16
IT.— PRIVATE FIRMS AND COMPANIES.
Ratio of Bonus to Wages.
Detailed Tables with regard to the proportionate addition made
to wages by the profit-sharing bonus in the case of those firms
which have supplied the information are given in Appendix E
(pp. 126 and 127), from which the following summary has been
prepared. It will be noted that the average ratio of bonus to
wages for the period 1901-1911 is 5'5 per cent, and that the
ratios varied during this period from 7'1 per cent, in 1906 to
4'5 per cent, in 1908, since which year they have shown a pro
gressive increase up to 5'5 per cent, in 1911.
Year.
Number
of
Distribu
tions.
Number
of
Employees.
Number
of
Participants.
Average Bonus,
taking into account
the number of
Participants in each
case.
1901
54
19,435
11,816
5-0
1902
53
20,321
12,343
5-9
1903
50
20,282
13,067
6-8
1904
52
38,009
16,341
6-5
1905
52
42,283
16,942
6-5
1906
58
41,294
17,922
7-1
1907
55
42,082
18,921
6-0
1908
62
56,738
34,059
4-5
1909
71
61,762
38,881
4-8
1910
86
77,374
50,461
5-0
1911
100
82,659
51,443
5-5
Average Bonus
for 1901-11.
5 - 5 per cent, on Wages.
B.—ANALYSIS OF SCHEMES NOW IN FORCE.
An analysis has been made of the schemes of Profit-sharing
at present in force with a view to classifying and comparing their
principal features. The results of this analysis are stated below,
the references to the various schemes being given by means of
numbers, the kev to which is contained in Appendix A (pp. 95-
101).
Legal Contract or Gratuity.
Most of the schemes make no express reference to the question
whether the arrangement is a voluntary one or a strict legal
contract. It is found that in a few instances( a ) only is the share
in profits allotted to employees given to them as a matter of strict
legal right. In some instances( b ) it is declared to be given
gratuitously or as a voluntary payment, one firm (No. 11) de
scribing it as “ an act of grace.” A few companies(°) expressly
state that their profit-sharing schemes confer no legal rights on
employees.
(“) Nos. 3, 7, 49. 103. (") Nos. 11,14, 25, 27, 29, 31,40, 41, 125, 130
(») Nos. 20, 29, 31, 42, 44, 92.