The Works Of Messrs. Schneider And Co.

THE SOCIAL ECONOMY OF CREUSOT. but if the husband is more than sixty years of age, the proportion is raised to 6 per cent, for himself and 4 per cent, for the wife. These payments are made with the object of an ultimate anmiity which ceases totally on the death of the pensioner ; but on the demand of the pensioner, and subject to approval, the capital to be aecu- mulated may be reserved. In this latter case the annuity is less, but the accumulated capital is paid over to the heirs of the pensioner on his decease, whatever be his ! age. Individual accounts are opened for the employé or j workman and his wife, from the date of the first payment being made, and the Investment becomes an absolute and definite personal property, so that the workman or the employé, on leaving his employaient, or on being dismissed, still retains for himself and for his wife, pension rights, the amount of which is in proportion to the subscriptions that have been made on his behalf by Messrs. Schneider and Co. In order to enjoy the pension, the workman or employé must be of the age prescribed by the laws and régulations of the National Pensions Department (Caisse Nationale des Retraites). In conséquence of varions réductions in the rate of interest paid by the French Government on the securities in which the pension funds are deposited, the revenues arising from the subscriptions are now considerably smaller than they were at tlie time this benefit system was established. To make good this serions loss to the superannuated workman, Messrs. Schneider décidée! that from January Ist, 1893, they would insure a minimum pension of 300 francs (£12) a year to every workman who had been thirty years in their employ. The wife’s pension, derived from the sums invested on her account as above described, is in addition to this minimum allowance. Mr. Eugène Schneider, the present chief of these works, decided to raise this minimum to 365 francs (£14 12s. Od.) on and from the 17th May 1898, the date of his father’s death, Mr. Henri Schneider ; this minimum of 365 francs is equal to one franc (lOd.) per day. No workman’s pension can be hypothecated or seizecl for debt. Charitable Funds.—In such an establishment as tliat of Creusot, where the industrials form quite a large town, dépendent wholly upon the special industries carried on at the works, sickness must be more or less prévalent, and accidents of frequent occurrence. To provide against these inévitable conditions, Messrs. Schneider and Co. have made important and very suceessful organisations. Large subsidies are paid by them to the local charity boards in the varions districts where their works are situated, while at Creusot itself there is a special aid organisation. The district boards distribute, in tbe name of Messrs. Schneider and Co., monthly payments to old workmen who are in want, and who cannot profit by the supplementary pension of 365 francs a year, because they have not completed their thirty years’ service ; the number of these cases is, however, very small. These charitable subsidies benefit all the suffering poor of the 9 surrounding districts, but they are especially intended to assist the widows and orphans left by the workmen of Messrs. Schneider and Co. Schools (see Figs. 15 to 18, Plate II.).—The administra- tion of the French law of March 28th, 1882, dealing with compulsory primary éducation, has had the result of greatly reducing the importance of the schools supported by Messrs. Schneider and Co. at Creusot, and in the varions districts where their supplementary works are situated. Until 1882, they had entirely supported all the primary schools of Creusot. At that date the boys’ schools comprised a special group for superior primary teaching, and four other groups—central, western, Southern, and eastern—for primary elementary teaching. These four groups have been of necessity abandonecl, but the special group has been preserved and converted into a free school. Admission to this school is by way of compétitive examinations, which take place every year, and to which all the pupils from the other schools in Creusot can be admitted. In 1891 a primary elementary school was established at Creusot by Messrs. Schneider and Co.; two chaplains are always attached to the special, and the elementary group. There is also a free school for giris, and kindergartens, at Creusot; these are managed by the Sisters of St. Joseph de Cluny, assisted by lay teachers. Similar schools and kindergartens are maintained in the varions supplementary works. The schools altogether comprise 28 classes for boys, 34 classes for giris, and 10 kindergartens ; more than 100 teachers are employée! in this work. Home for Old Men and Women.—Ä home for the aged poor was founded by Madame Veuve Eugène Schneider and by Mr. and Mme. Henri Schneidei’. It was opened on January 4th, 1887, and the buildings, which cost £14,000, were contributed by Messrs. Schneider and Co. as their part of this admirable work. The establishment can accommodate seventy okl people of both sexes, selected, in the first place, from the helpless workmen of the company, their wives and widows ; in the second place, from among the other poor of Creusot ; and thirdly, from among the poor of the canton of Creusot. The establishment is controlled by the Sisters of St. Joseph de Cluny. Medical and Pharmaceutical Service. — Messrs. Schneider and Co. maintain, at their own cost and without any charge upon tlie wages of their employés, a very complété medical and pharmaceutical service. This service is for the special benefit of : 1. The whole of the active staff. 2. Workmen specially pensioned by reason of accident. 3. Widows pensioned on account of the death of their husbands, caused by accident during work. 4. The wives of employés and workmen. 5. Their children under the age of fifteen, 6. Eldest daughters, unmarried, who keep the house for widowed fathers. 7. Widowed mothers keeping house for unmarried sons. The privilège of medical sind pharmaceutical attendance is usually accorded to the father and mother of the c