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	Statutes of Northern Ireland
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SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - LONG TITLE

An Act to prohibit compulsory Membership of Unregistered Shop Clubs
or Thrift Funds, and to regulate such as are duly registered.{1}
[8th August 1902]
Membership of friendly society, &c., not to be condition of
employment.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 1

1. It shall be an offence under this Act if an employer shall
make it a condition of employment

(a)That any workman shall discontinue his membership of any friendly
society; or

(b)That any workman shall not become a member of any friendly
society other than the shop club or thrift fund.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 2
Employer not to require workman to join shop club, &c.

2. It shall be an offence under this Act if an employer shall
make it a condition of employment that any workman shall join a
shop or thrift fund, unless the shop club or thrift fund is
registered under the Friendly Societies Act, 1896, subject to the
provisions of this Act, and certified under this Act by the
Registrar of Friendly Societies.

No shop club or thrift fund shall be so certified unless the
Registrar of Friendly Societies is satisfied

(a)That the shop club or thrift fund is one that affords to the
workman benefits of a substantial kind, in the form of contributions
or benefits at the cost of the employer in addition to those
provided by the contributions of the workman;

(b)That the shop club or thrift fund is of a permanent character
and is not a society that annually or periodically divides its
funds, and that no member of such shop club or thrift fund shall,
except in accordance with the provisions of section six of this
Act, be required to cease his membership in such shop club or
thrift fund upon leaving the firm with which such club or fund is
connected.

Before so certifying any shop club or thrift fund, the Registrar
shall take steps to ascertain the views of the workmen, and shall
be satisfied that at least seventy-five per cent. of the workmen
desire the establishment of such shop club or thrift fund, and
further shall consider any objections that they may make to the
certification.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 3
Regulations.

3. The regulations contained in the schedule of this Act shall
apply to any shop club or thrift fund certified under this Act.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 4
Penalty.

4. Every person who commits an offence within the meaning of this
Act shall be liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding
five pounds, and, in the case of a second or subsequent conviction
within one year of a previous conviction, to a fine not exceeding
twenty pounds:

Provided that, where an offence is committed in respect of several
persons at the same time, the offender shall not be convicted of
more than one offence.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 5
Exemption of railways.

5. Nothing in this Act shall prohibit compulsory membership of any
superannuation fund, insurance or other society already existing for
the benefit of the persons employed by any railway company, to the
funds of which such company contributes.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 6
Compensation to workman ceasing to be member of shop club.

6. In any case where a workman, by the conditions of his
employment, is a member of a shop club, he shall, upon his
dismissal from, or upon leaving, his employment, unless contrary to
the rules of the club, have the option of remaining a member or
of having returned to him the amount of his share of the funds of
the club, to be ascertained by actuarial calculation: Provided that
every such member who shall exercise the option to remain a member
of the club shall not, so long as he remains out of such
employment, be entitled to take any part in the management of the
club, or to vote in respect thereof.

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 7
Definitions.

7. In this Act

The term "friendly society" means a friendly society registered under
the Friendly Societies Act, 1896, and includes a registered branch,
and in application to .... Ireland the word "registrar" means the
registrar as defined in that Act:

The expression "shop club" or "thrift fund" means every club and
society for providing benefits to workmen in connection with a
workshop, factory, dock, shop or warehouse.

S.8 rep. by SLR 1927

SHOP CLUBS ACT 1902 - SECT 9
Short title.

9. This Act may be cited as the Shop Clubs Act, 1902.The rules of
a shop club or thrift fund (hereinafter termed "the society") shall
provide for the following matters: