LIFE ASSURANCE AGENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21579, 26 February 1932, Page 9

LIFE ASSURANCE AGENTS

PROPOSAL TO FORM UNION. J Last Wednesday evening, at a meeting held in the Broadway Cafe, a working programme was considered by a group of agents, representative of most of the' assurance companies doing business in Dunedin. Mr J. Gilchrist (convener) was in the chair. He explained that the items in the programme were put forward to form a basis for discussion. He read; them over, and said he would like the opportunity to be given to a much larger number of agents to express an opinion before anything definite, was done. He did not think that the need for an organisation, union or> association would be opposed, except,, perhaps, by a few. It had been suggested for the purposes of the working programme, he said, that the present agreements and regulations of the companies under which the agents and assistant superintendents had to work should be withdrawn and fresh ones drawn up, in conjunction with the proposed association; that the present bond agreements should be modified and made; to cover only cash shortages; that all extra clerical work and necessary travelling expenses should be remuner-, ated; that a minimum commission should be paid; that every effort should - be made to establish a basic or minimum ; wage; that the way should be prepared l for the agents to secure legal recogni-;' tion as employees, entitled to a basic; wage; that the agent should be held,' responsible only for the business he had obtained, and for the period for which he had been paid, and for the number oL weeks corresponding with the number® of times he had been paid for the busi-’* ness; and that all trade unions be; appealed to asking their members toj demand that every agent obtaining their insurance business should be a member of the proposed association of life auce agents, collectors and canvassers. J An interesting discussion followed and an instructive talk on the work now being done by the American Life Assur-. ance Agents’ Union was given by one of, the agents present. The convener was-., asked to call another gathering, to be ’ held on an afternoon.