bETAILED ACCOUNT OF VARIOUS SCHEMES.
53
workpeople, of a stated proportion of the bonuses payable under
the scheme. As an instance may be mentioned the scheme of
John Knight, Limited, of Silvertown, London, E., a firm of soap
and oil manufacturers, employing in 1911 from 581 to 659 persons.
A scheme of simple Profit-sharing, with bonus paid in cash
(though the recipients were allowed to leave all or any part on
deposit at interest with the company), was introduced in June,
1904, by Messrs. John Knight & Sons, Limited, the prede
cessors of the present company. The basis of the division
of profits was that, after 6 per cent, was earned on the
Company’s capital, each employee should receive one week’s
wages for each additional 1 per cent, earned. At the end of
1906 this Company was voluntarily wound-up, and its business
transferred to a new Company under the title of “ John Knight,
Limited,” the previous arrangements as to Profit-sharing with
employees remaining in force unchanged.
Early in 1909, however, certain alterations were made in this
scheme, providing for the payment of half a week’s wages for each
half per cent, paid on capital over 5 per cent.; it was also
provided that two-thirds only of the bonus should be paid in cash,
while the remaining one-third should be invested in the names of
Trustees, on behalf of the employees, in ordinary shares of the
Company.
The average ratio which the share in profits taken by the em
ployees of this Company has borne to their wages or salaries in
the form of bonuses distributed (whether in cash or shares) has
been 5'8 per cent, in the years 1905-1911.
That the share which the employees have already acquired in
the capital of the Company is not inconsiderable, will be seen
from the figures which follow. The total capital of the Company
at present issued consists of £435,000, in 350,000 ordinary and
70,000 deferred shares of £1 each, fully paid, and 30,000 ordinary
shares of £1 each on which 10s. has been paid. Of the ordinary
(fully paid-up) shares a total amount of £2,967 is owned by 48
of the Company’s employees, while £424 of deferred shares are
held by 31 others. These holdings are independent of those under
the profit-sharing scheme, under which the Trustees hold, on
behalf of 518 of the Company’s employees, a total of £2,275 in
ordinary (fully paid-up) shares. Of the ordinary shares (10s.
paid) 154 shares are owned by. 5 employees.
The proportion of the total votes that might be given at a general
meeting of shareholders of the Company by its employees, directly
or indirectly through the Trustees, is stated to be a little over Ij
per cent.; managing directors and other superior officials are not
counted as employees, for the purposes of this calculation. In
addition one of the employees has a seat on the Board of the
Company, which consists of sis directors in all.
The results of the adoption of the arrangements above explained
are thus described by the company : —
“ Our impression was, until the labour troubles in the
summer of 1911, that the Profit-sharing and Co-partnership
was decidedly satisfactory, but we were greatly disappointed
when our employees left their work for three weeks at that