE HISTORY IN THE FIRST QUESTION.
THIRD, SHOULD THE FEE FOR THE BENEFITS BE MADE OPTIONAL OR NOT? I SAY EMPHATICALLY, NO! YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE STATED AM'T. OF DUES WHICH ALL MEMBERS SHOULD BE COMPELLED TO PAY, AND ALL SHOUD[sic] RECEIVE ANY BENEFITS DUE.
FOURTH, HOW THE RATE OF FEE WAS DETERMINED? I DESIRE TO SAY THAT, THE MOST OF OUR BENEFIT FEATURES WERE COPIED FROM THE OLD ENGLISH TRADE UNIONS. HENCE, WE HAD A PRACTICAL GUIDE IN DETERMINING THE AMOUNT OF DUES AND THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS WE COULD SUCCESSFULLY PAY.
HOWEVER, THE DIFFERENCE IN THE PURCHASING POWER OF MONEY AND THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS BETWEEN YOUR COUNTRY AND OURS ARE SO DIFFERENT THAT IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO SUGGEST A RATE AND THE AMOUNT OF BENEFITS THAT COULD BE PAID FOR SUCH FIXED RATE.
I ENCLOSE COPY OF OUR CONSTITUTION, ALSO PROCEEDINGS OF THE LAST CONVENTION, OUR LAST FINANCIAL REPORT AND CIRCULARS.
IN CONCLUSION LET ME SAY THAT, IN MY OPINION, THE PAYMENT OF BENEFITS AND HIGH DUES ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL AND STRONGEST MEASURES THAT CAN BE ADOPTED FOR THE SUCCESSFUL AND PERMANANT[sic] MAINTENANCE OF ANY LABOR ORGANIZATION.
I WOULD SUGGEST, THAT BENEFITS BE ADOPTED IN THE FOLLOWING ORDER: FIRST, THE STRIKE BENEFIT, THEN A SMALL WEEKLY SICK BENEFIT, NEXT AN OUT-OF-WORK BENEFIT.
YOU COULD START WITH SMALL WEEKLY PAYMENTS OF BENEFITS AND INCREASE THEM AS YOU FEEL ABLE TO INCREASE THEN WITH A SUCCESSFUL MAINTENANCE OF THE PAYMENT OF BENEFITS.
A LARGE RESERVE FUND, HOWEVER, IS ALSO A VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE SUCCESS OF A LABOR ORGANIZATION. UNIONS, WITH LARGE RESERVE FUNDS ARE LESS SUBJECT TO STRIKES AGAINST REDUCTIONS THAN ORGANIZATIONS WITH NO RESERVE FUNDS.
PERMIT ME TO SAY THAT, I WILL ANSWER ANY QUESTION THAT YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND, AND GIVE ANY FURTHER ADVICE UPON ANY QUESTION THAT YOU MAY SPECIFICALLY STATE.
YOURS FRATERNALLY,
GW. Perkins,
INT`L PRERS`T
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