ABSTRACT
The main fund of SOGAT and its constituent unions was the General Fund into which were paid members’ contributions, entrance fees, fines levies and interest from investments. From the Fund were paid benefits and grants, legal costs, affiliation fees, deputation and delegate expenses, the union’s contributions as an employer into the Officers’ and Staff Pension Fund, national administration costs (employees’ salaries, wages, postage, telephones, etc.) and group and branch expenditure. Branches retained a proportion of the national contribution rate (the branch allowance) to cover local management expenses but they could raise their own funds provided their methods conformed with the objects of the union. The General Fund contained the resources from which the union protected and advanced the living standards of its members. It was the ‘fighting fund’ so maintaining it at healthy levels was crucial to SOGAT’s ability to protect its members.
