INTERNATIONAL LABOUR
OFFICE
GENEVA
—

Studies and Reports
Series A
No. 15

2b January 1921.

The International Congress of General
Factory Workers.
HlSTOBY OF THE FEDERATION..

From the 25th to the 27th October 1920 delegates of general
workers of various countries met at Amsterdam for the purpose of reconstituting their International Federation. The
" general factory workers " are, in general, unskilled workers.
Their unions are connected with the following principal
industries :—
Chemical industry. The manufacture of potash, colours,
aniline, tar and other by-products of gas works. The
powder and explosives industry : the manufacture
of matches. The manufacture of chemical manures,
charcoal and vegetable tar. Tallow-melting, soapboiling and the manufacture of candles. Oil-refining,
the manufacture of lubricating and illuminating oil,
varnish, glue and felt. The manufacture of rubber,
celluloid, and artificial silk goods. The manufacture
of cellulose and lignose. Eag-picking, paper-making
and the manufacture of «papier mâché». The artificial
flower industry. The manufacture of linoleum, artificial leather and oilcloth. The quarrying of gravel,
sand, lime, chalk and clay. The manufacture of
objects in clay, plaster and cement.
Brickworks,
cement, lime and artificial stone industries. Dairying
and the breeding of cattle and poultry.
The manufacture of starch and vinegar. Food and drink trades.
Coffee roasting; the manufacture of coffee substitutes.
Smoking, salting, etc. of fish. Manufacture of margarine, vegetable oils, jams, beet sugar refineries and
ice manufactories.
In England, the National Federation of General Workers
(i.e. unskilled workers) includes, in addition to the abovementioned groups, workers belonging to the public services, the dock, wharf and riverside workers, enginemen,
IL0-SR/A15
ENGL
COP. 2

— 2 —

firemen, and other less important classes of workers. I t is
obvious that the general workers form an important part of
the world of labour. Their number, moreover, increased abnormally during the war, and the Belgian delegate, Mr. de
Bruyn, drew attention to this fact at the Congress. He stated
that, since the beginning of the war, vocational education
had been interrupted in Belgium, and that boys of 14 attained
manhood without learning a trade. In no other group of
workers has the percentage of unemployment been so high as
in the ranks of unskilled labour.
Belgium has doubtless b>ed through exceptional times;
but it is quite evident that the war, with its devastation of
extensive areas, with conscription, and with the disorganisation of all industrial life, has put obstacles in the way of vocational education the whole world over, and has seriously
increased the number of unskilled workers.
The great differences existing between the industries mentioned above AVÜI explain the difficulties encountered in the
organisation of workers in them. One section is concerned
with agricultural workers, another with the most modern
type of industries, and a third belongs to the ancient crafts
which can adapt themselves only with great difficulty to
present conditions of production.
The result is that the national and international organisation of such heterogeneous groups does not constitute a poAver
analogous to that of the trade unions representing the ordinary
crafts and industries.
Before the war there existed an international secretariat,
established in 1907, on the occasion of the international congress at Stuttgart, by the representatives of the Arbejdsmandsförbund of Denmark, the Grov- och FabriJcsarbetareförbund
of Sweden, the Union of the Paper and Eubber Workers of Austria and the German General Workers. Its main work consisted in regulating the conditions governing the transference
of members from one organisation to another and in instituting an international travelling expenses fund. I n 1910 a
second conference, at which Germany, the three Scandinavian
countries and Bulgaria were represented, took place at Copenhagen. This conference consolidated the organisation of
the secretariat, which at that time represented 224,715 Avorkers. According to the Internationale Geioerlcschafts-Korrespondenz
of the 1st May 1914, this number in 1912 had grown to 298,001
workers divided into eight national unions.
The Copenhagen Conference passed three resolutions the
first of which insisted on adherence to the principles of the
International Union of Trade Unions (1) ; the second
1) The International Union of Trade Unions was the forerunner of
the International Federation of Trade Unions. It met for the first time at
Stuttgart in 1902, then at Dublin, in 1903, Amst erdam 1905, Christiania
1907, Paris 1909, Budapest 1911 and Zurich 1913. Its influence was
merely formal.

— 3 —

declared that each national organisation should, as far as its
own disputes and activities were concerned, trust to its own
resources, and should invoke the assistance of foreign organisations only in very severe disputes and then only subject
to the approval of the central organisations of the country
itself; the third resolution regulated the transference of members from one organisation to another. The position of the
secretariat itself remained extremely unimportant, and during
the years immediately preceding the war it received the following contributions :—
In 1911
5)

InJ.913

Bulgaria
Holland
Germany
Denmark
Norway
Austria
Sweden
Belgium

Marks

16.
42.
55
208.
55
37.
55
23.
55
14.26
55
13.
55
5.
Marks 358.26
55

Such a sum, it is clear, is not sufficient to support international action. The secretariat was reduced to a mere
administrative and statistical bureau, and during the war
it had to renounce even this very modest function. I t was
only after the conclusion of the Armistice that international
relations were gradually re-established. One of the first
acts of international solidarity consisted in the despatch of
20,000 francs to the Belgian organisation (on the initiative
of the Dutch, Swedish and Danish unions) in order to assist
in the reorganisation of this body. Mr. de Bruyn expressed
his gratitude, and added that the Union, which had included
only 3,000 members, and which during the war had been
threatened with complete extinction, now comprised 55,000
members. The Austrian delegate, Mr. J.Weiss, also thanked
the Congress for another expression of international solidarity,
i.e. the sending of foodstuffs to the population of Vienna through
the International Federation of Trade Unions.

T H E AMSTERDAM CONGRESS.

The Delegations
As the initiative in holding this congress was taken by
the Dutch, Belgian and .German organisations, the secretariat
of the Congress consisted of a Dutch delegate (Mr. Stenhuis),
a Belgian (Mr. de Bruyn), and a German (Mr. Brey). The
folio Aving unions were represented :—

Country
Netherlands
Belgium
Germany
Austria
Bohemia
Czecho-Slovakia
England
Denmark
Norway
Sweden

Name of Trade Union

Number

Affiliated

Nederlandsche Vereeniging van
Fabriekarbeiders, (4 Delegates)
180,000
Centrale des Ouvriers de Fabrique
et Industries diverses (3 délégués)
60,000
Deutscher Fabrikarbeiter Verband
(3 Delegates)
680,000
Verband der Arbeiterschaft der
Chemischen Industrie Oesterreichs
(2 Delegates)
38,000
Internationaler Verband der Arbeiterschaft
der Chemischen Industrie (1 Delegate) 22,000
Verband der Chemischen Industrie.
140,000
(1 Delegate)
National Federation of General
Workers (5 Delegates)
1,277,000
Danske Arbejdsmandsforbund
(5 Delegates)
91,000
Norske Arbejdsmandsforbund
(2 Delegates)
40,000
Svenska Grov- och Fabriksarbetareforbundet (2 Delegates)
51,000
Total
2,417,300

These figures show to what extent the number of affiliated organisations, and more especially of the workers represented, has increased since the Copenhagen Conference (l) The French trade unions representing the chemical products industry and the paper mills had announced their intention of attending the Conference, but failed to do so for a
variety of reasons. On the other hand, the Danish Union
of Factory Workers expressed the wish to join the international
federation, but it was not represented at the Congress. The
Congress admitted this organisation to membership.
Moreover, three representatives of the Eussian Factory
Workers sent a telegram from Berlin to the Congress requesting it to use its influence to obtain a Dutch visa for their
passports.
A similar request had also been addressed to
the International Federation of Trade Unions.
Debate on the General Direction of the Movement.
The Congress spent the first day in discussing the general
direction to be given to the Federation. At the end of the
debate, the follownig resolution was passed :—
" That the Congress of General Workers met at Amsterdam on the 25th October and on the following days,
declares that the present conditions governing this
class of labour necessitate the formation of a strong
International Federation and has consequently resolved
that :—
1) Vide Appendix: Detailed Statement of Organizations which took
part in the Congress.

— 5—
a) Reconstitution of the International Secretariat of
General Workers should date from the 1st October;
b) The International Secretariat should adopt the principles of the organisation of the International Federation of Trade Unions and should invite the General Workers of every country to adhere to the
re-constituted International. "
Having resolved on the reconstitution of the new International Federation, the Congress requested nine delegates
(2 English, 1 German, 1 Austrian, 2 Scandinavian, 1 CzechoSlovakian, 1 Belgian, 1 Dutch) to prepare a draft constitution. The second day was devoted to this work; the third to
its discussion and adoption at the plenary sitting.
It could not be expected that this Congress, the first to
be held after the Avar, could enter into a very detailed discussion of the problems arising from the general conditions of
labour among the working classes at the present time, or of the
special conditions affecting general workers.
Several of
these problems were, howerer, touched on by various speakers, and it will be interesting to give a brief summary of the
main tendencies which revealed themselves at the Assembly.
As in the majority of post-bellum Congresses there arose
what may be termed the "previous question", i.e. the question
of future relations between the countries of the Entente and
those of Central Europe.
This question was solved in a simple and fundamental way by the Belgian representative, Mr. de Bruyn, who
was one of the first to speak. He said he did not wish to
attack his German comrades for their behaviour during
the war. I n his opinion, it was far better not to discuss the
Avar thatAvas noAv over, but to unite all the working classes
for the prevention of fresh Avars.
The German delegate, Mr. Brey, former Secretary of the
International Federation, held out his hand to Mr. de Bruyn
in reply to his speech. The Congress applauded, and this
difficult question did not subsequently arise.
What can general Avorkers, as such, do to prevent future
Avars ? Thè German Delegate, Mr. Prull, stated that their
action could always be decisive, for no war was possible
without the co-operation of the chemical and explosives industries.
The British delegation was not very interested
in measures for the prevention of Avars. According to them,
even ttíe action of politicians in Great Britain was of small
import in this matter. They mentioned what the Committee
of Action in Great Britain had done to prevent a war against
the Soviets. They agreed Avith Mr. Prull, however, that
a refusal on the part of the working classes, not only to produce, but likewise to transport munitions, Avould render

— 6 —

future wars impossible. They thought, however, that a decision of this kind could not be taken by one class of workers
only, but that the entire organisation of labour, the whole
world over, should take the requisite steps if necessity should
arise.
The Congress was unanimous in rejecting the Moscow
principles ; it not only made this fact quite clear in the abovementioned resolution, but emphasised it in Article 2 of the
Constitution :
" The Headquarters of the International Federation
of General Workers shall be in the same country and
in the same city as the International Federation of
Trade Unions, at present in Amsterdam. "
I t is noteworthy that the most definite repudiation of the
Moscow principles came from the German and Scandinavian
Delegates. The German delegate, Mr. Prull, declared that
the Moscow danger was not an imaginary one, and that
Bolshevik propaganda was attractive, especially for the
hitherto unorganised working masses.
It was the worker
with a long experience of trade unionism who was offering the stoutest resistance to Bolshevism.
The method of action avocated by all the speakers was
the pre-war method, i. e., trade union action, supplemented
and .supported by Labour legislation. Slight differences
of opinion, however, arose.
The German delegates were
undoubtedly inclined to emphasise social legislation more
than the English representatives. I t was the German side,
also, which, through two of its speakers, insisted on the necessity of international legislation and the usefulness of
the International Labour Office. On the other hand, the
British were not the most moderate in the aims they advocated. They declared that they were striving for the regulation of wages and other labour conditions, and that they
also wished to determine questions of currency and to regulate profits with a view to their eventual abolition.
The Congress dealt with the new institutions which had
been established in certain nations, e. g. Works Councils,
Industrial Councils, etc. The German delegate, Mr. Grossman, speaking of Works Councils, said that they were institutions to which the workmen were not yet accustomed,
so that no great results could be expected from them in the
immediate future.
The British delegate, Mr. Boss, then alluded to a tendency
in the British chemical industries to advocate the* control
of this industry by a Joint Commission of Employers and
Workers. He offered no opinion on this subject ; at the
same time he defended a resolution proposed by his delegation
recommending recourse to action by the Unions and conceived
in the following terms :-

•" The Congress declares that the manufacture of chemical
products constitutes an element of primary importance for all industry. The Secretariat is instructed
to institute an immediate inquiry and report on the
particular conditions governing this trade, with a
view to supplying exact information on wages, hours
. of work, and the conditions, profits, prices, and general
situation in this industry. • The Congress wishes to
obtain a list of the undertakings in the various countries which are under the control of international
employers' associations or combines. The Congress
declares this investigation necessary in order to enable
the affiliated organisations to unify and standardise
wages, hours and working conditions in the various
countries ".
Mr. Boss added that in England nearly all the workmen
in this industry were organised, and had succeeded in obtaining
good wages, but that at the moment the employers were
resisting their demands, and had even threatened to close
the works if wages Avere to rise still higher.
He mentioned that the Food Controller had stated that
shipments of chloride and other chemical products had been
landed in Aberdeen at a price which rendered all competition
futile on the part of the British industries. In any case, apart
from this, the delegation belieA-ed that an international combine of manufacturers was gradually extending OArer the entire
industry; but as they Avere not in possession of accurate
information, they Avere requesting this investigation. The
secretariat of.the Congress refused to undertake so extended
an nwestigation ; but it promised to do all that was possible
in this direction. After this declaration of the Congress, the
British delegation withdreAV its resolution.
Communications similar to those of the British delegation
Avere made by Ararious countries. The German organisation of Czecho-SloA^akia had seen the increase of its 'members from 800 to 22,000 in 1920. They had succeeded in
raising wages from 70 % to 100 %. On the other hand,
the cost of liAàng had shoAvn a rise of 140 %. The Danish
delegate, Mr. Sòrensen, announced that in his country Avages
had increased in proportion to the rise in the cost of living.
The Swedish delegate, Mr. Jonssen, stated that the number
of members of his organisation had risen from a feAv thousand to over 51,000, and that they had succeeded in greatly
increasing the strength of their legal and economic position.
The tATo ScandinaAdan organisations Avere, hoAveA'er, faced
by the employers' combine, Avhich had already announced
its intention of turning the threatened crisis to its own advantage by lo AYering wages and lessening the influence of the
Avorkers on labour conditions generally. The Nor AATegian delegate
Mr. Volau, after stating that a tenth part of all chemical fertilisers,
(artificial manures) were manufactured in his country, inform-

— 8 —
ed the Congress that the workers in this industry worked
6 hours per day, in four shifts, i.e., 42 hours per week.Whereas
all the other workmen in Norway had only 14 days' holiday
per annum, the workers in the chemical industry received
4 days more. The question of the socialisation of the industry
was being discussed in the Norwegian Parliament at the present time. But in Norway also the employers were beginning
to complain of foreign competition, and to use this argument
to justify their attempts to increase the number of working
hours.
The German delegate, Mr. Brey, stated that, since the
Revolution, the trade union movement had gained tremendously in power, and that in this respect Germany could
no longer be referred to as a backward country. The position
of the unions at the present time not only differed from that
of 1914, but even from the situation in 1918. They were
recognised alike' by the Constitution and by employers as the
normal representatives of the working classes. They had not
been called upon to sacrifice a single principle to obtain this
result. Their fighting spirit was as strong as ever. They
lived in days of international crisis. Nowhere was this crisis
more acute than in Germany and Austria, but whereas, in
the past, each crisis entailed a fall in wages, abnormal unemployment, and a collapse of the organisations, they had on
this occasion obtained repeated increases of wages, and
unemployment had been prevented by shortening working
hours to 6, 4 or even 3 per day. The German workers'
movement was obliged, in view of the present national crisis, to
observe a spirit of moderation, but it had lost nothing of its
former energy and vigour.
One important aspect of trade union organisation was
referred to by the Belgian delegate, Mr. de Bruyn, who indicated that a new tendency to concentration was apparent in
his country. In Belgium there existed about 30 trade union
federations on a craft basis, but the last Congress of Belgian
Trade Unions had accepted the principle of organisation on
an industrial basis. The result of this is that all the workers of one particular industry now belong to the same Union ;
for instance, cement factories, lime kilns, brick yards, tileries,
potteries, etc., would be included in the Building Industries
Union. The Federation of General Workers numbered about
15,000 members in one of these industries. Other central federations about to be formed were those of the paper
industry and the food and drink industries. To these federations the Federation of General Workers would have to transfer about 10,000 of its members. Nothing would be left to
them then except the workers in the chemical industries
and in a few minor trades. The number of trade union
federations would thus be reduced to 10 or 11. The Committee of the Federation of General Workers had opened
negotiations with a view to an amicable settlement of the

— 9 —
problem. I t is in favour of the new system, and it collaborates with the other central unions for the transfer of its
members into other organisations (1).
The Congress declined to discuss the matter. The English delegate, Mr. Eoss, declared most emphatically that
the system described by Mr. de Bruyn was not suitable for
British conditions. Workmen should be permitted to organise according to their own inclinations.
The unions thus
constituted have every opportunity of amalgamating. The
same view was supported by the Dutch and Swedish delegates ; although they were favourable to the principle of
concentration, they considered it inopportune to ask the
Congress to pass a resolution in this sense. Each country
should be alloAved to follow the principles it most favoured.
As the President of the Congress, Mr. R. Stenhuis, pointed
out, any other decision would place the Secretariat in a very
difficult position. The argument with regard to the necessary
independence of organisations was again invoked in Connection with the following resolution submitted by the Scandinavian delegates :
" T h e Congress is of opinion that, in principle,the transfer
of members from one organisation to another should not
entail the payment of entrance fees,, the members thus
transferred being entitled to the assistance and privileges common to both organisations in question. The
Congress instructs the Executive Committee to prepare
a draft transfer regulation and to submit it for the approval of the next Congress."
The British delegation opposed this resolution, in view
of the fact that there existed in Britain several trade unions
which refused to admit new members except under certain
given conditions.
( 1 ) In a article published by the Vooruit on thé 27th October, the Secretary of the Trade Union Committee of the Belgian Labour Party, C. Mertens,
enumerated 15 central unions which the Committee desired to establish.
These are :
1. Food and Drink Industry, including the staffs of hotels, restaurants,
etc., and a part of the workers at present organised in the Federation of
General Workers.
2. Building trades, wood industries, quarry workers.
3. aSTon-manual employees and teachers.
4. Paper and printing industries.
5. Metal workers.
6. Miners.
7. Precious stones and metals.
8. Tobacco Trade.
9. Transport.
10. Glass Trade.
11. Clothing and Textile Industries.
12. Agricultural labour.
13. Theatrical employees.
14. Public Services.
15. Unskilled labourers.

— 10 —
The Congress, without expressing any opinion on the main
point, decided that it was not proper for one particular group
to determine principles which concern the trade union movement as a whole.
Further the question of the transferring of members had
become more complicated since the introduction of unemployment insurance subsidised by the State. In order to restore
the liberty enjoyed before the war, it would be necessary that
international conventions or understandings between states
should be reached.
The delegate of the Czech organisation of Prague asked
the Congress to declare that in each country only one federation be admitted to the international organisation. This
really meant forcing the Congress to choose between the Czech
and German organisations existing in Czecho-Slovakia. The
Congress immediately refused to do so, and decided to admit
both organisations temporarily, and entrust the International
Federation of Trade Unions with the task of securing the realisation of national unity in all countries. All these questions
will doubtless arise again at the next Congress, unless a solution is discovered in the interim. The Congress of Copenhagen (1910) had already decided, in agreement with the
International Conference of Secretariats in Particular Industries at Amsterdam' (1905), that each country should be represented by one organisation only; and they had adopted,
as mentioned above, a resolution governing the transfer of
members. In accordance with this resolution, the Swedish,
Norwegian, German, Austrian and Bulgarian organisations
had made an arrangement by which members of these organisations, emigrating from one country to another, were assured of the protection of their rights by the trade unions of
the latter country. It may readily be understood, however,
why the Congress, the first to be held after the War, in entirely
new conditions and with new groups, endeavoured, before
all, to restore international unity, and was, therefore, eager
to avoid any decision liable to endanger this work of reconstruction.
The Constitution.
The main task of the Congress was the preparation of the
Constitution. The choice of name which would correctly
cover the groups of workers belonging to the Federation also
presented a certain amount of difficulty. " International
Federation of General Factory Workers " was at last decided
on. The headquarters of the Federation, as we have already
seen, was to be in the same town as the headquarters of the
International Federation of Trade Unions, i.e., at Amsterdam. The Congress, in consequence, requested the Dutch
Federation to appoint temporarily an international Secretary.
The latter unanimously elected its President, Mr. Stenhuis,

— 11 —
who is also President of the Federation of Dutch Trade
Unions. Mr. Stenhuis consented to act in this capacity until
the following Congress, to be held at the same time and place
as the next International Trade Union Congress, i.e., in July
1921, at Paris. '
The main articles of the Constitution are Articles I I I and
IV, which are as follows :—
"Article lit. — The object of the International Organisation of General Factory Workers is to weld the
industrial organisations of these workers in all countries into one sole, powerful and homogeneous international federation, for the following purposes :—
(a) To defend both the social and economic interests
of all General Factory Workers.
(b) To. support all national and international action demanded by circumstances in the struggle against the
exploitation of labour and to maintain the international solidarity of the working classes.
"Article IV.— The Federation will accomplish these aims
by
(a) Establishing relations between the various trade
unions.
(b) Seconding efforts towards the organisation of General
Factory Workers, in those countries in which they are
feebly organised, or taking steps for the formation
of such an organisation in countries where they are not
organized at all.
(c) Publishing a journal in several languages.
(d) Preparing and publishing information with regard
to social conditions, and more particularly the wages
and conditions of labour of General Factory Workers
in various countries.
(e) Opposing the introduction of outside labour in cases
of dispute.
(/) Organising if possible or in case of need financial assistance during important strikes and lockouts.
(g) Regulating the free transfer of members of affiliated
organisations.
(h) Endeavouring to achieve close collaboration between
the national organisations of General Factory Workers.
(i) Initiating and developing regular relations with the
International Federation of Trade Unions as well as
with other international central organisations. "
Two other important resolutions are embodied in Articles V
and VII, the first referring to conditions of adherence to the
Federation, the second to the independence of the various
affiliated organisations. The t e s t reads as follows :

— 12 —
" Artide V.—All organisations of General Factory Workers
may join the International Federation, subject to
approval by the Executive Committee and confirmation by the succeeding International Congress."
"ArticleVIT.—Any
organisation adhering to the Federation of General Factory Workers will preserve its complete independence except with regard to the obligations imposed by its own constitution and by the
resolutions of the International Congress. "
With regard to expenses, Article IX provides that the
affiliated organisations shall pay a pro rata share according
to the number of their members on the 31st December of the
previous year. The following system was established for
1920 : organisations to pay 30 florins per thousand members
for the first hundred thousand members ; for the remainder they
will pay 20 per cent of this assessment. The following table
indicates the sums payable by each country according to this
principle.
Bristish Federation
Fl. 7,000
Dutch
"
540
German
Mks 5,800
Austrian
Cr. 2,280
Czecho-Slovakia German
. . Cr. 1,320
Czecho-Slovakia Czech
. . . Cr. 6,480
Belgian
Fr. 3,300
Swedish
Or. 2,300
Norwegian
Cr. 2,250
Danish (Men's Fed.)
....
Cr. 4,000
"
(Women's " )
. . Cr.
675
• To avoid difficulties resulting from fluctuations in the
rate of exchange each organisation will pay in the currency
of its own country. The total of the assessment for each
national organisation will be determined in accordance with
pre-war par of exchange. The result will be an increase in
the revenue should the rate of exchange eventually improve.
It remains to be stated that the Federation, in Article
X X I , has accepted four official languages, i.e. German, French,
English and Swedish, and that the Executive Committee
will be composed of five members. These will be appointed
within one month as follows : one by the British Federation,
one by the Dutch-Scandinavian Group, one by the German
Federation, one by the Franco-Belgian group, and one by the
Austro-Czecho-Slovakian group.
Conclusion
The new International Federation of General Factory
Workers has been constituted, but the groups organised
in it represent a small part only of those which might be included. Even if, as is expected^ the workers in the French

— 13 —
chemical and paper industries join the Federation in the
future, there will still remain various important groups to
be drawn into the organisation. Moreover, the Congress has
shown that the Federation is faced by problems of organisation the solution of which will probably result in the loss
of many groups of members.
The development of this organisation deserves the attention of all who are interested in the problems connected with
trade unionism and with social questions, for it represents a
considerable section of the world of labour. This section
forms the social stratum from which the new industries will
probably recruit their workmen. The tendencies and aspirations of this part of the world of labour will thus have a real
influence on the development of industrial life.
The Austrian organisations, for obvious reasons, had not
prepared any statistics. As for the British organisation, its
constitution is entirely different from that of the other unions
of the International Federation. Twelve independent unions
are associated in the British Federation, of which eight were
represented at the Congress. They are :
Weekly
Contributions
towards Strike
Funds.
Strike
Members
12/6d
4d.
480,000

Workers' Union
. Municipal Employees
Association
70,000
National Amalgamated
Union of Labour
180,000
Gas, Municipal and General
Workers Union
55,000
Dock, Wharf and Riverside
Workers Union
250,000
National Amalgamated
Union of Enginemen,
Firemen, Mechanics
and Electrical Workers 40,000
National Union of General
Workers
445,000

Weekly
allowances
in case of
Lockout
12/6d
12/6d

4d.

12/6d

6d.

20/-

16/-

4d.

12/-

12/-

6d.

15/-

6d.

12/-

12/-

6d.

16/-

16/-

It is the general custom of these unions to grant allowances for accidents and death, and to provide their members
with the requisite legal assistance. The International Federation does not concern itself with this form of trade union
activity.

— 14 —

AP:
D E T A I L E D S T A T E M E N T OF ORGANIZATIOJ

MEMBERS
INCOME

COUNTRY
MEN

STRIKES ANI
LOCK-OUTS

WOMEN

Belgium

44,000

11,000

702,853.—Fr.

165,062.-

Holland

19,206

1,5157

238,478.97 Fl.

64,934.4

Denmark

91,253

-

10,84,243.30 Kr.

452,548.3

Sweden

41,898

4,449

943,597.40 Kr.

266,396.6

(4)
1,898,464.— Kr.

892,055.-

iiorway

33, 986

(2)

Czecho-Slovakia...
(Czech)

59,807

18,080

1,794,620.81 Kr.

21,384.5

Czeclio Slovakia...
(German)

10,017

6,189

538,686.30 Kr.

57,797.3

421,048

480,955

13,244,974.80 M.

1,052,902

124,607

£ 3,973.2s. 2 d .

(1)
(2)
(3)
Trade
(4)
(5)
(6)

1,017,274.0

Salaries for members of the Committee.
Women are organised separately.
The unemployment funds are administered separately by a Committee of t
Unions.
All Kevenues.
Including Travelling Expenses Fund.
December 31st 1918.

— 15 —

CH TOOK PAKT I N T H E

CONGEESS

EXPENDITURE FOB :

CASH IN HAND
AT END

IPLOTMENT
ENEFITS

83,892.-

72,6*70.82

SICKNESS

—

9,339.27

PROPAGANDA

JOURNAL

45,000.-

20,600- —

28,92(5.88

16,297.82

COMMITTEE AND
ADMINISTRATION

(1)
39,600.—

—

OF YEAR

'
1

103,299.- |

131,310.13
I

(3)
io9.121.17

—

8,287 80

1,075.91

151,990.72

—

9,671.77

39,196.73

81,453.32

1,071,020.94 ,
i

—

1,038,260.53
l

1
519,930.8»

—

37,307.—

—

126,610.-

230,100.—

¡
4,718.80

1,7785.43

99,979.52

166,724.05

636,747.54

1,230,077.11
i

4,047.06

2,022.20

(5)
20,830.09

153,156.43 1,004,550.88 543,968.86

18,827.50

59,023.10

694,122.11

741,690,051.—

304,062.18
(6)!
4,641,249-39 1

1
—

—

—

—

—

£ 1,220.3s. 9d. j

— 16 —

STUDIES AND REPORTS
already

issued.

Where the English or French text of a Report has not yet been published it
will be issued at a later date.
S e r i e s A.
N ° 1.

T H E AGREEMENT

BETWEEN

T H E SPANISH

WORKERS'

S A T I O N S , issued o n S e p t e m b e r 2 5 t h 1 9 2 0 . English
"

2.

T H E DISPUTE

IN

T H E METAL

INDUSTRY

IN

ORGANI-

and

French.

ITALT.

TRADE

U N I O N C O N T R O L O F I N D U S T R Y , ( F i r s t p a r t ) issued o n Septe m b e r 2 5 t h 1 9 2 0 . English
and French.
"

3.

ANNUAL

MEETING

OF

T H E TRADES

UNIOS

issued o n October 4 t h 1 9 2 0 . English
"

4.

INTERNATIONAL

CONGRESS

CONGRESS

and

OF WORKERS

1920,

French.

IN

T H E FOOD AND

D R I N K T R A D E S , issued on October 1 1 t h 1920. English
French.
"

5.

T H E BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND T H E MINERS' FEDERATION OF
GREAT BRITAIN. CONFERENCE B E T W E E N S I R ROBERT HORNE

AND

1920.
"

6.

THE MINERS'

English

and

FEDERATION,

issued

7.

T H E CONGRESS OF T H E LABOUR AND SOCIALIST

8.

English

and

9.

T H E INTERNATIONAL

LABOUR

10.

and

INTERNATIONAL,

French.

ORGANISATION.

English

and

A

19th

COMPARISON,

French.

T H E INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF METAL WORKERS,

O c t o b e r 22nd 1920. English
"

11th

French.

issued o n October 2 1 s t 1920.
"

October

T H E M I N E R S ' I N T E R N A T I O N A L C O N G R E S S , i s s u e d on O c t o b e r

1920.
"

on

'French.

issued o n O c t o b e r 1 4 t h 1920. English
"

and

and

issued

on

French.

T H E BRITISH GOVERNMENT AND T H E MINERS' FEDERATION OF
GREAT BRITAIN.
CONFERENCE
BETWEEN
T H E GOVERN-

MENT ANT THE TRIPLE INDUSTRIAL ALLIANCE, issued On
O c t o b e r 2 6 t h 1920. English and French.
"

11.

T H E DISPUTE I N T H E METAL INDUSTRY I N ITALY.

TRADE

C O N T R O L O F I N D U S T R Y . (Second p a r t ) issued
b e r 4 t h 1920. English and French.
"

12.

T H E FOURTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS O F BOOKBINDERS,

o n N o v e m b e r 2 6 t h 1920.
"

13.

English

and

XV

English

CONGRÈS

and

issued

French.

T H E M I N E R S ' S T R I K E I N G R E A T B R I T A I N , issued o n D e c e m b e r

1920,
"14.

UNION

on Novem-

21th

French.

D E LA CONFÉDÉRATION

GÉNÉRALE

( F R A N C E ) issued on D e c e m b e r 23th 1920. French

DU

only.

TRAVAIL

— 17 —
Series B.
N ° 1.

COAL

PRODUCTION

IN

THE RUHR

DISTRICT.

Enquiry

by

the

I n t e r n a t i o n a l L a b o u r Office, e n d of M a y 1920, issued o n Sept e m b e r 1st 1920. English and French.
"

2. P A P E R S

RELATING

TO SCHEMES

O F INTERNATIONAL

ORGANISA-

T I O N FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF RAW MATERIALS AND FOOD
S T U F F S , issued o n October 5 t h 1920. English
and French.
"

3.

T H E C O N D I T I O N S OF L A B O U R A N D P R O D U C T I O N I N T H E U P P E R S I L E S I A N

COALFIELD, issued on D e c e m b e r 10th 1920. English

and

French.

INSURANCE,

issued

Series C.
NTo

1.

BRITISH

LEGISLATION

ON UNEMPLOYMENT

o n October 2 6 t h 1920.
"

2.

English

and

French.

GOVERNMENT ACTION I N DEALING W I T H U N E M P L O Y M E N T

issued on O c t o b e r 2 7 t h 1 9 2 0 . English
"

3.

T H E BULGARIAN

L A W ON COMPULSORY

v e m b e r 4 t h 1920.
"

4.

T H E ACTION

English

OF THE

SWISS

and

and

IN ITALY,

French.

L A B O U R , issued on No-

French.

GOVERNMENT

IN DEALING

WITH

U N E M P L O Y M E N T , issued on N o v e m b e r 13th 1920. English
French.

and

Series D.
N ° 1.

STAFF REGULATIONS

O N T H E B R E N C H R A I L W A Y S , i s s u e d on S e p -

t e m b e r 4 t h 1 9 2 0 . English

and

French.

Series H.
N ° 1.

CONSUMERS'

CO-OPERATIVE

SOCIETIES

IN

S w e d e n ) , issued o n S e p t e m b e r 8 t h 1920.
"

2.

SEVENTH

CONGRESS

OF T H E BELGIAN

issued on S e p t e m b e r 2 5 t h 1 9 2 0 .
"

3.

1919 ( D e n m a r k

English

and

CO-OPERATIVE

English

and

T H E NATIONAL CONGRESS O F F R E N C H CONSUMERS'

and

French.
OFFICE,

French.
CO-OPERATIVE

S O C I E T I E S , issued on N o v e m b e r 2 4 t h 1920. English

andFrench.

Series K.
N ° 1.

FIRST INTERNATIONAL
CONGRESS OF LANDWORKERS' UNIONS
A F F I L I A T E D TO T H E I N T E R N A T I O N A L F E D E R A T I O N O F T R A D E

U N I O N , issued on N o v e m b e r , 1 9 2 0 . English
"

2.

AGRARIAN

English
"

3.

"

4.

French.

C O N D I T I O N S I N S P A I N , issued on N o v e m b e r

and
and

T H E EIGHT-HOUR

1 0 t h 1920.

French.

S M A L L H O L D I N G S I N S C O T L A N D , issued

English

and

on N o v e m b e r 1 2 t h

1929.

French.
DAY IN

c e m b e r 17th 1920.

ITALIAN AGRICULTURE,

English

and French.

issued

on

De-