GROWTH OF TRADES UNIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 11679, 11 February 1902, Page 5

GROWTH OF TRADES UNIONS.

With addition last year of 104,24/ to the number of trade unions in Great Britain, this vast armv of organised workers (according to ‘Engineering’) now reaches 1 905,116, all claiming the right of collective bargaining, and of these 122,047 are females. The chief increase was in the unions of coal miners. Of the 1,272 unions, only 609 were registered, the remainder ignoring the legislation passed expressly for their benefit. One hundred of the principal unions are selected for comparison as regards income, expenditure, and accumulated funds. The total income of those unions rose from £1.473,086 in 1892 to £1,974,611 in 1900. The increase in the year was £IOO,OOO over the income of 1899. The average income per member varied in the eight years from 32s 7d to 37s 3d; the average expenditure from 22s lid to 41s Id; but the contributions per member in the various unions vary very much more than is apparent from the averages given. The balances in hand at the end of 1892 amounted to £1.619,689; in 1900 they amounted to £5,766,625, or from 35s 10d to 65s per member. From 1893 to 1900, Inclusive, the increase has been continuous, and in 1899 and 1900 especially very large. These large balances must, not he regarded wholly as sinews of war. available for labor disputes. Many of the larger unions, providing important provident benefits, have in recent years set apart large sums as a special guarantee for the payment of superannuation benefit, so as to ensure to aged members the amounts due; but opart from that provision, provident fnnds ero safelv guarded. During the nine years for which figures are given, the hundred selected unions spent an eggregate of about £15.500,000. Of that amount, £8,000.000. or 60.3 per cent., was expended in provident benefits ; £2,750,000, or 20.2 per cent., in dispute pay; and the remainder, or 19.5 per cent., in working expenses. The average annual cost of disputes in the nine years was £303.2(76, or 20.2 per cent. : the combined cost of unemployed, sick, superannuation, funerals, and other benefits was an average, of £906,948, or 60.0 per cent. ; the cost of management, £295.296, or 19.5 per cent., yearly. Last year only 10.1 per cent, went in dispute pay, 64.9 per cent, in provident benefits, and 25 per cent, in management expenses. The latter has been growing of late years, and is 12.2 per rent, higher than in 1893.