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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.