RULE #1. TITLE AND MEMBERSHIP *********UPDATE**********
RULE #2. OBJECTS
RULE #3. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT
RULE #4. BIENNIAL DELEGATE CONFERENCE
RULE . RULES CONFERENCE
RULE #6. GENERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
RULE #7. NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND NATIONAL
TRADE GROUP COMMITTEES
 RULE #8. REGIONAL COMMITTEES
RULE #9. REGIONAL TRADE GROUP AND DISTRICT COMMITTEES
RULE 10. BRANCHES
RULE 11. BRANCH SECRETARY
RULE 12. BALLOT VOTING
RULE 13. OFFICES
RULE 14. OFFICERS
RULE 15. GENERAL SECRETARY
RULE 16. EXECUTIVE FINANCE DIRECTOR
RULE 17. TRUSTEES
RULE 18. OTHER PERMANENT OFFICIALS
RULE 19. MEMBERSHIP
RULE 20. UNION ACCOUNTS, AUDIT, INSPECTION
OF ACCOUNTING RECORDS and AUTHORISED FUNDS FOR CHARITABLE AND
OTHER OBJECTS etc
RULE 21. POLITICAL FUND
RULE 22. POLITICAL FUND (NORTHERN IRELAND)
RULE 23. STRIKES AND INDUSTRIAL ACTION - REPUBLIC
OF IRELAND
RULE 24. ISLE OF MAN
RULE 25. AMENDMENT OF RULES
RULE 26. VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION
SCHEDULE #I
ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS OF DELEGATES, OFFICERS, ETC
SCHEDULE #II
CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS
[note: I don't think we have a schedule #II
so this mean the recruitment leaflet that just says "legal
assistance and advice" - nothing came with the book.
There are web site pages linking to each other but they are very
general too.]
SCHEDULE #III
PROVISIONS FOR THE REMISSION OF TRADE UNION CONTRIBUTIONS DURING
SUCH PERIOD AS THERE IS A COMPULSORY CALL-UP FOR SERVICE WITH
THE ARMED FORCES
TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS'
UNION RULES
- All previous Rules rescinded. Amended following the 10th
Statutory Rules Conference July 2004 Transcribed to Employees.org.uk April 2008
- usually only available by post or on an activists-only extranet.
- The old rules have a refreshing interest in staff-owned companies;
they aspire to social insurance, education and the good things
in life for all members. The new rules have no interest
at all in staff-owned companies, preferring to divert members'
money to named political parties.
- The rules are long, detailed and assume that members belong
to small close-knit branches with as few as 20 members, where
most of them meet at least once in two years, electing stewards
and a kind of victorian clerical committee on a show of hands.
It's assumed they know about the central union and can leave
easily if it is no good.
- The rules assume that most members have some idea what internal committees that
their branch committees elect, the conference and the quaterly
executive councils do, other than making donations.
- Under
10% turnout for Executive Council elections with a victory
for tight-lipped inside candidates known to belong to a loyal
faction suggests this isn't now true (insiders would say that
members get apathetic about voting "yes") and
the option to hold a ballot should be made universal habit of
balloting all members on just about everything
- The rules include a lot of local control of member's activity
which needs cutting.
- The rules are dauntingly long but individuals or groups might
want to re-write paragraphs which can be done online at any site
like this .
- www.emplyees.org.uk/rules2.html is one person's set of notes in progress.
If anyone wants a link to other sets of notes in progress added
here please get
in touch
- Free-to edit copies of the rules are at http://unite.wikidot.com
, http://unite.wikidot.com/example-item-1
and anywhere you cut-and-paste them.
- A
new draft rule book has just appeared on the merging Amicus web
site. It looks like an interim document to last until the
T&G rules are re-written.
There is a hint that regional or vaguely organised branches will
be minimised and smaller employer-based ones encouraged.
There is a hint on the TGWU extranet that all branches will have
to leave the TGWU or put their money in its funny Unity
Trust 0% interest bank, making cession harder.
- The only official way to feed back that the site mentions
is to "get involved" which is code for doing
lots of unpaid volunteer work and hoping to be included in the
freemasonary of union committees and semi-secret political parties.
If it appears on the T&G section web site with any specific
address for feedback the most likely page is http://www.tgwu.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=93119&int1stParentNodeID=42427.
Meanwhile it's not illegal to email the union office or send
a letter.
Previous consitutional changes have been put in the web site
with consultation and responses, hopefully in date order, here
http://www.tgwu.org.uk/Templates/Internal.asp?NodeID=92577&L1=-1&L2=92577
RULE #1. TITLE AND MEMBERSHIP
1. The Union formed under these rules (hereinafter called
the Union) shall be
known by the title of the "TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS'
UNION";
and in Ireland as the "AMALGAMATED TRANSPORT AND GENERAL
WORKERS' UNION." It shall be a registered Trade Union. Trade
Unions
which amalgamated together in October 1921, as the Union and
any other
Trade Unions which have since, or may hereafter become amalgamated
with
the Union are hereinafter included in the expression "The
Amalgamating Trade
Unions."
2.
(a) Members of the amalgamating Trade Unions at the time of
the
amalgamation shall be deemed for all purposes to be members of
the Union,
and, for the purpose of computing duration of membership in the
Union, the
membership of a member of an amalgamating Trade Union, who was
a
financial member at the date of the resolution of that Union
for amalgamation
with this Union, shall be deemed to be membership of the Union.
(b) The Union shall consist of all members of the amalgamating
Trade
Unions, together with such other persons as may be duly admitted
members of
the Union under Rule 19 hereof.
(c) Delegates, councillors, committee members and officers
shall be subject
to the qualifications and disqualifications set out in Schedule
I to these rules,
subject to the provisions of Rule 15, Clause 1, and Rule 16,
Clause 2, in the
case of the General Secretary and the Executive Finance Director,
respectively.
(d) Every member, not being an honorary member, shall, subject
to the
following rules, have an equal voice in all the concerns thereof,
and in the
administration of all the property thereof. An honorary member
shall not be
entitled to vote.
(e) The head office of the Union shall be at such place as
the General
Executive Council shall from time to time decide. [
page 3]
RULE #2. OBJECTS
1. The principal objects of the Union are the regulation of
the relations between
workers and employers, and between workers and workers, and also
the
provision of benefits to members.
2. The objects of the Union shall further include: -
(a) The organisation of all members and other persons qualified
for
membership, as may be deemed eligible by the General Executive
Council of
the Union, and the obtaining, maintaining and improving of just
and proper
hours of work, rates of wages, healthy and safe conditions, and
to endeavour
by all means in their power to control the industries in which
the members are
engaged.[underlining added to show this doesn't say nationalisation:
it does suggest something like the Law Society but further down
the page it's about staff partnerships like John Lewis and Tower
Colliery - EO]
(b) The settling and negotiating of differences and disputes
between the
members of the Union and employers, and other Trade Unions and
persons, by
collective bargaining or agreement, withdrawal of labour, or
otherwise.
(c) Generally, the power to promote the welfare of the members
of the
Union in such manner as the General Executive Council from time
to time shall
deem expedient.
(d) The promotion of equality for all, including equal pay
for work of equal
value, through collective bargaining, organisation, education,
the provision of
services and benefits; to actively oppose all forms of prejudice
and
discrimination whether on the grounds of sex, race, ethnic or
national origin,
religion, colour, creed, class, caring responsibilities, marital
status, sexuality,
physical ability, age or mental health.
(e) The provision of benefits to members as follows: -
(i) Assistance to members, or particular classes of members,
(1) when out of employment or in distressed circumstances;
(2) in cases of sickness, accident and disablement,
(3) in old age;
(4) in trade disputes;
(5) for funeral expenses; and such other forms of assistance
as may
from time to time be decided by the General Executive Council.
(ii) Legal advice and legal assistance to the Union or its
members
where, in the opinion of the General Executive Council, it is
necessary or
expedient.
(iii) Grants and endowments, including scholarships, to members
and
to the colleges or institutions having among their objects the
education
of trade unionists.
(f) The furtherance of political objects of any kind. [ page4]
(g) The transaction of insurance business [underlining
added for those who say "a union isn't about legal insurance
but solidarity" -EO].
(h) The extension of cooperative production and distribution.[underlining
added -EO]
(i) The establishment or carrying on, or participation, financial
or otherwise,
directly or indirectly, in the business of printing or publishing
of a general
newspaper or newspapers, or of books, pamphlets, or publications,
or of any
other kind of undertaking industrial or otherwise in the interests
of and with the
main purpose of furthering the interests of the Union or of trade
unionism
generally, together with such subsidiary action and purposes
as may be
calculated to enhance the prosperity of the publications or the
business
generally, after submission to the Biennial Delegate Conference
or ballot of
members. - [underlining mine, for those who subsidise
the Morning Star out
of branch accounts - EO]
(j) The furtherance of, or participation, financial or otherwise,
directly or
indirectly, in the work or purpose of any association or federal
body having for
its objects the furthering of the interests of labour, trade
unionism, or trade
unionists, including the securing of a real measure of control
in industry and
participation by the workers in the management, in the interest
of labour and
the general community. - [underlining mine EO]
(k) The furthering of any other action or purpose, or the
participation,
financial or otherwise, directly or indirectly, in any other
purpose, so far as may
be lawful, which is calculated, in the opinion of the Union or
the General
Executive Council, to further the interests of labour, trade
unionism, or trade
unionists.
(l) The provision of opportunities for social intercourse
and promotion of
sport and social events amongst the members.
3. In order to achieve the above objects the Union shall have
power, in addition to
any other powers given them by law or by these rules, to impose
such
restraints upon the labour of its members or generally to interfere,
whether
such interference is in restraint of trade or not, but so far
only as may otherwise
be lawful, with the trade or conduct of such industries, businesses,
and
occupations as may be deemed expedient.
4. In the case of unions amalgamating the conditions, terms
and obligations shall
be such as are agreed upon between this Union and the unions
desiring
amalgamations, and upon ratification shall form an integral part
of these rules.
5. In particular, the Union shall have power to provide funds,
by subscription, levy,
or otherwise, as the Union or the General Executive Council may
direct, for
maintaining all or some of the benefits from time to time authorised
in
pursuance of these rules, and for the establishment or maintenance
of any
undertaking of any kind, financial or otherwise, authorised by
the Union, and for
any action, including collective bargaining, striking, withholding
of labour, taking
action under the Wages Councils Act or other statutes, either
severally or [ page5]
jointly, or the securing of agreements concerning wages or other
conditions of
employment, whether in defence of the members or in support of
other workers
of allied or other industries, which may, in the opinion of the
Union or of the
General Executive Council, be deemed to be calculated to further
the interests
of the Union, or of the Trade Union Movement generally. No levy
shall be
imposed until a vote of members concerned has been taken.
6. There shall be an Officials' Superannuation Fund and a
Staff Superannuation
Fund to which the Union shall contribute an amount not less than
that
contributed by the officials and the staff, and the liabilities
of the funds shall be
guaranteed by the Trade Union funds of the Union, which may vary
its
contributions to the funds as and when found to be necessary
following an
examination of the funds.
Such provision shall apply to all contributors to the Funds and
to full-time
Officials and Members of the Staff who joined the service of
the Union up to
and including December 31, 1962, or on a date to be decided by
the General
Executive Council, whichever is the later.
As from the date of commencement of the combined Superannuation
Fund
mentioned in the next succeeding paragraph no further entrants
shall be
accepted to either of the above funds.
7. There shall be a combined Superannuation Fund on and after
January 1, 1963,
or such later date as shall be appointed for the commencement
of the Fund,
full-time Officials and Members of the Staff who are not members
of either of
the Funds mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall contribute
to such
combined Fund as from the date of becoming eligible for membership
thereof.
The Union shall contribute to the said Fund an amount not less
than that
contributed by full-time Officials and Staff and the liability
of the Fund shall be
guaranteed by the Trade Union funds of the Union, which may vary
its
contributions to the Funds as and when found to be necessary,
following an
examination of the Funds.
8. For all or any of the above objects the Union and the General
Executive
Council shall have power (inter alia): -
(a) To hold, purchase, lease, mortgage, sell or otherwise
deal with land or other property.
(b) To erect and furnish such buildings as may be considered
necessary or desirable.
(c) To raise funds by borrowing money on any real or personal
property of
the Union, or by levies on its members or any class thereof (subject
to proviso
in preceding Clause 5). [ page6]
(d) To establish superannuation schemes, contributory or otherwise,
for
officers and other employees of the Union.
RULE #3. CONSTITUTION AND GOVERNMENT
1. For the government of the Union there shall be a Biennial
Delegate
Conference. This Conference shall only consist of elected delegates,
General
Secretary, other executive officers, Executive Finance Director,
National
Officials and Regional Secretaries and heads of departments.
Women’s
representation of elected delegates shall be proportionate to
the respective
membership of the Regional Trade Group delegations. Black and
Asian ethnic
minority representation shall be proportionate to the respective
membership of
the Regional Trade Group delegations.
2. For the revision of the rules and constitution of the Union
there shall be a Rules
Conference which shall meet in every sixth year commencing with
the year
1950. The Rules Conference shall only consist of elected delegates,
General
Secretary, other executive officers, Executive Finance Director
and Regional
Secretaries. Women’s representation of elected delegates
shall be
proportionate to the respective membership of the Region. Black
and Asian
ethnic minority representation of elected delegates shall be
proportionate to the
respective membership of the Region.
3. For the general administration of the Union's business
and for the government
of the Union in the period between the Biennial Delegate Conference
there
shall be a General Executive Council. This Council shall consist
of such
number of elected members as is provided for in the rules.
4. For the purpose of administration, the membership of the
Union shall be
divided, according to (a) territorial region and (b) trade or
occupation, or district
committee if required.
5. For the purpose of regional administration the British
Islands shall be divided
into regions, including:-
- (1) London, the South East England and East Anglia
(2) South West England and the Channel Islands
(3) Ireland
(4) Wales
(5) Midlands
(6) North West England and Isle of Man
(7) Scotland
(8) Northern England including Yorkshire and Humberside.
or such other regions as may from time to time be determined.
6. The membership shall be divided into National Industrial
Sectors according to [ page7]
the employment of members of the Union. The National Industrial
Sectors shall
be as follows:-
(a) Manufacturing
(b) Services
(c) Transport
(d) Food and Agriculture
Each of the National Industrial Sectors shall be divided into
national trade
groups and sections including craft and occupational sections
as may from time
to time be determined by the General Executive Council.
The General Executive Council has determined that the National
Industrial
Sectors shall be divided into national trade groups or sections
as follows:
(a) Manufacturing –
Vehicle Building & Automotive
Power & Engineering
Chemical Oil and Rubber
Textiles
(b) Services -
Administrative, Clerical, Technical and
Supervisory Staffs
Public Services
Building and Construction (including Building Crafts)
General Workers
(c) Transport -
Civil Air Transport
Road Transport (Commercial)
Passenger
Docks & Waterways
(d) Food and Agriculture –
Agricultural and Allied Workers
Food, Drink & Tobacco
7 Each National Industrial Sector shall, where practicable,
be divided into
regional trade groups, sections or district committees in accordance
with the
territorial regions. Regional trade groups, sections or district
committees shall
be divided into branches to one of which every member of the
Union shall
belong. The territorial area over which each Branch shall exercise
jurisdiction,
shall be decided by the General Executive Council, on the recommendation
of
the Regional Committee concerned.
8 The division of regions and regional trade groups or sections
and the allocation
of members thereto shall be decided by the General Executive
Council, who
shall constitute special sub-sections of trade groups as may
from time to time
seem expedient. [ page8]
9 The general policy of the Union shall, subject to the Biennial
Delegate
Conference, be determined by the General Executive Council, but
the policy of
every region or trade shall, within the powers delegated to a
Regional Trade
Group or District Committee, Regional Committee, National Industrial
Sector
Committee or National Trade Group Committee by these rules or
by the
General Executive Council, be determined by such committees.
10 There shall be national and regional Women's Committees,
and national and
regional Race Equality Committees, the constitution of which
shall be
determined by the General Executive Council. The representatives
elected to
the General Executive Council in accordance with Rule 6 clause
2c and 2d
shall be full members of the relevant national committee.
11. There shall be national and regional Disabled Members’
Committees, the
constitution of which shall be determined by the General Executive
Council.
12. The General Executive Council may constitute or revoke
National and Regional
advisory committees as may from time to time seem expedient,
the constitution
of which shall be determined by the General Executive Council.
RULE #4. BIENNIAL DELEGATE CONFERENCE
1. The government of the Union and the appointment of its
trustees, shall be
vested only in a Biennial Delegate Conference, which shall meet
in the month
of June or July. Special Conferences may be held as in these
rules provided.
2. The Biennial Delegate Conference shall be constituted as
follows:-
Every Branch of the Union shall have power to nominate a member
of two
years standing, who is in benefit, as a candidate or delegate
in its trade group
to the Biennial Delegate Conference. The election of such
nominees shall take
place at the Branch meeting, and shall be by show of hands or
by ballot, if so
decided by the meeting. Every Regional Trade Group, within
a National
Industrial Sector, shall be entitled to one delegate at the Biennial
Delegate
Conference for every 1,000 members of that Regional Trade Group
up to 5,000
members, or one delegate where the membership is 1,000 or less;
and where
the membership exceeds 5,000 members one additional delegate
for every,
2,000 members. The number of delegates to which each Regional
Trade
Group shall be entitled shall be calculated on the basis of the
financial
membership as at the close of the June quarter in the year preceding
the year
in which the Biennial Delegate Conference is due to be held.
The members of
every Regional Trade Group shall elect from among the candidates,
who are
members of that Regional Trade Group, as many delegates as they
are entitled
to under this rule. Such last-mentioned election shall be by
ballot vote. If after
the election anything shall happen to prevent a delegate from
attending the
Biennial Delegate Conference, their place shall be filled by
the candidate
obtaining the next highest number of votes in the election. Invitations
for the [ page9]
nomination of delegates shall be sent to every Branch by the
third Monday in
December in the year preceding that in which the Biennial Delegate
Conference is held.
3. No member of the General Executive Council, permanent or
full-time officer, or
permanent or full-time member of the staff of the Union, or retired
officer or
member of the staff of the Union, or any member who is in receipt
of a pension
from any of the funds of the Union, and no member who is employed
on Union
business on a full-time basis with remuneration paid from funds
which are
raised from special contributions paid by Branch members as distinct
from
Union contributions, shall be eligible for nomination as a delegate
to the
Biennial Delegate Conference.
4. The General Executive Council shall be represented by not
more than three of
its members at any Biennial Delegate Conference, and its representatives
may
speak upon but shall not vote on any subject.
5. Each delegate shall hold office until the next Biennial
Delegate Conference.
6. General motions may be moved at the instance of branches,
regional trade
groups or districts, or national trade groups or sectors, regional
committees or
the General Executive Council. The General Secretary shall send
not later
than December in the year preceding each Biennial Delegate Conference
to
each Branch an invitation to forward general motions for the
agenda of such
Conference. No general motion shall be placed upon the agenda
unless
despatched to reach the General Secretary within a period of
six weeks of the
date of the circular issued by the General Secretary inviting
the submission of
general motions.
The agenda, subject to such grouping or verbal revision as
the General
Executive Council may deem advisable, shall be issued to the
delegates, to the
branches, and to all national and regional authorities at least
three weeks
before the Biennial Delegate Conference meets, and no subject
not included
therein shall be discussed without the permission of the Biennial
Delegate
Conference, or unless the Standing Orders Committee report it
to be a matter
of urgency.
Amendments to general motions on the agenda may be moved at
the instance
of branches, regional trade groups or districts, or national
trade groups or
sectors,, regional committees or the General Executive Council.
The General Secretary shall circulate any such amendments received
to the
delegates prior to the Biennial Delegate Conference.
7. Not less than one teller from each region, six scrutineers,
and three members
of the Standing Orders Committee shall be appointed at each Biennial
Delegate Conference from among the delegates present. [
page10]
8. The Standing Orders Committee shall consist of six members,
one-half of
whom shall retire in turn at each Biennial Delegate Conference.
They shall be
eligible for re-election. Casual vacancies on the Committee shall
be filled from
the candidates not elected at the previous election in the order
of the votes
recorded. They shall give special consideration to all matters
of urgency
referred to them, and make such recommendations regarding the
same and for
the conduct of the business of the Biennial Delegate Conference
as they shall
deem fit. They may advise the suspension or modification of any
standing
orders. They shall examine the credentials of all delegates,
and shall report the
result to the Biennial Delegate Conference. Members of the General
Executive
Council shall not be eligible to serve as members of this Committee.
9. The Biennial Delegate Conference shall have power to formulate
such standing
orders as it shall think fit.
10. The Biennial Delegate Conference shall elect six delegates
to form an Appeal
Committee, which shall hear and decide appeals from decisions
of the General
Executive Council under Rule 6, Clauses 9, and 18; Rule 10, Clause
7 (c); and
Rule 11 Clause 10 (c). No member of the General Executive Council
shall be
eligible to be nominated for the Appeals Committee. Such Committee
shall
hold office until the succeeding Biennial Delegate Conference.
Casual
vacancies on the Committee shall be filled from the candidates
not elected at
the previous election in the order of the votes recorded. The
decisions of the
Appeals Committee shall be final. All appeals must be heard within
four weeks
of the appeal being received by the General Secretary.
11. The cost of any Biennial Delegate Conference shall be
met from the general
funds.
12. Each delegate shall receive payment in accordance with
the rates laid down by
the General Executive Council.
13. The Biennial Delegate Conference may be recalled by the General
Executive
Council in an emergency, and shall be so called before the sanctioning
of a
strike involving the whole of the members of the Union. It shall
only deal with
the business for which it is summoned. If the Conference shall
deem a strike
involving the whole of the members of the Union advisable, it
shall direct the
General Executive Council to take a vote thereon by ballot of
all the members
of the Union, and the General Executive Council shall act in
accordance with
such vote. Before attending a recalled Biennial Delegate Conference
delegates shall attend their group committee to receive instructions.
RULE #5. RULES CONFERENCE
1. The power to make, amend and revoke the rules of the Union
and its
constitution shall be vested only in a Rules Conference, which
shall meet in the
month of June or July of every sixth year commencing with the
year 1950. [ page11]
Special Rules Conferences may be held as in these rules provided.
2. The Rules Conference shall be constituted as follows:
Every Branch of the Union shall have power to nominate a member
of two
years standing who is in benefit as a candidate for election
as delegate to the
Rules Conference. The election of such nominee shall take place
at the
Branch meeting and shall be by show of hands or by ballot, if
so decided by the
meeting. Subject to an over-riding limit of 25 delegates in the
case of any one
region, each region shall be entitled to one delegate at the
Rules Conference
for every 10,000 members of that region, or part thereof, provided
the part
thereof is 5,000 or over. The number of delegates to which a
region shall be
entitled shall be calculated on the basis of the financial membership
as at the
close of the year preceding the year in which the Rules Conference
is due to be
held. The members of each region shall elect from amongst the
candidates
who are members within that region as many delegates as they
are entitled to
under this rule. Such last mentioned election shall be by ballot
vote. If after the
election anything shall happen to prevent an elected delegate
from attending
the Rules Conference, their place shall be filled by the candidate
obtaining the
next highest number of votes in the election in the region concerned.
Invitations for the nomination of delegates shall be sent to
each Branch by the
third Monday in March of every year in which the Rules Conference
is held.
3. No member of the General Executive Council, permanent or
full-time officer or
permanent or full-time member of the staff of the Union, or retired
officer or
member of the staff of the Union, or any member who is in receipt
of a pension
from any of the funds of the Union, and no member who is employed
on Union
business on a full-time basis with remuneration paid from funds
which are
raised from special contributions paid by Branch members as distinct
from
Union contributions, shall be eligible for nomination and election
as a delegate
to the Rules Conference.
4. The General Executive Council shall be represented at the
Rules Conference
by not more than three of its members, and its representatives
may speak but
shall not vote on any question arising.
5. Each delegate shall hold office until the next ordinary
Rules Conference.
6. Motions to amend the rules may be moved at the instance
of branches,
Regional Trade Group or District or National Trade Group or sector
committees, regional committees or the General Executive Council.
The
General Secretary shall send not later than March 31 in the year
of each
ordinary Rules Conference to each Branch an invitation to forward
motions to
amend the rules for the agenda of such Conference. No motion
to amend the
rules shall be placed upon the agenda of the Rules Conference
unless
despatched to reach the General Secretary within a period of
six weeks of the
date of the circular issued by the General Secretary inviting
the submission of
motions to amend the rules. [ page12]
7. The agenda, subject to such grouping or verbal revision as
the General
Executive Council may deem advisable, shall be issued to the
delegates, to the
branches and to all national and regional authorities, at least
three weeks
before the Rules Conference is due to meet, and no subject not
included on the
agenda shall be discussed without the permission of the Rules
Conference, or
unless the Standing Orders Committee report it to be a matter
of urgency.
8. Not less than six tellers and six scrutineers shall be
appointed at each Rules
Conference from among the delegates present.
9. The Standing Orders Committee shall consist of six members,
elected by, and
from the Rules Conference and holding office until the next conference.
They
shall be eligible for re-election. Casual vacancies on the Standing
Orders
Committee shall be filled from the candidates not elected at
the previous
election in the order of the votes recorded. The Committee shall
give special
consideration to all matters of urgency referred to them and
make such
recommendations regarding the same and for the conduct of the
business of
the Rules Conference as they shall deem fit. They may advise
the suspension
or modification of any standing order. They shall be responsible
for the
examination of the credentials of all delegates and shall report
the result to the
Rules Conference. Members of the General Executive Council shall
not be
eligible to serve as members of the Standing Orders Committee.
10. The Rules Conference shall have power to formulate such
standing orders as it
shall deem fit.
11. The cost of any Rules Conference shall be met from the
general funds.
12. Each delegate to the Rules Conference shall receive payment
in accordance
with the rates laid down by the General Executive Council.
13. A Special Rules Conference may be called by the General
Executive Council.
Such Conference shall only deal with the business for which it
is summoned.
RULE #6. GENERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
1. For the general administration of the Union's business
there shall be a General
Executive Council.
2. The General Executive Council shall be constituted as follows:-
(a) One representative from each territorial region with a
membership of
50,000 or less; two representatives from each territorial region
with a
membership of more than 50,000 up to 150,000; and three representatives
from each territorial region with a membership of more than 150,000.
The
number of territorial representatives shall be determined on
the membership of [ page13]
each region as at the end of the June quarter in the year immediately
preceding
the year in which the General Executive Council takes office.
In the event of a region becoming entitled to more than one territorial
representative the General Executive Council may, if deemed desirable,
divide
the region into constituent parts and allocate to the said parts
the
representation of the region as in the opinion of the General
Executive Council
seems just. A regional territorial representative shall not at
the same time
represent a Regional Trade Group or District Committee on the
Regional
Committee.
Where a territorial region has a women's membership of 10,000
or more as at
the end of the June quarter in the year immediately preceding
the year in which
the General Executive Council takes office it shall be entitled
to an additional
representative who shall be a woman.
Where a territorial region has a Black & Asian ethnic minority
membership of
5,000 or more as at the end of the June quarter in the year immediately
preceding the year in which the General Executive Council takes
office it shall
be entitled to an additional representative who shall be a Black
& Asian ethnic
minority member. The General Executive shall define such categories
of
members in accordance with the Union’s equal opportunities
policy as from
time to time determined by them.
(b) Representatives from each National Industrial Sector as
follows:
(i) Manufacturing – 4 representatives
(ii) Services – 4 representatives
(iii) Transport – 4 representatives
(iv) Food and Agriculture – 2 representatives
The General Executive Council shall divide the National Industrial
Sectors into
constituent parts based on National Trade Groups or combinations
of National
Trade Groups as in the opinion of the General Executive Council
seem just.
The General Executive Council has determined that these constituencies
will
be:
(i) Manufacturing –
Vehicle Building & Automotive –1 seat
Power & Engineering – 1 seat
Chemical Oil and Rubber – 1 seat
Textiles – 1 seat
(ii) Services-
Administrative, Clerical, Technical and
Supervisory Staffs - 1 seat
Public Services – 1 seat
Building and Construction (including Building Crafts) –
1
seat
General Workers – 1 seat [ page14]
(iii) Transport-
Civil Air Transport – 1 seat
Road Transport (Commercial) – 1 seat
Passenger – 1 seat
Docks & Waterways – 1 set
(iv) Food and Agriculture –
Agricultural and Allied Workers – 1 seat
Food, Drink & Tobacco - 1 seat
(c) One National woman representative.
(d) One National Black or Asian ethnic minority representative.
No person shall accept nomination to represent more than one
category of
Executive Representative as referred to in this clause. No permanent
or
full-time officer or member of the permanent or full-time staff
of the Union, or
retired officer or member of the staff of the Union, or any member
who is in
receipt of a pension from any of the funds of the Union, and
no member who is
employed on Union business on a full-time basis with remuneration
paid from
funds which are raised from special contributions paid by Branch
members as
distinct from Union contributions, shall be eligible for nomination.
3. Territorial representatives on the General Executive Council
shall be elected
and hold office for a period of two years, and shall be eligible
for re-election.
Each candidate for election to represent a region or a part of
a region as may
be determined by the General Executive Council under Clause 2(a)
of this Rule
shall be nominated by a Branch or branches within that region
or that part of a
region as the case may be and such nominated member must have
been a
financial member of this Union for at least two years immediately
preceding the
date of nomination. A Branch shall only be entitled to make such
number of
nominations as there are members to be elected from that region
or part
thereof. In a territorial region which is entitled to an additional
representative
who must be a woman, as provided for under Clause 2(a) of this
Rule, a
Branch shall also be entitled to make a further nomination and
such nominated
member must have been a financial member of this Union for at
least two years
immediately preceding the date of nomination. In a territorial
region which is
entitled to an additional representative who must be a Black
or Asian ethnic
minority member, as provided for under Clause 2(a) of this Rule,
a Branch shall
also be entitled to make a further nomination and such nominated
member
must have been a financial member of this Union for at least
two years
immediately preceding the date of nomination. Notice of nomination
shall be
sent by the Branch Secretary to the General Secretary prior to
the date
specified by the General Executive Council in the circular issued
to the
branches inviting nominations, which shall be not earlier than
the first Monday
in October or later than the first Monday in December in each
alternate year.
The voting shall take place and be completed not later than the
following
February 14th, and those elected shall take office at the following
March [ page15]
meeting of the General Executive Council. Members of a territorial
region or of
a part of a region shall be accorded equally an entitlement to
vote in the
election for a representative from their own territorial region
or part thereof (but
no other territorial region or part thereof) to the General Executive
Council,
provided that only members possessing not less than 13 weeks
membership,
having paid 13 weeks contributions and not being more than 13
weeks in
arrears shall be entitled to vote. The method of voting shall
be by the marking
of a ballot paper by the person voting and the election shall
be organised and
conducted in accordance with the directions from time to time
of the General
Executive Council.
4. National Industrial Sector representatives on the General
Executive Council
shall be elected and hold office for a period of two years, and
shall be eligible
for re-election. Each candidate for election to represent a particular
National
Industrial Sector Constituency shall be nominated by a Branch
or Branches
consisting wholly or partly of members of the particular National
Industrial
Sector Constituency concerned. Only Branch members who are members
of
the particular National Industrial Sector Constituency concerned
shall have the
right to submit and vote on the names of persons seeking nomination
by the
Branch as its candidate for election to represent that particular
National
Industrial Sector Constituency. Such nominated member must be
a member of
the particular National Industrial Sector Constituency concerned
and have been
a financial member of this Union for at least two years immediately
preceding
the date of the close of nominations. A Branch shall only be
entitled to
nominate one such candidate for each National Industrial Sector
Constituency
with membership in that Branch. In all such elections notice
of nomination shall
be sent by the Branch Secretary to the General Secretary prior
to the date
specified by the General Executive Council in the circular issued
to the
branches inviting nominations which shall be not earlier than
the first Monday in
October or later than the first Monday in December in each alternate
year. The
voting shall take place and be completed not later than the following
February
14th and those elected shall take office at the following March
meeting of the
General Executive Council. Members of a particular National Industrial
Sector
Constituency shall be accorded equally an entitlement to vote
in the election for
a representative from their own National Industrial Sector Constituency
(but no
other National Industrial Sector Constituency) to the General
Executive
Council, provided that only members possessing not less than
13 weeks
membership, having paid 13 weeks contributions and not being
more than 13
weeks in arrears shall be entitled to vote. The method of voting
shall be by the
marking of a ballot paper by the person voting and the election
shall be
organised and conducted in accordance with the directions from
time to time of
the General Executive Council.
5. The National Woman representative on the General Executive
Council shall be
elected and hold office for a period of two years, and shall
be eligible for
re-election. Each candidate for election under Clauses 2(c) of
this Rule shall
be a woman and shall be nominated by a Branch and such nominated
member
must have been a financial member of this Union for at least
two years [ page16]
immediately preceding the date of nomination. A Branch shall
only be entitled
to nominate one such candidate. Notice of nomination shall be
sent by the
Branch Secretary to the General Secretary prior to the date specified
by the
General Executive Council in the circular issued to the branches
inviting
nominations, which shall be not earlier than the first Monday
in October or later
than the first Monday in December in each alternate year. The
voting shall take
place and be completed not later than the following February
14th, and those
elected shall take office at the following March meeting of the
General
Executive Council. Members who are women shall be accorded equally
an
entitlement to vote in the election for such a representative
to the General
Executive Council, provided that only women members possessing
not less
than 13 weeks membership, having paid 13 weeks contributions
and not being
more than 13 weeks in arrears shall be entitled to vote. The
method of voting
shall be by the marking of a ballot paper by the women voting
and the election
shall be organised and conducted in accordance with the directions
from time
to time of the General Executive Council.
6. The National Black or Asian Ethnic Minority Representative
on the General
Executive Council shall be elected and hold office for a period
of two years, and
shall be eligible for re-election. Each candidate for election
under Clauses 2(d)
of this Rule shall be a person who is black or of ethnic minority
origin and who
shall be nominated by a Branch. Such nominated member must have
been a
financial member of this Union for at least two years immediately
preceding the
date of nomination. A Branch shall only be entitled to nominate
one such
candidate. Notice of nomination shall be sent by the Branch Secretary
to the
General Secretary prior to the date specified by the General
Executive Council
in the circular issued to the branches inviting nominations,
which shall be not
earlier than the first Monday in October or later than the first
Monday in
December in each alternate year. The voting shall take place
and be
completed not later than the following February 14th, and those
elected shall
take office at the following March meeting of the General Executive
Council.
Members who are Black or Asian ethnic minority members will be
accorded
equally an entitlement to vote in the election of such a representative
to the
General Executive Council, provided that only members possessing
not less
than 13 weeks membership, having paid 13 weeks contributions
and not being
more than 13 weeks in arrears shall be entitled to vote; and
the method of
voting shall be by the marking of a ballot paper by the Black
or Asian ethnic
minority member voting and the election shall be organised and
conducted in
accordance with the directions from time to time of the General
Executive
Council.
7. If any vacancy is created on the General Executive Council
by death,
resignation or otherwise, a new member shall be elected for the
remaining part
of the period of two years for which the General Executive Council
was elected,
in the manner provided by these rules for the election of a representative
determined under clause 2 of this rule, as the case may be.
8. Every General Executive Councillor shall receive payment
in accordance with [ page17]
the rates laid down by the Biennial Delegate Conference.
9. The General Executive Council shall meet once a quarter.
A special meeting of
the General Executive Council may be called when the General
Secretary
deems it advisable. Members of the General Executive Council
who do not
attend any meeting to which they are summoned shall send a written
explanation of their absence, and if the Council is of opinion
the explanation is
not satisfactory, it may declare their office vacant and direct
the Region or
National Trade Group which they represent to elect a successor.
Any such
member shall have a right of appeal to the Appeals Committee
within seven
days after notification of such declaration.
10. At the first meeting of each General Executive Council
a Finance and General
Purposes Committee of 8 members shall be elected in a manner
to ensure that
each region of the Union is represented. This committee shall
meet not less
than once per month. Such Committee shall also act as an emergency
committee, and the Council shall delegate to such Committee all
or any of its
powers, other than the power to order or sanction a strike involving
the whole of
the members of the Union, or all the members in two or more National
Industrial Sectors, as it may from time to time determine, and
may from time to
time modify or revoke such powers.
11. At the first meeting of the General Executive Council
in the year following the
year in which the Biennial Delegate Conference is held, there
shall be
appointed by and from the members of the Council a Chair whose
period of
office shall conform to the period of office of the General Executive
Council as
then constituted. The Chair shall preside over all General Executive
Council
meetings, see that the business is properly conducted, and sign
the minutes of
each meeting when passed. The Chair shall also preside at the
Biennial
Delegate Conference, the Rules Conference, and at any special
delegate
Conferences which may be held during their term of office, and
in addition shall
be a delegate to the Trades Union Congress and Annual Conference
of the
Labour Party held during their term of office, and to such other
conferences as
the General Executive Council may from time to time determine.
The General
Executive Council shall have power to vote an honorarium annually
for the
services of the Chair.
12.
(a) The General Executive Council shall transact and overlook
the general
business of the Union.
It shall see that properly prepared quarterly and annual
statements of account relating to all financial affairs of the
Union are presented
at its quarterly meetings, and it may call for the production
of any book,
vouchers, or documents.
It shall have powers to direct that special audits or
examinations of the books or finances of any Branch, District,
Regional,
National or Sectional Committee (each of which is hereinafter
called "a local
authority") shall be made by special auditors appointed
by the Council.
(b) It shall be the sole authority for the endorsement of
Union parliamentary
candidates, and shall determine the amount of money to be paid
from the [ page18]
political fund in support of each endorsed candidate. No parliamentary
candidate shall be entitled to financial support from the Union
unless and until
their candidature has received the endorsement of the General
Executive
Council.
It shall also be empowered to exercise authority over the
endorsement of
candidates for election to local public bodies, but may delegate
these powers to
the regional committees. It may also allocate a portion of the
income to the
political fund for disbursement by the regional committees in
the support of
such candidates as may be endorsed by the said regional committees.
The
amount of any grant made towards the expenses of an endorsed
candidate
shall be at the sole discretion of the General Executive Council
or the Regional
Committee concerned, as the case may be. No candidate for election
to a local
public body shall be entitled to financial support from the Union
unless and until
their candidature has received the endorsement of the General
Executive
Council or the Regional Committee concerned, as the case may
be.
(c) It shall overlook the business of the National Industrial
Sector or section
and regional committees and district committees set up under
the following
Clause (d) and branches, and see that they administer the business
of the
Union properly and according to the rules. It shall require reports
to be
submitted to it of the work of the National Industrial Sector
and section officers
and regional officers. It shall adjust and decide all differences
in questions of
administration that arise between branches and regional and all
other
committees.
(d) It shall have power to organise any new trade group or
section and to
provide for any such new group or section special conditions
and benefits (if
necessary or desirable) and to establish a District Committee
where it shall
deem necessary.
(e) It shall consider all appeals and resolutions addressed
to it from
branches, regions and national trade groups or sections and regional,
district
and all other committees, and decide thereon. In the case of
an appeal being
made by a member, the appeal will be acknowledged by the General
Secretary
and concluded within two months of receipt, or within such time
as is jointly
determined. It shall decide all questions arising in connection
with appeals by
members or branches against decisions of regional committees
concerned in
the payment or non-payment of claims for benefit.
13. The General Executive Council shall appoint all permanent
and full-time
officers of the Union (who shall have been financial members
of this Union for
at least two years immediately preceding the date of application
or nomination)
other than the General Secretary, deputy General Secretary and
such other
executive officers as from time to time prescribed by the General
Executive
Council under rule 14 Clause 3 and trustees, but including all
permanent or
full-time secretaries, delegates or other officers of branches.
No additional
officers shall be appointed by the General Executive Council
until after [ page19]
consultation with the National Industrial Sector and/or either
Regional
Committee or Regional Trade Group committee concerned. The General
Executive Council shall fix the salaries attached to each official
position. It shall
have power to suspend and/or dismiss any officer.
14. It shall summon the chief officer of a National Industrial
Sector to attend any
meetings at which any matter affecting such sector is to be discussed.
15. It shall require reports to be submitted to it of all
disputes, and shall take such
action with regard thereto as it shall deem fit.
16. The General Executive Council shall set up the necessary
departments for the
proper administration of the business of the Union; allocate
officers and
prescribe their powers and duties and terms of employment.
17.
(a) The General Executive Council shall decide how the surplus
funds of the
Union shall be invested, and how such investments shall be varied.
Such
funds shall be invested in the joint names of the trustees
- in any of the public stocks or funds or Government securities
of the United Kingdom or any British
Colony or Dependency, or of any foreign Government or State,
- or in any securities the interest on which is or shall be
guaranteed by Parliament,
- or in bonds with municipal corporations,
- in the shares or on the security of any registered society
under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act,
- or under the Building Societies Acts,
- or of any company registered under the Companies Acts or
incorporated by Act of Parliament or by charter,
- or in or upon any mortgage,
- bond, debenture, or debenture stock,
- or in freehold or leasehold property in Great Britain, Ireland,
the Channel Islands, or on mortgage thereof,
- or in any approved cooperative undertakings
- or may in part be deposited or invested in any part of the
world.
All dividends and interests arising therefrom shall be allocated
to the provident funds of the Union in such manner as the
General Executive Council shall determine.
(b) The General Executive Council shall have power to raise
or borrow
money on any of the properties or securities of the Union by
way of mortgage
or otherwise in such manner as they shall think fit.
(c) Notwithstanding any other provision in these rules, the
General
Executive Council shall have power to designate part or all of
the property in
any existing fund of the union as a Protected Fund and to establish
such other
Protected Fund or Protected Funds as it shall determine and to
decide what
property belonging to or held in trust for the Union (including
therein any
money, securities or other assets) shall be comprised in any
such Fund or
Funds. Notwithstanding any other provision in these rules, property
which is or
has been comprised in any Protected Fund and the income derived
therefrom
shall be precluded from being used for financing strikes, lockouts
or other
industrial action, but, save as aforesaid, such property shall
otherwise be
applicable for such lawful purposes and objects of the Union
as the General
Executive Council may from time to time determine. No property
or part of any [ page20]
property which is or has been comprised in a Protected Fund shall
be
transferred to any Fund of the Union other than another Protected
Fund.
Notwithstanding anything contained in Rule 5 or in Rule 24 or
in any other
provision in these rules, no amendment shall be made to this
Rule or to any
other provision in these rules which would have the effect of
enabling part or all
of any property which is or has been comprised in a Protected
Fund or the
income derived from such property to be transferred to or comprised
in a Fund
other than a Protected Fund or otherwise to become available
for financing
strikes, lock-outs or other industrial action.
18. In addition to any express powers in these rules provided,
the General
Executive Council shall have power generally to carry on the
business of the
Union, and may delegate such of their powers to the General Secretary
as they
may deem necessary, and do such things and authorise such acts,
including
the payment of moneys, on behalf of the Union, as they, in the
general
interests of the Union, may deem expedient. They shall have power
at any
time to negotiate on any matters concerning the interests of
the members of
the Union or the interests of Labour generally, and to conclude
agreements
with persons and associations not members of the Union. They
shall have
power to sanction the payment of money, authorise payment, make
levies,
either generally or for particular purposes or districts and
generally, within the
rules and the standing decisions of the Biennial Delegate Conference
and of
the Appeals Committee, to decide the policy of the Union. They
shall have
power to prepare programmes of action and policy generally including
strike
and other industrial action provided that before sanctioning
a strike of
(a) all the members of the Union or
(b) all the members in two or more national trade
groups they shall obtain the approval of a recalled Biennial
Delegate
Conference and act in accordance with the ballot vote taken in
consequence of
such approval. The General Executive Council shall have power
to sanction
payment of benefit in respect of any strike (other than a strike
involving the
whole of the members of the Union) and in respect of any lockout.
They shall
have power to expend moneys on any of the purposes authorised
by these
rules, or on any other purpose which, in their opinion, is expedient
in the
interests of the Union or its members, including the right to
expend moneys on
the legal assistance of the members or officers, their family
members or their
dependants, whether in bringing or defending actions or prosecutions
in all
cases where they may deem fit, and such other legal action as,
in their opinion,
may be necessary to protect the interests of the Union. They
may likewise
institute or defend proceedings or authorise the general trustees
to institute or
defend legal proceedings, against persons who are or who are
not members of
the Union. They may send delegates or deputations to represent
the Union, for
any purpose they think fit, and shall have power to suspend,
expel or impose
any other penalty on any member, Branch, local authority or other
administrative section of the Union for such reasons and on such
terms as they
deem expedient and their decisions, save as herein provided,
shall be final and
conclusive for all purposes provided that every member, Branch
or local
authority shall have the right, in the case of an individual
member within seven
days and in all other cases within 14 days, of the date of notification
of the [ page21]
decision of the General Executive Council to give notice of appeal,
and to
appeal to the Appeals Committee, and until the hearing of such
appeal the
decision of the Council shall be binding.
19. The General Executive Council may delegate to any committee
constituted
under these Rules such of their powers as are necessary or expedient
and
consistent with the powers and duties of such committee as in
these rules
provided, and may modify or revoke such powers from time to time.
20. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, and in addition
to the powers already
given, the General Executive Council shall, where they consider
it in the
interests of the Union or of the Labour Movement generally, have
power to
negotiate and enter into agreements with any group or groups
of individuals
concerning the terms of membership of any industrial sector or
trade group or
section or subsection of the Union, including the amount of entrance
fees,
scales of contributions, fines and benefits governing said membership.
21. Except as may be otherwise provided in these rules, the
General Executive
Council shall in all things act for and in the name of the Union;
and all acts and
orders under the powers delegated to them shall have the like
force and effect
as the acts and orders of the Union at any general meeting. It
shall be the duty
of the General Executive Council to keep themselves informed
as to the
general administration of the Union; to exercise a general supervision
over the
keeping of the accounts; and to verify, from time to time, any
cash balances in
the hands of the secretary and other officers.
RULE #7. NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AND NATIONAL
TRADE GROUP COMMITTEES
1. For the purpose of conducting the industrial business of
the Union there shall
be for each National Industrial Sector, as specified in Rule
3, Clause 6, a
National Industrial Sector Committee which shall hold office
for the same period
as the General Executive Council, as laid down in Rule 6, Clauses
3 and 4.
2. Each National Industrial Sector Committee shall overlook
and co-ordinate for
such Trade Groups as determined by the General Executive Council
all matters
relating to industrial organisation and recruitment.
3. Each National Industrial Sector Committee shall be composed
of one or more
members from each National Trade Group Committee as specified
in Rule 3,
clause 6. Women’s representation shall be proportionate
to the respective
membership of the National Industrial Sector. Black and Asian
ethnic minority
representation shall be proportionate to the respective membership
of the
National Industrial Sector.
4. The representatives of each National Industrial Sector
elected to the General
Executive Council in accordance with Rule 6, Clause 4 will become
a full [ page22]
member of the relevant National Industrial Sector Committee and
the relevant
National Trade Group Committee.
5. Each National Industrial Sector Committee shall meet every
twelve months, or,
with the consent of the General Executive Council, at any other
times. Any
members of the Committee failing to attend any meeting shall
send a written
explanation of their absence, and if the Committee is of the
opinion that the
explanation is not satisfactory it may declare their office vacant
and direct the
National Trade Group Committee which the member represents to
elect a
successor.
6. For the purpose of conducting the trade group or section
business of the Union
there shall be for each Trade Group or Section, as specified
in Rule 3, Clause
6, a National Committee which shall hold office for the same
period as the
General Executive Council, as laid down in Rule 6, Clauses 3
and 4.
7. Each National Trade Group Committee shall transact and
overlook for its
membership the Union’s business as affecting membership
relating to pay;
hours and working conditions and other questions pertaining thereto.
8. Each National Trade Group Committee shall be composed of
one or more
members from each Regional Trade Group or Section Committee,
and shall be
elected by members of the Regional Trade Group or Section Committee
by
show of hands. Where a District Committee system operates in
place of group
or section committees, the Regional Committee shall determine
the method of
selecting representatives for the National Trade Group Committees.
Only
members of the Committee (and/or the Branch as the case may be)
directly
affected by the group or section concerned shall have the right
to nominate and
vote. Women’s representation shall be proportionate to the
respective
membership of the Regional Trade Group. Black and Asian ethnic
minority
representation shall be proportionate to the respective membership
of the
Regional Trade Group.
9. Each National Trade Group Committee shall meet every three
months, or, with
the consent of the General Executive Council, at any other times.
Any
members of the Committee failing to attend any meeting shall
send a written
explanation of their absence, and if the Committee is of opinion
that the
explanation is not satisfactory it may declare their office vacant
and direct the
Regional Trade Group Committee which the member represents to
elect a
successor.
10. Each member of the National Industrial Sector or National
Trade Group
Committee shall receive payment in accordance with the schedule
laid down by
the General Executive Council. [ page23]
RULE 8. REGIONAL COMMITTEES
1. For the purpose of locally administering the general business
of the Union there
shall be a Regional Committee for each region which shall hold
office for the
same period as the General Executive Council as provided in Rule
6, Clauses
3 to 6.
2. Regional Committees shall be composed of representatives
of each of the
Regional Trade Group or District Committees. The members of the
Regional
Trade Group or District Committees shall elect in manner laid
down by the
General Executive Council delegates to serve on the Regional
Committee.
Women’s representation shall be proportionate to the respective
membership
of the Regional Trade Group or District Committee. Black and
Asian ethnic
minority representation shall be proportionate to the respective
membership of
the regional Trade Group or District Committee.
3. The Regional Committee shall meet once a quarter or oftener
if, in the opinion
of the Regional Secretary, the business renders it necessary
or by requisition of
a majority of the members. The Regional Secretary is responsible
for
convening all meetings. A requisitioned meeting should be convened
for a date
within four weeks of receipt of the requisition, or, if that
is not reasonably
practicable, the earliest date which is.
4. The powers and duties of the Regional Committee shall include
the
organisation of groups within the region, the coordination of
the work of the
various Regional Trade Groups and Sections, the conduct of necessary
propaganda, the administration of such business of the Union
as affects all
sections of the membership in the region, such as general industrial
movements, educational work, political administration, etc.,
the consideration of
any dispute arising in the region and reporting thereon to the
General Executive
Council, with suggestions as to arrangements for the mutual support
of
respective sections when necessary, and on disputes arising out
of the
non-payment of benefits.
5. Each member shall receive payment in accordance with the
schedule laid down
by the General Executive Council.
6. The Regional Committee shall have power to appoint one
or more
sub-committees from among its members and, except where otherwise
determined by the General Executive Council, shall have the power
to delegate
to any such sub-committee all or any of its powers including
therein the conduct
of hearings, appeals, inquiries, investigations or any other
proceedings or
functions whatever which it is authorised by these Rules to undertake.
RULE 9. REGIONAL TRADE GROUP AND DISTRICT
COMMITTEES
1. For the purpose of conducting the trade group business
of the Union there shall
be a Regional Trade Group or District Committee for each of the
trade groups [ page24]
in each region which shall hold office for the same period as
the General
Executive Council as provided in Rule 6, Clauses 3 to 6.
2. For the Regional Trade Group or District Committee the
method of election
shall be organised and conducted in accordance with the directions
from time
to time of the General Executive Council.
3. The size of the Regional Trade Group or District Committee
shall be
determined by the General Executive Council after consultation
with the
Regional Committee. Women’s representation shall be proportionate
to the
respective membership of the Regional Trade Group or District.
Black and
Asian ethnic minority representation shall be proportionate to
the respective
membership of the Regional Trade Group or District.
4. The Regional Trade Group or District Committee shall meet
at least once every
three months. Special meetings may be convened in consultation
with the
Regional Secretary.
5. The Regional Trade Group or District Committee shall be
consulted upon and
advise as to all matters directly affecting the interests of
the group.
6. Officials of the group shall attend committee meetings
and submit reports on
questions of organisation, wage movements, and other matters
connected with
the industries covered by the Committee.
7. Each member of the Regional Trade Group or District Committee
shall receive
payment in accordance with the schedule laid down by the General
Executive
Council.
RULE 10. BRANCHES
1. The Union shall be divided into Branches, each of which
shall consist of not
less than fifty members, except by special permission of the
General Executive
Council. Should the membership of a Branch fall below the minimum
number
of fifty, the members shall be attached to such Branch as the
General
Executive Council, after consultation with the Regional Trade
Group or District
Committee concerned, may direct.
2. The Regional Committee shall be required to ensure that
each branch meets at
regular intervals and fulfils its obligations under Rule. Where
a branch fails to
convene an Annual General Meeting of all members that
branch will be
suspended and members of the branch shall be allocated to a branch
which
meets the requirements of rule subject to the right of the branch
to appeal to
the General Executive Council.
3. Where deemed desirable for organisational and/or administrative
reasons the
Regional Committee shall be empowered, after consultation with
the [ page25]
appropriate Regional Trade Group or District Committee, to merge
branches,
subject to the right of the branches concerned to appeal to the
General
Executive Council whose decision shall be final.
4.
(a) Each Branch subject as hereinafter mentioned shall have
for its
management a Chair and Secretary, and a committee. Branches requiring
additional officers shall submit their requests to the Regional
and/or Trade
Group or District Committee, which shall make recommendations
to the
General Executive Council for authorisation. Except in the case
of a new
Branch, or with the consent of the Regional Committee, the Chair,
Secretary
and committee members respectively, shall have been financial
members of
the Union for a period of not less than two years immediately
preceding the
date of nomination, and each of them shall be nominated at least
four weeks
before the date of election. Every officer must at all times
be a financial
member. If, in the case of any Branch, the General Executive
Council shall
arrange for the secretarial duties of such Branch to be performed
by a
permanent or full-time officer, the Branch shall not, so long
as such
arrangement continues, be entitled to elect a Branch Secretary.
(b) Branch officers (other than permanent
or full-time officers, who shall be
appointed by the General Executive Council only, and who shall
hold office in
accordance with the terms of such appointment) and committees
shall hold
office for two years. They, (other than such permanent
or full-time officers as
aforesaid) shall be elected at a Branch meeting by show of hands,
or by ballot,
if so decided by the meeting. The election shall take
place and be completed
not later than December 31 in each alternate year, and the elected
candidates
shall take office the following January for two years. Casual
vacancies may be
filled at an ordinary Branch meeting, but notice of the impending
election must
be given to members of the Branch on the notice convening the
meeting.
(c) The Regional Secretary, branch officers, and all officials
authorised by
the General Executive Council or the Finance and General Purposes
Committee shall be at liberty to inspect the Branch books at
any time, and the
cards of the members present at any Branch meeting.
(d) A complete list giving the names and addresses of all
the branch officers
and/or committee members elected by the Branch shall be sent
to the regional
office and to the Regional Trade Group secretary by the Branch
Secretary
before the end of January in each alternate year on the form
provided, and all
alterations caused by casual vacancies shall be similarly notified
forthwith.
(e) The branch officers shall use the books, stationery, and
forms provided
by the General Executive Council, keep them uniformly, and produce
them
when called for by the Regional Secretary or any other duly authorised
person.
5. Collectors and/or shop stewards may be appointed by a Branch
subject to the
right of members to elect shop stewards in the following paragraph
and subject
to the approval of the General Executive Council, whose duty
shall be to record [ page26]
payments made in the book provided, and pay into the Branch the
actual
amounts collected at least once a week.
For the purpose of representing membership on matters affecting
their
employment, a shop steward or equivalent representative shall
be elected by
the membership in a defined working area, or at a Branch meeting,
by a show
of hands or ballot as may from time to time be determined.
Elections shall take place at least once every two years and
the membership
concerned may require to have special elections or elections
at defined periods
within this period. The representative so elected shall be in
compliance and act
in accordance with Union Rules and Policies. Details of elected
representatives shall be submitted to the District Officer of
the Union who will
be required to notify the employer concerned and report the details
to the
appropriate District Committee and Regional Committee for its
ratification.
The Regional Committee or its authorised sub-committee may have
authority to
withdraw credentials of a shop steward or equivalent representative
in
circumstances where it is considered that the representative
is not acting in
accordance with Union Rules and Policy, subject to the right
of appeal as
provided for in these rules.
Shop stewards shall receive the fullest support and protection
from the Union,
and an immediate inquiry shall be undertaken by the appropriate
trade group or
District Committee into every case of dismissal of a shop steward
with a view to
preventing victimisation, either open or concealed.
6. Where it may be necessary to make payments to collectors
or shop stewards
or other Branch officers by way of remuneration such payments
shall be made
by the Branch secretary in accordance with regulations issued
by the General
Executive Council, which regulations shall have regard to existing
practice.
This Clause shall not relate to permanent or full-time branch
officers, whose
remuneration shall be paid in accordance with the regulations
of the General
Executive Council for the time being.
7.
(a) The duties of a Branch Chair shall be to preside at all
meetings of the
Branch, and conduct the business with propriety and order. The
Chair shall
sign all minutes of the Branch and all official documents, and,
through the
secretary, order special meetings of the Branch when necessary.
The Chair
shall supervise the working of the Branch and all its officers,
and have the right
to inspect all Branch books and documents. The Chair shall, at
every meeting,
read aloud to the meeting the receipts for all moneys forwarded
to the central
office since the date of the last previous meeting.
(b) If a Branch Chair's conduct be deemed unsatisfactory,
the Branch
secretary shall, on the instructions of the Branch, convene a
special meeting (of
which fourteen days notice shall be given) to investigate the
matter giving rise
to the complaint. The Chair whose conduct is the subject of investigation
shall [ page27]
be given seven days notice of the said special meeting with an
invitation to be
present. If the Chair's conduct be found by such meeting to be
unsatisfactory,
the Branch shall remove the person from office and, if necessary,
elect a
temporary Chair pending the Branch Chair's appeal, or elect a
new Chair to
complete the term of office.
An appeal under this Clause shall be to the Regional Committee
and from a
decision of the Regional Committee to the General Executive Council.
Notice
of appeal must be in writing, and sent to the Regional Secretary
or General
Secretary, as the case may be, within seven days from the date
of the receipt
of notification of the decision.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Branch Chair's conduct
be deemed
unsatisfactory, the General Executive Council may remove the
person from
office and instruct the Branch to appoint a temporary Chair pending
the Branch
Chair's appeal, or to elect a new Chair to complete the term
of office.
An appeal under this Clause shall be to the Appeals Committee.
Notice of
appeal must be in writing and sent to the General Secretary within
seven days
of the appellant's removal from office.
8. All contributions or other moneys that are received by
the Branch Secretary
directly or through collectors, shall be remitted to the Regional
Office or Central
Office, as the case may be, within three days after receipt by
the Branch
Secretary, irrespective of any resolution past to the contrary
by a Branch or any
committee.
9. Two auditors (who shall be members of the Union) shall,
if deemed necessary
by the General Executive Council, be elected at each biennial
Branch meeting,
and they shall audit the accounts of the Branch quarterly and
certify the
quarterly return. No Branch Officer may act as auditor.
10. All documents received from the Central or Regional Office
of the Union shall
be read and considered at meetings of branches, and shall be
regarded as
private and confidential, and shall not be published or made
public property
without the consent of the General Executive Council or General
Secretary.
Offending members shall be dealt with by the Branch committee
or the General
Executive Council.
11. No meeting shall be held in any place where intoxicants
are sold if any other
place is obtainable at a reasonable rent.
12. The following shall be the order of business at each meeting:-
(a) Attendance and apologies for absence
(b) Roll of Officers
(c) Propositions for membership
(d) Minutes of previous branch meeting for approval and signing
by the Chair [ page28]
(e) Matters arising from the proceedings of the previous branch
meeting
(f) Secretary’s finance report, including report of monthly
Administration
Allowance and approval of branch expenditure
(g) Secretary’s report of member recruitment and organisation
(h) Reports of elected shop stewards, or staff representatives,
branch
delegates and other reports of interest to the members.
(i) Correspondence
(j) Any report of infringement of the rules
(k) Arrangements for the communication of matters of interest
to members,
including notice of next branch meeting.
13. Any members causing a quarrel, swearing, or using bad
language at any of the
meetings shall be ordered to leave the meeting and be suspended
until an
apology is given.
14. When any motion has been decided upon, no one shall speak
upon the subject
any longer.
15. All fines collected appertaining to these rules shall
be remitted with the weekly
takings and placed in the general fund. Fines imposed for violation
of working
rules may be retained by the Branch.
16. Remuneration shall only be paid to branch officers upon
the conditions duly
authorised by the General Executive Council, which shall give
each Branch or
District consideration according to conditions prevailing and
in consultation with
the respective Regional Committees. This Clause shall relate
only to Branch
officers elected by the Branch.
17. Should not less than fifty persons desire to form a new
Branch of the Union, or
not less than twenty in any place where no Branch exists, they
shall apply to
the General or Regional Secretary for a form of application,
which, when filled
in, shall be forwarded to the Central Office for endorsement
by the General
Executive Council. If so endorsed such persons shall be admitted
as members
and the Branch shall then be constituted.
18. Should any Branch secede from the Union, or the Branch
Secretary be
removed from office under Rule 11, Clause 10, or suspended under
Rule 11,
Clause 11, the officers of such Branch shall immediately hand
over to the
General Secretary, or any official authorised by the General
Secretary, all
moneys, books, papers, documents, furniture, and other property
of the Union
in the possession of such Branch. Legal proceedings shall forthwith
be taken
against any Branch Officer refusing to comply with this rule.
19. Any Branch may affiliate to the Trades Council and/or
Labour Party in its own
town or district subject to agreement by the Regional Committee
and the
sanction of the General Executive Council. [
page29]
20. Any member violating any working rules, registration, or
bylaws, disseminating
false statements or any rumour which tends to depreciate the
organisation, its
officers, or any section appertaining to the Union, or circulating
any business of
the Union to unauthorised persons without authority, or who has
incited,
assisted in, or committed any act of discrimination including
harassment, on the
grounds referred to in rule 2, clause 2 (d), or who is guilty
of other forms of
misconduct, shall be fined a sum not exceeding £50, or
otherwise dealt with by
the Branch or authorised committee of the Union as may be deemed
fit.
21.
(a) Complaints against the conduct of members may be dealt
with by the
Branch, Branch Committee (where so determined by the Branch),
Divisional
Committee, Regional Committee or the General Executive Council.
A member
whose conduct is the subject of inquiry shall be given notice
of the complaint in
writing with an intimation of the member's right to be present
at the hearing.
(b) If a Branch, Branch Committee or Divisional Committee,
as the case
may be, imposes a fine for misconduct, or for any of the offences
specified in
Clause 20, the member shall have a right of appeal to the Regional
Committee,
whose decision shall be final. Notwithstanding the foregoing
provision a
Regional Committee shall have power to impose fines for misconduct
provided
that in the event of a fine being imposed by a Regional Committee,
a member
shall have a right of appeal to the General Executive Council,
whose decision
shall be final.
(c) Notice of appeal under preceding Clause (b) must be in
writing and sent
to the Regional Secretary or the General Secretary, as the case
may be, within
fourteen days from the date of receipt of notification of the
fine, and the appeal
shall be heard at the first meeting of the Regional Committee
or the General
Executive Council, as the case may be, held following the receipt
of such
notice.
(d) Where a question of expulsion arises for misconduct, or
for any of the
offences specified in Clause 20, the investigation shall be conducted
by the
Regional Committee who shall make recommendations to the General
Executive Council. A member whose conduct is the subject of complaint,
shall
be given notice of the investigation in writing and afforded
an opportunity of
appearing before the Regional Committee. The General Executive
Council
may act upon the recommendation of the Regional Committee or
make further
investigation or take such steps, as, in the opinion of the General
Executive
Council, seem just.
22. Without prejudice to any other ground of expulsion contained
in these rules,
any member, or members, of the Union who, in the opinion of the
General
Executive Council shall have injured or attempted to injure the
Union, or
worked or acted contrary to the interests at the Union or its
members, or whose
conduct shall have been otherwise inconsistent with the duties
of a member of
this Union, may be fined a sum not exceeding £50 and if
holding office
removed therefrom, or may be expelled by the General Executive
Council from [ page30]
the Union and shall thereupon, subject to the right of appeal
as in these rules
provided, cease to be a member thereof.
RULE 11. BRANCH SECRETARY
1. The Branch Secretary shall attend all the meetings of the
Branch, and shall
enter all contributions in the book provided for that purpose.
2. The Secretary shall keep the accounts of the Branch in
a clear and intelligible
manner, and keep all documents, accounts, books, receipts and
papers
(including the receipts from the central or regional office of
previous weekly or
fortnightly income, and hand the same to the Branch Chair to
be read at the
following meeting of the Branch) belonging to the Branch in such
form, manner,
and place as the Branch, with the consent of the General Secretary,
shall
appoint, and shall conduct such correspondence as belongs to
their office.
3. The Branch Secretary shall draw up and furnish the Chair
with a programme of
the business to be brought before each meeting.
4. The Branch Secretary is legally responsible for all moneys
and property of the
Union passing through their hands.
5. The Branch Secretary shall immediately comply with Rule
10, Clause 8, as to
moneys received.
6. The Branch Secretary shall notify all members in arrears
in the manner
prescribed by the General Executive Council.
7. The Branch Secretary shall summon all meetings of the Branch.
A written
notice, authorised by the Chair and posted in the Branch room
and other
suitable places two weeks before the quarterly meeting takes
place, shall be
deemed sufficient notice for such meeting.
Summoned or special meetings must be convened by the Branch secretary
whenever notice is received from the General Secretary, the Branch
Committee, or from the members of the Branch, on the following
basis: In the
case of a Branch where the membership is under 1,000, on the
signature of 5
per cent of the members with a minimum of twenty members; Over
1,000, on
the signature of fifty members.
The summons must state the nature of the business and the time
and place of
the meeting.
8.
(a) The Branch Secretary shall prepare at the end of each
quarter a report
containing a detailed account of the income and expenditure,
as provided for in
the forms supplied; the number of members in arrears, with the
amount owing
by them; the membership of the Branch; the number expelled, dead,
[ page31]
transferred, and the number and names of those admitted during
the quarter,
with a statement of the financial position of the individual
members of the
Branch, together with any other detailed information required
at the central or
regional office from time to time. Such reports shall be signed
by the Branch
auditors.
(b) The Branch Secretary shall comply with Rule 10, Clause
4 (e).
9. If elected by a Branch, the Branch Secretary must give
a month's notice before
resigning.
10.
(a) If a Branch Secretary's conduct be deemed unsatisfactory,
the Branch
shall appoint a committee of inquiry consisting of not less than
three or more
than five members (one of whom shall be an officer), who shall
have power to
demand from the secretary all books, papers, and other property
of the Union;
and shall investigate and report to a meeting of the Branch specially
convened
by such committee (of which fourteen days notice shall be given).
(b) If the Secretary's conduct shall be found by such meeting
to be
unsatisfactory, the meeting shall, if necessary, elect a temporary
Secretary
pending the Branch Secretary's appeal, or elect a new Secretary
to complete
the term of office.
An appeal under this Clause shall be to the Regional Committee
and from a
decision of the Regional Committee to the General Executive Council.
Notice
of appeal must be in writing and sent to the Regional Secretary
or General
Secretary, as the case may be, within seven days from the date
of the receipt
of notification of the decision.
(c) Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a Branch Secretary's
conduct be
deemed unsatisfactory, the General Executive Council may remove
the person
from office and instruct the Branch to appoint a temporary Secretary
pending
the Branch Secretary's appeal or to elect a new Secretary to
complete the term
of office.
An appeal under this Clause shall be to the Appeals Committee.
Notice of
appeal must be in writing and sent to the General Secretary within
seven days
of the appellant's removal from office.
Secretary in this Clause means a member following their employment,
and not
a full-time or permanent Secretary appointed by the General Executive
Council.
In the event of a Branch having a complaint to make respecting
the accounts
or conduct of a full-time or permanent Secretary, a full report
thereof shall be
immediately forwarded both to the Central and Regional Offices.
11. Should the Executive Finance Director have cause to complain
of the conduct
of a Branch Secretary in the execution of the duties in-so-far
as they relate to
the keeping of the Branch accounts and the handling of the moneys
of the [ page32]
Union, the Executive Finance Director shall bring the matter
before the notice
of the General Secretary who may suspend the Branch Secretary
forthwith and
demand the return of all books, papers, moneys and other property
of the
Union held by the Secretary, and submit the matter to the next
meeting of the
Finance and General Purposes Committee for determination. Should
the
Finance and General Purposes Committee uphold the action of the
General
Secretary they may remove the Branch Secretary from office and
institute such
proceedings against the person as may be deemed advisable and
instruct the
Branch to elect a new Secretary to complete the term of office.
12. No payment shall be returned to the Branch or Branch Secretary
until the
accounts have been audited and passed by Central Office.
13. The Regional Secretary shall immediately acquaint the
Executive Finance
Director of any omission of Branch secretaries to remit money
in accordance
with Rule 10 Clause 8. The Executive Finance Director, on receipt
of such
information, shall take immediate steps to discover the cause
of such omission
and shall act forthwith in conjunction with the Regional Secretary.
14. A Branch whose membership is sufficient may make application
to the General
Executive Council for the appointment of a permanent Branch Secretary.
The
General Executive Council shall take the matter into consideration,
and if the
application is approved by them, shall proceed to appoint some
proper person
as the permanent and full-time secretary of such Branch.
RULE 12. BALLOT VOTING
1. The General Executive Council may, in matters which in
their opinion affect the
interest of the Union, and shall, if a recalled Biennial Delegate
Conference
approves a recommendation for a strike involving the whole of
the members of
the Union, take a ballot vote of the members of the whole Union.
The General
Executive Council may also take a ballot vote of a territorial
region or trade
group whose particular interests are concerned.
2. Only members possessing not less than thirteen weeks membership,
having
paid thirteen weeks contributions, and not being more than thirteen
weeks in
arrears, shall be entitled to vote.
3. In all ballots of the Union to which this rule applies,
the method of voting shall
be by the marking of a ballot paper by the person voting and
the election shall
be organised and conducted with the directions from time to time
of the
General Executive Council.
RULE 13. OFFICES
There shall be constituted offices as the General Executive
Council may decide. [ page33]
RULE 14. OFFICERS
1. The officers of the Union, who must all be members in full
benefit, and must
have worked in an industry embraced by the Union, shall include:
(1) General Secretary
(2) Executive Officers including
(a) Deputy General Secretary
(b) Assistant General Secretaries
(c) Executive Finance Director and other executive Officers
from time to time determined by the General Executive Council
(3) National Officials
(4) Regional Secretaries
(5) Regional and District Officers
(6) Trustees, Delegates to constitutional committees and Branch
officers
2. Should any office become vacant by death or otherwise the
General Executive
Council shall have power to decide whether it is necessary to
fill the vacancy or
not.
3. The General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary and such
other executive
officers as from time to time prescribed by the General Executive
Council shall
be elected by ballot vote of the whole members for terms of five
years. The
election shall be organised and conducted in accordance with
the directions
from time to time of the General Executive Council. Any candidate
for such a
position shall have been a financial member of this Union for
not less than five
years immediately preceding the date of application. The normal
age of
retirement of such officers shall be sixty-five. In the event
of the electoral
period of any such officers expiring within five years of the
normal age of
retirement that officer need not stand for re-election and shall
hold office until
the normal age of retirement.
Each Branch of the Union shall have powers to nominate for the
office.
RULE 15. GENERAL SECRETARY
1. The General Secretary shall be elected by a ballot vote
of the whole of the
members in accordance with Rule 14 Clause 3, and shall be a paid
official of
the Union when elected. The General Secretary shall hold office
during the
pleasure of the Union subject to the provisions of Rule 14 Clause
3. The
remuneration for this post shall be fixed by the General Executive
Council,
subject to confirmation by the Biennial Delegate Conference.
Each Branch of
the Union shall have power to nominate for the office a candidate
who shall
have been a financial member of this Union for not less than
five years
immediately preceding the date of application. [
page34]
2. The General Secretary shall attend all Biennial Delegate Conferences,
the
Rules Conference and the General Executive Council meetings,
record the
business, and act generally under the orders of the General Executive
Council.
The General Secretary shall have the right to speak on any business
at
conferences, or at meetings of the General Executive Council.
3. The General Secretary shall perform all the duties laid
down by the General
Executive Council, and shall generally supervise the work of
the Union in all
departments.
4. The General Secretary shall engage such staff and at such
salaries as shall be
determined by the General Executive Council.
5. The Deputy General Secretary shall act on the behalf of
the General Secretary
if absent.
RULE 16. EXECUTIVE FINANCE DIRECTOR
1. The Executive Finance Director, who shall on appointment
be a member of this
Union and shall be a paid official of the Union. The whole of
the Executive
Finance Direstor’s time shall be devoted to the duties of
the office. The
remuneration shall be fixed by the General Executive Council,
subject to
confirmation by the Biennial Delegate Conference.
2. The Executive Finance Director shall in accordance with
Rule 20, clause 1
keep the accounts of the Union, shall make such payments as the
General
Executive Council may order, and shall see that all moneys received
are
regularly paid into the bank. The Executive Finance Director
shall keep and
produce such books, vouchers, and documents as may be required
by the
General Executive Council.
3. The Executive Finance Director shall prepare and present
to the General
Secretary for submission to the General Executive Council at
their quarterly
meetings, and at the end of each financial year, proper accounts
of the income
and expenditure of the Union during the period under review,
and shall give
such assistance to the auditors of the Union as they shall require.
4. The Executive Finance Director shall make proper provision
for the prompt
disbursements of benefits in the regions, through the regional
secretaries, and
shall be legally responsible to the Union for all moneys passing
through their
hands.
RULE 17. TRUSTEES
1. There shall be three trustees, who shall have been financial
members of this [ page35]
Union for at least two years immediately preceding the date of
application or
nomination. They shall be elected by the Biennial Delegate Conference
by
show of hands from candidates not holding permanent or full-time
positions in
the Union and shall hold office during the pleasure of the Union.
Any member
of the Union with the requisite membership qualification shall
be eligible as a
candidate. Casual vacancies may be filled by the General Executive
Council
until the next Biennial Delegate Conference.
2. The funds and property of the Union shall be invested in
the joint names of the
trustees and dealt with by them as the General Executive Council
shall direct.
3. The office of a trustee may be declared vacant, and the
trustee may be
removed from office by the General Executive Council if the incumbent
is
considered by the General Executive Council incapable of, or
unfit, for the post
of trustee.
4. A trustee may at any time resign the office by tendering
their resignation in
writing to the General Secretary.
5. Every resolution appointing a trustee shall be entered
on the minutes of the
meeting at which they are appointed.
6. In the event of any of the trustees dying, resigning, or
being removed from
office, another shall be elected at the Biennial Delegate Conference
to fill the
vacancy, and, pending the filling of such vacancy, the remaining
trustees may
in all matters act as the trustees of the Union.
7. All deeds, documents of title, and securities for money
of the Union shall be
held by the trustees and they may take such measures for the
safe custody
and preservation thereof at the expense of the Union as they
shall think fit, and
they shall be responsible for the safe custody of all such deeds,
documents,
and securities as are placed in their hands or under their control;
shall produce
them for inspection when required by a resolution of a general
meeting or of the
General Executive Council; or when required by the auditors of
the books and
accounts.
8. It shall be the duty of any trustee who has resigned or
been removed from
office to execute such documents, and take all such other steps
as may be
necessary to vest in the trustees, for the time being, of the
Union all securities
and other property held by them on behalf of the Union.
9. No trustee shall invest any part of the funds of the Union
upon the security of
their own property or otherwise than in accordance with law,
or so far as relates
to funds under the private business otherwise than in accordance
with Rule 6,
Clause 17. [ page36]
RULE 18. OTHER PERMANENT OFFICIALS
1. All other permanent officials and staff, including all
permanent or full-time
branch officers, shall be allocated by the General Executive
Council, after
consultation with the respective sector or Regional Committee
concerned. In
the creation of new appointments the General Executive Council
shall consult
the national industrial sector committees, regional committees,
regional trade
group or district committees, or branch, as the case may be,
with reference to
the nature and conditions of appointment.
2. Any officer attempting to disrupt the organisation by advocating
or threatening
secession, or creating a rival organisation shall not be allowed
to hold office in
the Union, and shall be liable to expulsion from membership.
RULE 19. MEMBERSHIP
1. All members of the amalgamating unions shall be members
of the Union.
2. Persons may be admitted members of the Union, and upon
being admitted
shall be deemed to agree to abide by the rules of the Union in
every respect.
If, in the opinion of the General Executive Council, a person
fails to abide by
the rules at any time, that person shall be liable to forfeit
membership.
3. All new members shall be issued free of charge with a membership
card, they
may also obtain a copy of the Rule Book free of charge. There
shall be no
entrance fee. Issue of any subsequent Rule Book shall be charged
at a price
to be determined from time to time by the General Executive Council.
4. Membership contributions may be paid manually by the member
to a collector,
Branch Secretary or any office from which a full-time official
of the Union works,
or by any other method from time to time approved by the General
Executive
Council. Persons applying for membership shall state their intended
method of
payment. Members who elect to pay manually shall make their first
contributions upon admission.
5. Any member who elects to pay contributions manually shall
be issued free of
charge with a contribution card. Issue of any duplicate contribution
card may
be charged at a price to be determined by the General Executive
Council. All
moneys for cards must be returned by the Branch Secretary to
General
Accounts. Cards must be sent into the Branch Secretary when called
for.
Each member should see that every payment they have made to an
official of
the Union is at once entered by such official on the member's
card. Failure to
comply with this may render the member liable to pay twice.
6. In order to encourage payment of contributions by direct
debit, the General
Executive Council may relieve members of their obligations to
pay contributions
for a period not exceeding 1 month in any twelve month period
should they [ page37]
elect to pay their contributions by direct debit. Members shall
continue to enjoy
and accrue all the benefits and rights of membership during such
period of nonpayment.
7. It shall be the personal responsibility of the member to
maintain contributions
and avoid arrears in all circumstances, including sickness and
industrial action,
when paying manual or direct debit contribution. When a member
is paying
Direct from Wages and a payment is set up between the employer
and the
Union, the member is only responsible for checking deductions
from their
wages – not ensuring the employer makes the payment. Thus
ensuring the
member remains in compliance. The General Executive Council shall
nevertheless have discretion to allow payment of benefits or
to confirm
candidature for office should it be satisfied that the member
is not in deliberate
or culpable default.
8. The General Executive Council shall have power, on application
from the
appropriate committee, to establish by-laws for any particular
section, port or
district, governing the admission of new members. Such bylaws
shall become
binding on the Branches within the section, port or district,
as the case may be,
and so remain until revoked by the General Executive Council.
9. Every member shall contribute at the rate as from time
to time determined by
the General Executive Council.
10. Subject to the provisions of Clause 8, the age at which
anyone working in an
industry embraced by the Union may become a member shall be decided
by
the Regional Trade Group or District Committee or by the national
trade group
or section committee.
11. Every member must show their membership card upon being
requested to do
so by a regional, Branch, or other authorised officer of the
Union, and in default
shall pay such sum as may be decided upon by the Branch to which
they
belong, subject to a maximum to be decided from time to time
by the General
Executive Council.
12. A financial member is a member with not less than 26 weeks'
membership,
having made 26 weekly payments, and who is less than six weeks
in arrears.
13. There shall be a category of membership for those members
who are unable to
follow employment through old age or permanent disablement. The
General
Executive Council shall from time to time determine the qualifications
for
membership of this category as well as the level of contributions
and
entitlement to benefit. Such membership shall not accord an entitlement
to
vote in any Union ballot other than those in which all members
must by statute,
be accorded an unconditional entitlement to vote.
14. The General Executive Council may create such further
categories of
membership and determine from time to time the level of contributions
and [ page38]
benefits of members in those categories. The membership of such
categories
shall be entitled to vote in all appropriate Union ballots.
15. The types of benefit, the eligibility for benefits and
the amount of benefit shall
be determined from time to time by the General Executive Council.
16.
(a) Any member wishing to transfer to another Branch shall
only do so if
clear on the books. The member shall apply to the Secretary of
the Branch
they wish to join, who shall forward a form to the Secretary
of the Branch the
person then belongs to, who shall fill it in and return. Any
Branch Secretary
transferring a member of their Branch without transfer form shall
be fined at a
rate to be determined by the General Executive Council.
(b) Any member of another union desiring to transfer shall
pay all arrears to
the union the person is about to leave before being accepted
as a member; but
owing to the exceptional circumstances prevailing in certain
unions the General
Executive Council shall have power to decide transfer arrangements
to meet
the conditions. Any disagreement between Branches concerning
membership
transfer may be referred to the Regional Committee who shall
have the power
to decide transfer arrangements.
17. Any member going to sea shall remain in benefit for a
period not exceeding
three months provided that they clear their contribution card
to date of sailing
and shall before embarking notify in writing to the Branch Secretary
or other
permanent officer the name of their ship and probable period
of absence, and
the next Branch meeting shall approve, and the General Executive
Council
shall endorse such approval. Such member shall report to the
Branch
Secretary or other permanent officer and bring them self into
compliance by
paying all arrears within seven days after return. No application
for benefit
shall be entertained unless arrears up to the date thereof shall
have been paid.
18. Any National Industrial Sector or Regional Trade Group
may submit for the
approval of the General Executive Council such by-laws as may
be necessary
to govern the conduct of members in connection with working conditions
and
the observance of working rules.
19. Notwithstanding anything in these rules the General Executive
Council may, by
giving six weeks notice in writing, terminate the membership
of any member if
necessary in order to comply with a decision of the Disputes
Committee of the
Trades Union Congress.
20. Any member obtaining membership of the Union by false
statement material to
their admission into the Union or any evasion in that regard
may be expelled
from the Union by decision of the General Executive Council.
Any member
obtaining membership of a scale by giving false information will
be required to
refund any benefits which may have been paid up to the time of
discovery, and
transferred to the appropriate scale with no refund of contributions.
[ page39]
21. In the case of members admitted to the Union on a Transfer
of Engagements,
the General Executive Council may, if required by the terms of
the Instrument
of Transfer, allow them immediate entitlement to any benefits
provided, and
may, if the Instrument so provides, guarantee continuance of
any benefits to
which such members were entitled under the Transferor Union's
rules on the
terms contained in those rules at the time of transfer.
22. A person who is refused membership of the Union or who,
whether or not
admitted to membership complaints against any decision or action
of a Branch
Officer or other representative of the Union in connection with
their admission
or application for admission shall have a right to appeal to
the Regional
Committee of the region containing the Branch to which application
for
membership was made, and the decision of that Regional Committee
on any
such appeal shall be final.
RULE 20. UNION ACCOUNTS, AUDIT, INSPECTION
OF ACCOUNTING RECORDS and
AUTHORISED FUNDS FOR CHARITABLE AND OTHER OBJECTS, ETC.
1. The Union will cause to be kept proper accounting records
with respect to its
transactions, assets and liabilities and establish and maintain
a satisfactory
system of control of its accounting records, its cash holdings
and all receipts
and payments in accordance with Sections 28 and 29 of the Trade
Union and
Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act, 1992.
2. The Accounts of the Union shall be audited at lease once
a year. The auditor
shall be qualified in accordance with Paragraph 6, Schedule 11
of the Trade
Union and Labour Relations Act, 1974. The appointment and removal
of the
auditor shall be subject to the provisions of that schedule.
3. No member or members, or Branch, or any committee of members
shall be
permitted to use the name of the Union, or any machinery of the
Union, in
connection with any appeal for funds or establishment of any
subsidiary benefit
connected with a Branch or district, unless the conditions stated
hereunder are
accepted and the requisite official sanction obtained:-
(a) That the accounts of such funds and all documents in connection
therewith shall be open at all times to inspection by the Union
accountants.
(b) That in the case of a regional or local appeal the permission
and
sanction of the Regional Committee shall be first obtained.
(c) That in the case of a national appeal the permission and
sanction of the
General Executive Council shall be first obtained.
Where such funds are properly raised they should be included
in the
Consolidated Accounts of the Union and be subject to the requirements
in [ page40]
Clauses 1 and 2 of this Rule.
4. In accordance with Section 30 of the Trade Union and Labour
Relations
(Consolidation) Act, 1992, any member of the Union has the right
to access to
any accounting records of the Union which are available for inspection
and
which relate to periods including a time when that person was
a member of the
Union.
RULE 21. POLITICAL FUND
1. The objects of the Transport and General Workers' Union
shall include the
furtherance of the political objects to which section 72 of the
Trade Union and
Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act, 1992, applies, that is
to say, the
expenditure of money:-
(a) on any contribution to the funds of, or on the payment
of any expenses
incurred directly or indirectly by, a political party;
(b) on the provision of any service or property for use by
or on behalf of any
political party;
(c) in connection with the registration of electors, the candidature
of any
person, the selection of any candidate or the holding of any
ballot by the union
in connection with any election to a political office;
(d) on the maintenance of any holder of a political office;
(e) on the holding of any conference or meeting by or on behalf
of a political
party or of any other meeting the main purpose of which is the
transaction of
business in connection with a political party;
(f) on the production, publication or distribution of any
literature, document,
film, sound recording or advertisement the main purpose of which
is to
persuade people to vote for a political party or candidate or
to persuade them
not to vote for a political party or candidate.
Where a person attends a conference or meeting as a delegate
or otherwise as
a participator in the proceedings, any expenditure incurred in
connection with
their attendance as such shall, for the purposes of paragraph
(e) above, be
taken to be expenditure incurred on the holding of the conference
or meeting.
In determining, for the purposes of paragraphs (a) to (f) above,
whether the
trade union has incurred expenditure of a kind mentioned in those
paragraphs
no account shall be taken of the ordinary administrative expenses
of the union.
In these objects - [ page41]
"candidate" means a candidate for election to a political
office and includes a
prospective candidate;
"contribution", in relation to the funds of a political
party, includes any fee
payable for affiliation to, or membership of, the party and any
loan made to the
party;
"electors" means electors at any election to a political
office;
"film" has the same meaning as in section 38 of the
Films Act 1960;
"local authority" means a local authority within the
meaning of section 270 of
the Local Government Act 1972 or section 235 of the Local Government
(Scotland) Act 1973; and
"political office" means the office of member of Parliament,
member of the
Assembly of the European Communities or member of a local authority
or any
position within a political party.
2. Any payments in the furtherance of such political objects
shall be made out of a
separate fund (hereinafter called the political fund of the union).
3. As soon as practicable after the passing of a resolution
approving the
furtherance of such political objects as an object of the Union,
the General
Executive Council shall cause a notice in the following form
to be given to all
members of the Union in accordance with this rule:-
____________________________
Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation Act 1992)
A resolution approving the furtherance of political objects within
the meaning of
the above Act as an object of the organisation has been adopted
by a ballot
under the Act. Any payments in the furtherance of any of those
objects will be
made out of a separate fund, the political fund of the organisation
but every
member of the organisation has a right to be exempt from contributing
to that
fund. A form of exemption notice can be obtained by or on behalf
of any
member either by application at, or by post from the general
office or any
branch office of the organisation or from the Certification Office
for Trade
Unions and Employers' Associations, Brandon House, 180 Borough
High
Street, London SE1 1LW.
This form, when filled in, or a written request in a form to
the like effect, should
be handed or sent to the secretary of the branch to which the
member belongs.
________________________
The notice shall be published to members by such methods as are
customarily [ page42]
used by the Union to publish notices of importance to members.
Insofar as
they are not within such usual practice, the following requirements
shall also
apply. The notice shall be published in the Union's main periodical
journal
which is circulated to members. A copy of the notice shall be
posted up and
kept posted up for at least 12 months in a conspicuous place,
accessible to
members, at the office or meeting place of each branch of the
Union. The
secretary of each branch shall also take steps to secure that
every member of
the branch, so far as is reasonably practicable, received a copy
of the notice,
and shall supply a copy to any member on request. The General
Executive
Council shall provide the secretary of each branch with a number
of copies of
the notice sufficient for these purposes.
4. Any member of the Union may obtain exemption from contributing
to the
political fund of the Union by giving notice of exemption in
accordance with
Clauses 4 to 6 of this rule. A form of exemption notice may be
obtained by or
on behalf of any member either by application at, or by post
from, the General
Office or any branch office of the Union or from the Certification
Office for
Trade Unions and Employers' Associations, Brandon House, 180
Borough High
Street, London SE1 1LW.
5. The form of exemption notice shall be as follows:
TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNION
POLITICAL FUND (EXEMPTION NOTICE)
I hereby give notice that I object to contribute to the political
fund of the
Transport and General Workers' Union and am in consequence exempt,
in
manner provided by the Trade Union Act, 1913, from contributing
to that fund.
Membership No..............................
. Signature.....................................................................
Branch No.........................................
Address...................................................................
......................................................................................
......................................................................................
Region No........................................
Date.......................day of.......................................................
20.....................
The General Executive Council shall provide a sufficient number
of such forms [ page43]
at the Central Office and at each Branch Office of the Union
for such members
of the Union as require them; and a copy of such form shall be
delivered either
by the General Executive Council or by the Secretary of any Branch
to any
member on their request, or on a request made on their behalf
either personally
or by post.
6. Any member of the Union may at any time give notice on
such form of
exemption notice or on a form to the like effect that the member
objects to
contribute to the political fund of the Union. Such notice shall
be sent to the
Secretary of the Branch to which the member belongs and on receiving
it, the
Secretary shall send an acknowledgement of its receipt to the
member at the
address appearing upon the notice, and shall inform the General
Secretary of
the name and address of the member.
7. On giving such notice, a member of the Union shall be exempt,
so long as their
notice is not withdrawn, from contributing to the political fund
of the Union as
from the first day of January next after the notice is given,
or, in the case of a
notice given within one month after the date on which a new member
admitted
to the Union is supplied with a copy of these rules under Clause
12 hereof, as
from the date on which the member's notice is given.
8. The General Executive Council shall give effect to the
exemption of members
to contribute to the political fund of the Union by relieving
any members who
are exempt from the payment of part of any periodical contributions
required
from the members of the Union towards the expenses of the Union
as
hereinafter provided, and such relief shall be given as far as
possible to all
members who are exempt on the occasion of the same periodical
payment.
For the purpose of enabling each member of the Union to know
as respects
any such periodical contribution what portion, if any, of the
sum payable by the
member is a contribution to the political fund of the Union,
it is hereby provided
that 43% of the first weekly contribution of each quarter shall
be the political
fund contribution, of which 8% per quarter shall be allocated
to the Regions for
local political purposes.
9. A member who is exempt from the obligation to contribute
to the political fund
of the Union shall not be excluded from any benefits of the Union,
or placed in
any respect either directly or indirectly under any disability
or disadvantage as
compared with other members of the Union (except in relation
to the control or
management of the political fund of the Union) by reason of their
being so
exempt.
10. Contributions to the political fund of the Union shall
not be made a condition for
admission to the Union.
11. If any member alleges that they are aggrieved by a breach
of any of the rules
for the political fund, being a rule or rules made pursuant to
section 3 of the
Trade Union Act, 1913, the member may complain to the Certification
Officer, [ page44]
and the Certification Officer, after giving the complainant and
any
representative of the Union an opportunity of being heard, may,
if they consider
that such a breach has been committed, make such order for remedying
the
breach as they think just in the circumstances; and (subject
to the right of
appeal provided by section 5a of the Trade Union Act, 1913) any
such order of
the Certification Officer shall be binding and conclusive on
all parties, and on
being recorded in the county court, may be enforced as if it
had been an order
of the county court.
12. Any member may withdraw their notice of exemption on notifying
a desire to
that effect to the Secretary of their Branch, who shall thereupon
send such
member an acknowledgement or receipt of the notification and
inform the
General Secretary of the name and address of the member so withdrawing.
13. The General Executive Council shall cause to be printed,
as soon as
practicable after the approval of these rules for the political
fund of the Union, a
number of copies thereof having at the end copies of the certificates
of
approval sufficient for the members of the Union, and a further
number for new
members, and shall send to the Secretary of each Branch a number
of copies
sufficient for the members of the Branch. The Secretary of each
Branch shall
take steps to secure that every member of the Branch, so far
as practicable,
receives a copy of these rules, and shall supply a copy to any
member at their
request. A copy thereof shall also be supplied forthwith to every
new member
on admission to the Union.
RULE 22. POLITICAL FUND (NORTHERN IRELAND)
The rules for the political fund of the Union contained in
Rule 21 shall have effect in
Northern Ireland subject to the following modifications, namely,
Clause 2 shall be omitted therefrom and the following shall be
substituted for Clauses 3 to 7 thereof:
3. Under Article 59 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations(Northern
Ireland)
Order 1995 no member of the Union in Northern Ireland shall be
required to
make any contribution to the political fund of the Union unless
they have
delivered as provided in Clause 6, at the central office, or
some Branch office of
the Union notice in writing, in the form set out in Clause 4,
of their willingness to
contribute to that fund and has not withdrawn the notice in manner
provided in
Clause 5. Every member of the Union who has not delivered such
a notice or
who, having delivered such a notice, has withdrawn it in manner
provided in
Clause 5, is to be deemed for the purpose of these rules to be
a member who
is exempt from the obligation to contribute to the political
fund of the Union.
4. The form of notice of willingness to contribute to the political
fund of the Union
is as follows: [ page45]
FORM OS POLITICAL FUND CONTRIBUTION NOTICE – NORTHERN
IRELAND
Name of Trade Union: Amlagamated Transprot and General Workers’
Union
Name of member’s Branch (if any) …………………………………………
POLITICAL FUND (CONTRIBUTION NOTICE) – Northern Ireland
I hereby give notice that I am willing and agree to contribute
to the political fund
of the Transport and General Workers' Union and I understand
that I shall, in
consequence, be liable to contribute to that fund and shall continue
to be so
liable unless I deliver at the central office, or some Branch
office, of the Union a
written notice of withdrawal; I also understand that after delivering
such a notice
of withdrawal I shall still continue to be liable to contribute
to the political fund
until the next following first day of January........................
Name ………………………………………………………………………….
Address..............................................................................................................
Membership number (if any)..............................................................................
................................day of...............................................,
20.........................
5. If at any time a member of the Union, who has delivered
such a notice as is
provided for in Clauses 3 and 4, gives notice of withdrawal thereof,
delivered,
as provided in Clause 6, at the central office or at any Branch
office of the
Union, that person shall be deemed to have withdrawn the notice
as from the
first day of January next, after the delivery of the notice of
withdrawal.
6. The notices referred to in Clauses 3, 4 and 5 may be delivered
personally by
the member or by any authorised agent of the member and any notice
shall be
deemed to have been delivered at the central or a Branch office
of the Union if
it has been sent by post properly addressed to that office.
7. The General Executive Council shall give effect to the
exemption of members
to contribute to the political fund of the Union by making a
separate levy of
contributions to that fund from the members of the Union who
are not exempt
which shall be 43% of the first weekly contribution each quarter.
No moneys of the Union other than the amount raised by such separate
levy
shall be carried to the political fund of the Union.
8. Northern Ireland members who are statutorily exempt from
the obligation to
contribute to the political fund of the union shall not be excluded
from any
benefits of the union, or placed in any respect either directly
or indirectly under
any disability of disadvantage as compared with other members
of the union
(except in relation to the control or management of the political
fund) by reason
of their being exempt. [ page46]
9. Contributuions to the political fund of the union shall not
be made a condition of
admission to the union.
10. If any Northern Ireland member alleges that they are aggrieved
by a breach of
the rules made pursuant to Article 59 of the Trade Union and
Labour Relations
(Northern Ireland) Order 1995 they may complain to the Northern
Ireland
Certification Officer, 2 – 8 Gordon Street, Belfast BT1
2LG, under Article 57 (2)
to (4) of that Order.
If, after giving the complainant and a representative of the
union an opportunity
to be heard, the Certifidation Officer considers that a breach
has been
committed, the Certificatin Officer may make an order fr remedying
it as the
Certification Officer thinks just in the circumstances. Under
Article 69 of the
1995 Order an appeal against any decision of the Certification
Officer may be
made to the Court of appeal on a question of law.
Additionally, if any Northern Ireland member alleges that they
are aggrieved by
a breach of the political fund rules made pursuant to section
82 of the Trade
Union and labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992 they may
complain to the
Certification Officer of Great Britain (COGB), Brandon House,
180 Borough
High Street, London SE1 1LW. If, after giving the complainant
and a
representative of the union an opportunity of being heard, the
COGB considers
that a breach has been committed, the COGB may make an order
for
remedying it as the COGB thinks just in the circumstances. Any
such order of
the COGB is subject to the right of appeal provided for by section
82(4) fo the
1992 Act.
RULE 23. STRIKES AND INDUSTRIAL ACTION -
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
The responsibility for the membership of the Republic of Ireland
is vested in the Irish
Regional Committee of the Union for compliance with the laws
thereof including the
Industrial Relations Act 1990. The following memorandum complies
with the
requirement of the Act.
1. The provisions of this rule shall apply notwithstanding
any other provision
contained in these rules.
2. In this rule the terms "strike" and "industrial
action" shall have the same
meaning as in the Industrial Relations Act 1990.
3. In this rule the term "member" shall have the
same meaning as in rule 13.2.
4. The provisions of this rule shall apply to the Republic
of Ireland only.
5. The Union shall not organise, participate in, sanction
or support a strike or [ page47]
other industrial action without a secret ballot, entitlement
to vote in which shall
be accorded equally to all members whom it is reasonable at the
time of the
ballot to believe will be called upon to engage in the strike
or other industrial
action.
6. The Union shall take reasonable steps to ensure that every
member entitled to
vote in the ballot vote without interference from, or constraint
imposed by, the
Union or any of its members, officials or employees and, so far
as is
reasonable possible, that such members shall be given a fair
opportunity of
voting.
7. The Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union shall
have full
discretion in relation to organising, participating in, sanctioning
or supporting a
strike or other industrial action notwithstanding that the majority
of those voting
in the ballot, including an aggregate ballot referred to in paragraph
8 of this
rule, favours such strike or other industrial action.
8. The Amalgamated Transport and General Workers Union shall
not organise,
participate in, sanction or support a strike or other industrial
action against the
wishes of a majority of the union's members voting in a secret
ballot except
where, in the case of a ballot by more that one trade union,
an aggregate
majority of all the votes cast favours such strike or other industrial
action.
9. Where the outcome of a secret ballot conducted by the Union
or in the case of
ballots conducted by the Union and any number of other trade
unions which are
affiliated to the Irish Congress of Trade Unions an aggregate
majority of all the
votes cast is in favour of supporting a strike organised by another
trade union,
a decision to take such supportive action shall not be implemented
by the
Union without the sanction of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
10. As soon as practicable after the conduct of a secret ballot
the Union shall take
reasonable steps to make known to the members of the Union entitled
to vote
in the ballot
(a) the number of ballot papers issued
(b) the number of votes cast
(c) the number of votes in favour of the proposal
(d) the number of votes against the proposal, and
(e) the number of spoiled votes.
11. Nothing in this rule shall constitute an obstacle to negotiations
for the
settlement of a trade dispute nor the return to work by members
of the Union
party to the trade dispute, and any decision taken in accordance
with this rule
to organise, participate in, sanction or support a strike or
industrial action may
be rescinded or amended without the necessity of a further ballot
of the
members concerned. [ page48]
RULE 24. ISLE OF MAN
The Registration of the Union within the Isle of Man will
be confirmed by the full-time
Officer currently residing within the Island and the laws applying
thereto including the
Trade Union Act 1991.
RULE 25. AMENDMENT OF RULES
No new rule shall be made, nor shall any rule herein contained
or hereafter to be
made be amended or rescinded, except in accordance with a resolution
duly passed
at a Rules Conference of the Union.
RULE 26. VOLUNTARY DISSOLUTION
The Union may be dissolved at any time by the consent of five-sixths
of the members
voting at meetings duly summoned for that purpose.
SCHEDULE I.
ELIGIBILITY AND REQUIREMENTS OF DELEGATES, OFFICERS, ETC.
1. Every candidate for any office in the Union, ie., officers,
whether paid or not, or
delegates to a Delegate Conference, the Rules Conference, or
for membership
of the General Executive Council, or of a national trade group,
or section, or a
Regional Trade Group, or district, or a Regional Committee or
other
constitutional committee, shall have been a financial member
of this Union for
at least two years immediately preceding the date of application
or nomination,
subject to the provisions of Rule 15, Clause 1 and Rule 16, Clause
1 in the
case of the General Secretary, and the Executive Finance Director,
respectively. A candidate must be employed in or in connection
with the trade
they desire to represent provided always that for the purpose
of suitable and
efficient discharge of the duties of a paid officer, the General
Executive Council
may, at its discretion, invite applications from other or all
sections of the
membership. A member who becomes unemployed is eligible to stand
for
office in the Union after they lose their employment, provided
that they still
retain their full membership as required by rule and continue
to seek
employment. Members not seeking employment are not eligible.
Notwithstanding this Clause, the General Executive Council shall
have the
power to allow members who are beyond the age of retirement to
continue in
post as Branch officials.
2. Membership of an organisation which in the opinion of the
General Executive
Council is contrary, detrimental, inconsistent or injurious to
the policy and
purpose of the Union will render the member liable to be declared
ineligible to [ page49]
hold any office within the Union either as a lay-member or as
a permanent or
full-time officer, or such other penalties as in the opinion
of the General
Executive Council shall seem just.
3. Any member now in office, or any member accepting nomination
or being
elected to any office in the Union shall conduct all matters
relating to the Union
or the functions and purpose thereof through the Branch or the
appropriate
committee or body connected with the Union and only through the
Union.
Members violating this rule shall be removed from office and
their positions
declared vacant.
4. Permanent officers, members of the General Executive Council
and members
of all other constitutional committees of the Union, shall produce
their
contribution cards when attending meetings of the council or
such committees.
5. Every member holding an official position in the Union,
or members of the
General Executive Council, or any other constitutional committee,
not being in
compliance as a financial member of the Union as per Rule 19,
Clause 12,
shall forthwith cease to hold office in the Union for the term
for which they were
elected.
6. Any permanent officer not being in compliance as a financial
member of the
Union as per Rule 19, Clause 12, shall forthwith cease to hold
office in the
Union.
SCHEDULE II.
CONTRIBUTIONS AND BENEFITS
It is provided by Rule 19 that the rate of contribution, the
types of benefit, the eligibility
for benefits and the amount of benefit shall be determined from
time to time by the
General Executive Council.
As a matter of information to members full details of all T&G
contributions and all T&G
benefits and services will be published by the General Executive
Council from time to
time and distributed to all branches.
What your membership
gives you [links are to an A5 pdf download. The service most
people join for is just described as "legal assistance and
advice"]
T&G Care £2.30 a week (Monthly, £9.97) T&G Care Part-time
£1.07 a week
(Monthly, £4.64)*
T&G Care members receive all the T&G Care Extra services,
except pregnancy benefit, sickness and accidents benefit and
incapacity benefit.
Instead you receive accident (work-related) benefit of £11.25 per week.
T&G Care Extra
£2.45 a week
(Monthly, £10.62)
T&G Care Extra Part-time £1.15
a week (Monthly, £4.98)*
T&G Care Assistance
• £11.25 a week pregnancy benefit
for up to ten weeks
• £11.25
a week paternity benefit for up to two weeks.
• £11.25
a week for Incapacity benefit for up to ten weeks
• £11.25
a week for up to ten weeks for an accident at work or on the
way to work
• £65 a week dispute benefit
• £7,000 cover for fatal accident at work
• £2,780 cover for fatal T&G Care part-time worker/youth
rate £1.07 a
week (monthly, £4.64)
For those working less
than 21 hours a week, or under 18 years old.
• T&G Care
Assistance paid at half the rates for T&G Care
• Full access to the CareXpress, legal assistance and advice
accident not at work
• £400 maximum
for funeral benefit
• Permanent disability from accident at work £2,050
£4,100
• Convalescence benefit
• Legal assistance and advice
• T&G Care Xpress
• T&G’s 24 hour legal helpline [This is cheap
First Direct legal helpline run by non-speciailst lawyers. Employment
law is excluded.]
• Full access to T&G Care at work, T&G Financial
Care, T&G Family Care
* Benefits pro-rata
T&G Care youth training rate 25p a week (monthly, £1.08)
For those under 21 years who are unemployed and on a government
scheme or who are registered unemployed.
"T&G Care Assistance paid at half rates for T&G
Care " Full access to the CareXpress, legal assistance and
advice
HOW YOU QUALIFY FOR BENEFITS : All benefits are subject to qualifying
periods as laid down by the rules.
For most benefits members must have been paid up for at least
39 weeks and be less than six weeks in arrears.
• Accident and sickness benefits payable after the first
seven days of incapacity [Officials don't tell you about
these and I've never heard of anyone claiming them]
to branch benevolent
* Benefits pro-rata
Driver Care 80p extra a week (monthly, £3.47)
For as little as 80p a week extra, T&G Driver Care provides
specially tailored cover of £7,000 should your driving
licence be permanently revoked due to
injury, disability, illness, poor eye-sight or assault. Personal Accident and Assault
Cover is also included.
Ask for the separate Driver Care application form.
funds are required
by some branches
• The above scales
include quarterage and political contributions
SCHEDULE III.
PROVISIONS FOR THE REMISSION OF TRADE UNION CONTRIBUTIONS DURING
SUCH PERIOD AS THERE IS A COMPULSORY CALL-UP FOR SERVICE WITH
THE ARMED FORCES
1.
(a) Subject to being fully paid up, a member who is called up
and is [ page50]
accepted for service with the Armed Forces shall be entitled
to deposit their
contribution card and pay no contributions during the period
of their call-up.
(b) No benefit shall be payable by the Union during the period
the member's
contribution card is deposited, other than funeral benefit in
the event of the
decease of the member during the first six weeks.
(c) On leaving the Service at the end of the period of call-up,
and provided
the member immediately commences to pay full contributions, they
shall
become at once entitled to benefits as per the rules and the
Scale to which they
are contributing.
2.
(a) Alternatively, a member who is called up and is accepted
for service with
the Armed Forces, who is fully paid up, shall be entitled to
reduce their trade
union contribution to 1p per week during the period of their
call-up.
(b) A member who reduces their trade union contribution to
1p per week
shall be guaranteed funeral benefit in the event of decease during
the period of
their call-up. On leaving the Service at the end of the period
of their call-up,
and provided the member immediately commences to pay full contributions,
they shall become entitled to benefits as per the rules and the
Scale to which
they are contributing.
(c) A member contributing to Scale 2 shall only be entitled
to pay a
contribution of 1p per week during the period of their call-up,
and there shall be
no liability on the Union in respect of Incapacity Benefit during
such period of
call-up. On leaving the Service at the end of the period of call-up,
and provided
the member immediately commences to pay full contributions, they
shall
become at once entitled to Incapacity Benefit as per the rules
and the Scale to
which they are contributing. [ page51]
TRADE UNION ACT 1913
Certificate of Approval of Political Fund Rules
Name of organisation
TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNION
I hereby approve the altered rules for the political fund of
the above organisation to
which this certificate is affixed for the purpose of Section
3(1) of the Trade Union Act
1913.
(Sgd.) M. WAKE
Certification Officer
Date: 7th October, 1986.
FORM E. - Reg. 8
TRADE UNION ACTS (Northern Ireland) 1871 to 1965 Certificate
of Registry of Partial
Alterations of Rules
TRANSPORT AND GENERAL WORKERS' UNION
(Register No. FTU 43T)
It is hereby certified that the foregoing partial alteration
has been registered under the
above-mentioned Acts this 23rd day of October, 1986.
(Sgd.) PATRICIA K. McALISTER
Asst. Registrar [ page52]
TRADE UNION ACT 1913
Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act (Northern Ireland) 1927
Certificate of Approval of Political Fund Rules
TRANSPORT AND GENERAL
WORKERS' UNION
(Register No. FTU 43T.)
I hereby approve the Rules for the political fund of the above
Union contained in the
foregoing partial alteration of Rules for the purposes of Section
3 (1) of the Trade
Union Act, 1913, as amended by Section 4 of the Trade Disputes
and Trade Unions
Act (Northern Ireland), 1927.
Given this 23rd day of October, 1986.
(Sgd.) PATRICIA K. McALISTER
Asst. Registrar of Friendly Societies for Northern Ireland. .
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