Tuesday 14 June 2011

First day of UNITE Rules Conference

The biggest debate of the day was over a proposal to remove the wording in Rule 2.1 of the rulebook which ties the union to compliance with current and future anti-union legislation. Despite an EC recommendation to reject the amendment, it was only defeated by 53%.
Summary of decisions:

Rule 1 Title and Registered Office
A1 CARRIED

Rule 2 Objects
A2 Removing "so far as may be lawful" - LOST
A3 Strengthening (non-party) political objects - CARRIED
A4 FELL
A5 LOST
A6 Delete requirement to affiliate to the Labour Party - LOST
A7 Add caring responsibilities to the list of equality and fairness strands we aim to address - CARRIED
A8 Improve wording on gender identity - CARRIED

Rule 3 Membership
A1 Create category of membership for students and others not in employment who can participate in Area Activist Committees and Regional Political Committees - CARRIED
A3 LOST
A4 LOST

Rule 4 Membership Contributions & Benefits
A1 LOST
A2 LOST
A3 LOST
A4 LOST
A5 FELL
A6 WITHDRAWN

Rule 6 Lay Office
This was a major area of debate, with concerns about activists being excluded from participation in union structures because of unemployment, including blacklisting. The EC statement aimed to protect the general principle that the structures should be composed of accountable representatives of workers, while being more flexible where appropriate. Rule 3 A1 also expanded the involvement of those out of work.

EC Statement - CARRIED
A6 Add Union Learning Reps to the list of accountable representatives of workers - CARRIED
All other amendments were withdrawn or defeated.

Rule 7 Industrial/Occupational/Professional Sectors
A1 WITHDRAWN
A2 FELL
A3 LOST
A4 From IT & Comms NISC, to give industrial structures access to a proportion of membership subs - LOST
A5 LOST
A6 From NW IT & Comms RISC, to ensure National Industrial Sector Conferences are bigger than the corresponding National Industrial Sector Committees - CARRIED
A7 LOST
A8 LOST
A9 LOST
A10 WITHDRAWN
A11 LOST
A12 LOST
A13 LOST
A14 LOST
A15 WITHDRAWN
A16 empowering RISCs to fill vacancies, including those due to members who do not attend 2 consecutive meetings without good reason - CARRIED
A17 LOST

Rule 8 Regions
A1 clarifying election to Area Activist Committees - CARRIED
A2 WITHDRAWN
A3 FELL
A4 WITHDRAWN
A5 LOST
A6 LOST
A7 LOST
A8 Requiring the Regional Secretary to write to the nominating committee seeking a replacement delegate in the event of any seat on the Regional Committee becoming vacant - CARRIED
A9 CARRIED
A10 LOST
A11 LOST
A12 Giving resources to Area Activist Committees - LOST
A13 LOST
A14 LOST
A15 LOST
A16 LOST
A17 WITHDRAWN
A18 enabling 50%+1 of a Regional Committee to call a special Regional Committee meeting - CARRIED
A19 LOST

Rule 9 Young Members
A2 Allow Regional Young Members Committee to elect a delegate to Regional Committee - CARRIED
A4 Inrease age limit for young members from 27 to 30 - CARRIED
A5 WITHDRAWN



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