COWU

Our Constitution

CONSITUTION AND RULES OF

COMMUNICATIONS WORKERS UNION OF KENYA

 
RULE NO. 2:  OBJECTS:   The objects of the Union shall be: -
(a) To Improve conditions of service of the members and to make every endeavor to obtain just and proper rates of pay, working hours, and other conditions of employment,  to negotiate and promote the settlement of dispute arising between members themselves by conciliation arbitration or otherwise and generally to safeguard the interests or the members.
(b) To regulate and improve relations between the Communications Industries, Telecommunications Organisations Postal & Allied Industries as the employer and the members as specified in Rule 3(a) of these rules.
(c) To secure complete organisatjon within the union of all persons employed by COMMUNICATION INDUSTRY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORGANISAT1ONS, MOBILE PHONE SERVICE PROVIDERS, POSTAL AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES as specified in Rule 3(a) of these rules.
(d) To promote the material, social and educational welfare and to endeavor to provide and seek facilities for members to obtain training in their work in any lawful manner which the Quinquennial Conference or the Executive Committee may from time to time deem expedient.
(e) To establish and maintain funds by means of entrance fees voluntary Contributions, subscriptions, Levies and by borrowing on such security and such terms as may from time to time be arranged by the Executive Committee.
(f) To seek and obtain legal advise and any other assistance on matters affecting the union, or for protecting the rights of a member or members on matters arising out of the relations with COMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRIES TELECOMMUNI CAT1ONS ORGANISATIONS MOBILE PHONE SERVICE PROVIDERS, POSTAL & ALLIED INDUSTRIES provided that the Executive Committee shall have the sole right to decide whether or not such legal advice or assistance is in the best interest of the Union or members concerned.
To affiliate with Central Organisation of Trade Union movement as well as affiliating with the international body as may be deemed expedient by the Executive Committee.
(h) To collect and circulate among members of the Union such statistical and other information concerning all matters affecting the Union and to print, publish and Issue such papers, periodical books conducive to any of these objects.

(i)  To acquire either by purchase, lease or otherwise, for the purpose of carrying out its lawful activities, any movable or immovable property or other assets and to sell, let mortgage or charge or otherwise deal with or dispose of movable property belonging to the union as shall be decided upon by the National Executive Committee or Quinquennial Conference.

RULE NO.3:  MEMBERSHIP

(a) Membership of the Union shall be open to all employees of the COMMUNICATION INDUSTRIES, TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORGANISATIONS, MOBILE PHONE SERVIC PROVDERS, P0STAL AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES provided such employee is above the apparent age of eighteen.
(b) Admission:  Every eligible person shall be required to pay an entrance fee of Kshs. 50/=
(c) Subscription: Upon admission to membership every member shall pay through check-off system 1% of basic salary per month to the Union. In addition, every member shall also pay through check-off system Kshs.50/= being affiliation fee to Central Organisation of Trade Unions(K) which total amount shall be remitted directly to COTU (K) by he employer. Membership subscription may also be paid through the union’s collector receipts.
(d) Constitution Binding: Upon admission to membership the member shall be bound by constitution and the by-laws and decision of the Conference of delegates, the Quinquennial and the Executive Committee.
(e) No refund: Under no circumstances shall any entrance fee subscriptions or other donations paid to the Union be refunded.
(f) Arrears of monthly subscription: A member whose monthly subscriptions are more than 3 months in arrears shall cease to be a member of the Union, and his name shall be removed from the register of members and his membership card cancelled unless the said member pays three months monthly subscription in arrears to the union. The member whose membership is terminated shall cease to have any further right or interest in any property of his branch or section of the Union as a whole.
(g) Expulsion: Any member shall be expelled from the union, provided that in the opinion of the Executive Committee, such a member is not fit and proper person for membership. The member affected shall have the right of appeal to the Quinquennial Conference.

RULE NO. 4 HONORARY MEMBERSHIPS
(a) Honorary membership may be conferred only with the majority approval of the Quinquennial Conference on any person who in, the opinion of the Quinquennial Conference delegates have rendered outstanding services to the cause of the Union. Such honorary membership shall not carry any right to vote on any matter nor shall an honorary member be eligible to hold any office in the Union.
(b) Any member may propose in writing to the Executive Committee the name of hot more than ONE person for consideration for honorary membership of the Union provided that an honorary member shall not be eligible to propose for any name for such consideration.

RULE NO.5: QUINQUENNIAL CONFERENCE

(a) The Quinquennial Conference shall be the supreme authority of the Union and shall be held every five (5) years at such time and place decided upon by the Executive Committee.
(b) Delegate: Every registered branch of the union shall be entitled to TWO delegates, namely the Chairman and the Secretary elected by the members of the branch concerned, In the absence of either of the delegates, namely the Chairman and the Secretary, their replacement shall be the third principal officer of the branch namely the branch Treasure, before consideration is given to either of the two deputies namely the branch Vice Chairman and branch Assistant Secretary.
(c) Notice to convene a Quinquennial Conference: The Quinquennial Conference shall be convened by the General Secretary as directed by the National Executive Committee by giving THREE WEEKS notice in writing to each branch.
(d) Composition of the Quinquennial Conference: The Quinquennial Conference shall be composed of the National Chairman, National Vice Chairman, General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, General Treasurer, Assistant General Treasurer and delegates from branches, members of the Executive Committee, three trustees and a Woman Representative who shall have right to vote.
(e) Notification of delegates: The delegates shall be elected for that purpose by the registered members of the branch concerned during the branch Quinquennial or Special General Meeting. The registered branch chairman and secretary elected at Quinquennial or Special General Meeting shall be the bonafide delegates of the branch. The branch secretary shall forward the names of the chairman and secretary to the General Secretary in writing TWO WEEKS before the date of the Quiquennial Conference and the Executive Committee shall meet 7 days before the conference to verify the delegates and ratify the election process.
(f) Business of the Quinquennial Conference: The Quinquennial Conference may conduct any business including laying down the policy of the union and giving direction regarding organisatjon of the union, the Quinquennial Conference shall elect National Officers and members of the Executive Committee.
(g) Agenda:  Matters for discussions at the Quinquennial Conference shall be sent to the General Secretary not later than TWO WEEKS before the date of the Quinquennial Conference as directed by the National Executive Committee. He shall then prepare the Agenda for the Quinquennial Conference as directed by the National Executive Committee and a copy of the prepared Agenda shall be forwarded to all delegates at least Four days before the Conference.
(h) Quorum: The quorum for the Quinquennial Conference shall be two thirds of the members entitled to attend and vote there at. If within one hour from the time appointed for the Quinquennial Conference quorum be not present, the conference, If convened upon a requisition of members shall be dissolved, in any other case It shall stand adjourned to the next day, at the same time and place and if at an adjourned conference a quorum be not present within ONE HOUR from the time appointed for the Quinquennial Conference the members present shall form a quorum. Voting In respect of all other matters may be by show of hands provided that any voting member of the Conference shall have the right to request for secret ballot to be taken on any matter, and his request shall be put to vote.

RULE NO. 6:  SPECIAL CONFERENCE
(a) A special conference shall be convened by the General Secretary on the directions of the Executive Committee, or at the written request of not less than TWO THIRDS of the total membership of whom shall be required to Sign requisition provided that the General Secretary shall not be required to act on the requisition of the members unless and until the sum Kshs.100,000/= shall have been paid to the General Treasurer of the Union for the purpose of defraying the cost of convening the meeting, and such sum shall be paid by the General Treasurer Into the General fund of the union, and shall not under any circumstances be subject to refund.
(b) A special conference shall have all the powers of a Quinquennial Conference, and it shall be governed by the same rules as to composition and procedure as the Quinquennial Conference.

RULE NO. 7: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
(a) Duties of the Executive Committee: The Executive Committee shall be the Governing body of the union. It shall be responsible for the direction of the National officers to whom the daily Management of the Union shall be vested.
(i) Examine the financial position of the union.
(ii) Decide the date and venue of the Quinquennial Conference.
(b) Purpose: For the purpose of promoting the objects of the union, the Executive Committee shall have power to utilise the funds and property of the union and to this end the Trustees shall at the direction of the Executive Committee, execute all documents and deeds that may be necessary for the furtherance of the union’s objects. .-
(c) Decisions: The decision of the Executive Committee shall be binding on the union and each of its members and officials shall be subject to review only by the Quinquennial Conference or a special conference. All such decisions shall be recorded in writing by the General Secretary.
(d) Composition: The Executive Committee shall be composed of the National Officers i.e. the National Chairman, National Vice Chairman, the General Secretary, Deputy General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, the General Treasurer, Assistant General Treasurer, a woman representative, Three National Trustees and eight members elected by the Quinquennial Conference from among the delegates attending the Conference.
(e) Meeting: The regular meeting of the Executive Committee shall be held in every Three months or in the case of emergency as determined by the National Chairman and the General Secretary. The members of the National Executive Committee shall also have a right to requisition for an Executive Committee meeting provided that the number of the Committee members requisitioning for such a meeting is at least two thirds of the total number of the number of National Executive Committee membership, and the same rule shall apply in all decisions taken by the Committee.

(f)Committees: The Executive Committee shall be empowered to appoint the following Committees: -

(i) Finance Committee:  of three members and the General Treasurer as the Chairman.

(ii) Women’s Committee: of four, elected amongst and by the women Union officials
from the branches, amongst whom also a Chairperson shall be elected by all the officials to sit In the National Executive Committee of the union.
(iii) Education Committee: of four namely the General Secretary, the National Vice Chairman, the Chairperson of the Women’s Committee and women activity coordinator to be appointed by the General Secretary in consultation with the National Executive Committee and the General Secretary as the Chairman.
(g) Duties of Committees:
(i) Finance Committees: To meet monthly and whenever the General Treasurer considers it necessary. To examine petty cash and bank all accounts claims submitted for payment and if approved to pass them. To review all estimates of expenditure not directly covered by these rules before liability for such expenditure is incurred. To present a quarterly report to the Executive Committee.
(ii) Women Committee: Encourage enrolment into the Union and propose activities that can enhance women participation and vying for union leadership.
(iii) Duties of Education Committee: To organise Education and seminar activities, both locally and abroad, source funds for education and cause opening of bank account for the purpose of saving the sourced funds to be operated by the committee and the General Treasure as a mandatory signatory.
(h) Decisions: The Executive Committee shall decide on matters before them by vote, the National Chairman shall have a casting vote.
(i) Discipline:  Any member of the Executive Committee who fails to attend three consecutive meetings, without written explanation to the General Secretary or members who resign or otherwise leave, shall be deemed to have relinquished his post and the National Executive Committee shall have the power to co-opt a member to fill the vacancy until the next Quinquennial Conference.
(ii) In addition to the preceding rule any officer whose manner and conduct shall be deemed unsatisfactory for the efficient running of the union, be expelled from his office by decision of the Executive Committee, and such officer shall, if the committee deems it fit, remain a member of the union.

RULE NO.8: NATIONAL OFFICERS
(a) All National Officers shall be elected quinquennially by secret ballot at the Quinquennial Conference. Only such members of the union not in arrears with their subscriptions shall be eligible for elections as National Officers of the Union.
(b) Only such members of the union sufficiently literate in the Swahili and English language to be able to adequately perform the duties of such office shall be eligible for election as General Secretary and Treasurer.
(c) Every National Officer of the union shall vacate his office at the next Quinquennial Conference but shall be eligible for re-election.

(d) (i) In the event of any National Officer of the Union dying, resigning being dismissed or otherwise ceasing to be National Officers for any justified reason during the period between two Quinquennial Conferences, the Executive Committee shall be convened to fill the vacancies within a period of three months.
(ii) In the event of a vacancy arising out of the position of the General Secretary, the Executive Committee shall be convened to fix the date of a Special Conference to fill the vacancy.
(iii) In the event of a vacancy arising out of the position of the General Secretary the deputy General Secretary shall take over In acting capacity for a period of ninety days while organising with the National Chairman to convene the National Executive Committee to fix the date of the Special Conference to fill the vacancy. But the vacancy arising out of the position of the General Secretary shall be filled by the Quinquennial or Special Conference.
(e) The National Officers of the union shall be the National Chairman, National Vice Chairman, General Secretary Deputy General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, General Treasurer, Assistant General Treasurer, National Trustees and Women’s Representative.

RULE NO.9: DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL OFFICERS
(a) National Chairman: The National Chairman shall preside at all Conferences and meetings at which he is present, enforce observation of the Constitution and rules of the union, and perform such duties as by usages and custom pertaining to his office. In the case of equality vote at any meeting he shall have, in addition to his normal vote deciding vote.
(b) National Vice-Chairman: The National Vice Chairman shall preside over conferences and meetings in the absence of the National Chairman and whilst so performing such duties, shall have the same privileges as the National Chairman.
(c)  General Secretary:
(i) The General Secretary shall issue notice of all conferences and all meetings and prepare the agenda of all conferences and meetings.
ii) Attend to all Quinquennial Conferences and Special Conferences and all meetings of the Executive Committee and record the minutes and shall perform such other duties as prescribed by the Quinquennial Conference or Executive Committee.
(iii) He shall prepare and present to the Quinquennial conference a Quinquennial report of the work of the union.
(iv) He shall be responsible for ensuring due compliance by the union with the provision of the Trade Union Act and all regulations made there under.
(v) He shall function as the Chief Executive Officer of the Union.
(vi) He shall keep the Union well in touch with other Trade Union movements and keep records of the union.
(vii) He shall collect statistical and General Information for the Purpose of the Union.
(viii)He shall be on permanent basis subject to the deliberation of the Quinquennial Conference to adopt motion moved by the Executive Committee that the work of the General Secretary has been unsatisfactory, and his conduct has been prejudicial to the well being of the union.

(d) Deputy General Secretary: The Deputy General Secretary shall assist and advise the General Secretary and deputies for him in his absence or whenever necessary.
(e) Assistant General Secretary: The Assistant General Secretary shall assist and advise the General Secretary on all matters affecting the working conditions of the membership.
(f) General Treasurer:
(i) The General Treasurer shall be responsible for union funds and shall keep and maintain all necessary books of accounts.
(ii) He shall receive all monies due to the union and deposit them in the Bank.

(iii) He shall ensure that no payment is made from union funds under his control unless a payment voucher has been prepared and authorised by the Quinquennial l Conference, Executive Committee and the Financial Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Trade Unions (Accounts) Regulations, 1960.
(iv) He shall prepare and submit to the Quinquennial Conference a report on the financial position of the union, together with a statement of income and expenditure during the period of twelve month ending on the THIRTY FIRST DAY OF DECEMBER preceding the Quinquennial Conference and a balance sheet as- at such 31st December.
(v) Upon resigning or vacating his office, times of which he may be required to do so by a resolution of the Executive Committee or by a Quinquennial Conference or Special Conference, or by the Registrar of Trade Unions, he shall submit to the union or to the Registrar of Trade Unions, a true account of all monies received and paid by him during the period which he has held office or which has elapsed since he last submitted such a report, and shall account for the balance remaining in his hands at the time of submitting such report.
(vi) The General Treasurer shall be responsible to the General Secretary for the proper maintenance of all books of accounts. His duties will include the drawing and signing of the necessary cheques for all payments from the provisions of Rule 11.
(g) Assistant General Treasurer: He shall assist the General Treasurer and act in his absence.

RULE NO.10: UNION NATIONAL TRUSTEES
(a) (i) Union’s Three National Trustees be elected at the Quinquennial Conference in the order of the first, second and third trustee.
(ii) In the event of any of the signatories to the cheques being unable to render his signature, the Executive Committee shall appoint a trustee in the order of the first, second and third to append his signature to the cheques.
(b) The trustees shall have power to audit the funds of the union and monitor the Bank Account and report back to the National Executive Committee for onward action, where necessary.
(c) All land, buildings, investments and securities which shall be acquired by the union, movable or immovable properties shall be vested in the trustees.
(d) The trustees sha1l hold office subject to the Quinquennial Conference or Special Conference elections until such time as they resign by notice to the Executive Committee or removed by a vote at the Quinquennial Conference. In the event of resignation of a trustee, the Executive Committee shall nominate one of its members to fill the vacancy until such time as the Quinquennial Conference or Special Conference elects another one.
(e) In the event of resignation of a trustee, the Executive Committee shall nominate one of the Union officials to fill the vacancy until such time that Quinquennial or Special Conference convenes to fill the vacancy.

RULE NO.11: FINANCE
(a) The General Treasurer shall cause a bank account to be Opened and maintained in the name of the union and shall ensure that invested funds of the union shall be banked as may be decided by the Executive Committee.
(b) All cheque withdrawal notices, must bear the signature of the National Chairman, General Secretary and General Treasurer.
(c) The Treasurer of every branch shall cause bank account to be opened in the name of the branch. Branch Account shall be operated by the Branch Secretary, Branch Treasurer and the Branch Chairman as the signatories.
(d) (i) The General Treasurer shall remit to every branch Treasurer Kshs.2,000/= every month In order to pay for minor expenses connected with the work and general administration of the branch.
(ii) The amount of remittance stated in (i) above may be reviewed by the Executive Committee and increased so as to pay for any contingency arising in any one branch or a case peculiar only to such branch or branches.
(e) Expenditure shall be determined by the Quinquennial Conference or the Executive Committee of the union and in accordance with these rules. In no circumstances should Union funds be used for the profit of any individual member.
(f) The financial year of the union shall be 31st December, of every year.
(g) Auditor: The account of the union shall be audited annually by the auditors.
(h) The funds of the Union may be expended only for the following objects.
(i) The payments of salaries, allowances and expenses to officers of the union.

(ii) The payment of expenses for the administration of the union including audit of the accounts of the funds of the union.
(iii) To conduct the Trade disputes on behalf of the union or any member thereof.

(iv) The prosecution or defense of any legal proceedings to which the Union or any
member thereof is a party, when such prosecution or defense is undertaken for the purpose of securing or protecting any right of the Trade Union as such or any rights arising out of the relations of any member with his employer.
(v) Such allowance to members or their dependants on account of death, old age, sickness, accidents or as the Executive Committee may from time to time prescribe.

RULE No. 12: EMPLOYEES
(a) The Executive Committee may engage such employees as it may from time to time consider necessary and shall determine their remuneration and terms.
(b) Employees so engaged may be dismissed at any time by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

RULE NO. 13: AUDITORS
The Executive Committee shall appoint a qualified accountant and/or some fit and proper person approved by the Registrar of Trade Unions to audit the accounts of the union as soon as possible after the end of each financial year, such auditor shall submit a general report on the financial position of the union.

RULE NO.111: INSPECTION OF BOOKS OF ACCOUNTS
(a) All account books and other official records of the union maintained at the union’s registered office shall be open to inspection at the union’s registered office during ordinary hours of business by any member of the union, provided any such member shall have given at least ONE WEEK written notice to the National Treasurer.
(b) All account books and other official records of the union maintained by any branch of the union shall be opened to inspection at the place of business of such branch by any member of the union, provided any such member have given at least ONE WEEK written notice to the branch Treasurer.

RULE NO. 15: BRANCH/SECTION ORGANISATION
(a) The Executive Committee shall decide the place where a Branch office of the union may be established, provided that no branch shall be established if the number of members is less than ONE HUNDRED MEMBERS.
(b) Should the membership of any branch fall below ONE HUNDRED MEMBERS for a period of THREE MONTHS, such branch may be disbanded and its members transferred by the Executive Committee to the nearest and convenient branch.
(c) The Executive Committee may suspend or disband any branch which fails to comply with the decisions of the branch general membership reached at Quinquennial or Special General Meeting or the Constitution and Rules of the union or decisions of the Quinquennial Conference, Special Conference or Executive Committee and may transfer the members of any branch suspended or disbanded to another branch.
(d) (i) A branch Quinquennial, General Meeting of members shall be held every five years. The branch secretary shall give notice to all members of the date, time and place of the Branch Quinquennial General Meeting at least TWO WEEKS before the said meeting.
(e) Special General Meeting: A branch special general meeting of members may be called by a majority decisions of the branch Committee or on the written request of not less than FIFTY ONE PERCENTUM (51%) OF THE FULLY PAID UP members of the Branch Quinquennial General Meeting and shall be governed by same rules as to procedure quorum and voting as a branch Quinquennial General Meeting.
(f) (i) Branch Committee: The Branch Committee shall be responsible for the administration of each branch subject to the control of the Executive Committee.
(ii) Composition of Branch Committee: Branch Committee shall be composed of the Branch Chairman, Vice Branch Chairman, Branch Secretary, Assistant Branch Secretary, Branch Treasurer and Assistant Branch Treasurer. The Branch Committee shall meet at least once every month and the Branch Secretary shall inform all members of the Branch Committee in writing at least two days before such meeting. The quorum for the Branch Committee shall be four.
(g) Except as otherwise herein expressly provided all branch officers shall be elected Quinquennially by secret ballot at the Branch Quinquennial General meeting of members and shall remain in office until the next branch Quinquennial general meeting provided that any branch officer may be removed from office by a majority vote of branch members voting by secret ballot at a branch special general meeting. The vacancy so created shall be filled by election from nominations received from the floor at such special general meeting, the voting thereon being carried out by secret ballot. The provision of Rule 15(d) shall equally apply to such election.
(h) For the purpose of election 51% of the registered members of the branch shall form a quorum.

RULE NO. 16: DESIGNATION OF BRANCH OFFICERS
(a) Branch Chairman: The Branch Chairman shall preside at all Branch QuinquenniaI and Branch Special General Meetings and Meetings at the Branch Committee at which he is present and enforce observation of the Constitution and Rules of the Union and perform such other duties as by usage and custom pertaining to his office.
In case of unequality vote at any meeting, he shall have in addition to his normal vote, deciding vote.
(b) Vice Branch Chairman: The Vice Branch Chairman shall reside over meetings in the absence of the Branch Chairman and whilst performing such duties he shall have the same privileges as the Chairman.
(c) Branch Secretary: The branch Secretary shall issue notice to all meetings and shall attend such meetings and record the minutes but shall not be eligible to vote. He shall ensure that a register of members is maintained with the names, addresses, occupations, dates of joining, dates of resignation, suspension or expulsion and particulars of all payments made by such members, he shall be responsible for ensuring due compliance by the branch with the provisions of the Trade Unions Act and the regulations made there under and shall perform all such acts and duties as the branch committee may from time to time direct.
The Branch Secretary may be removed from office at any time by majority vote of Branch members voting by secret ballot at the branch Quinquennial General meeting or branch special general meeting.
(d) Assistant branch secretary: The Assistant Branch Secretary shall assist the branch secretary and act for him in his absence.
(e) Branch Treasurer: The branch Treasurer shall be a person capable of maintaining clear records of all the funds of the branch and shall ensure that no payment is made from branch funds under his control unless a payment voucher has been prepared and authorised in accordance with the provisions of Trade Unions (Accounts) regulations.

(f) Assistant Branch Treasurer: The Assistant Branch Treasurer shall assist the Branch Treasurer and act in his absence.

RULE NO. 17: VOTING
(a) The taking of all decisions in respect of the election of officers the amendment of rules, strikes, dissolution and any other matters of the union generally shall be by secret ballot.
(b) Except as otherwise herein expressly provided all branch officials shall be elected Quinquennially by secret ballot at the Branch Quinquennial General Meeting of members and shall remain in office until next branch Quinquennial General Meeting provided that any branch officer may be removed from office by a majority vote of branch members voting by secret ballot at a branch special general meeting. The vacancy so created shall be filled by election from nominations received from the floor at such special general meeting, the voting thereon being carried out by secret ballot. The provision of Rule 15(d) shall equally apply to such election.
(c) For the purpose of election 51% of the registered members of the branch shall form a quorum.

RULE NO. 18: REPRESENTATION
(a) Branch Committee may make representation on all matters to the Executive Committee but shall not be empowered to communicate with any outside body without the cognisance of the Executive Committee.
(b) Representations of any member or members of the union shall first be addressed to the respective branch secretary. All such representations shall be made either orally, and recorded by the Branch secretaries or in writing duly signed by the members concerned. The Branch Committee shall thereafter be convened for that purpose to resolve the matter and advice on the way forward for onward transmission to the National Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall take such action as it may deem advisable.
(c) Representations on matters for consideration of the employees of COMMUNICATION IDUSTRIES, TELECOMMUNICATIONS ORGANISATIONS, POSTAL & ALLIED INDUSTRIES shall be as laid down in the Recognition Agreement and that every endeavor shall be made to get settlement from the local level. Branch secretaries will submit their cases up to the controlling officers/Regional Managers and will, be submitted to the General Secretary for onward
representations.

RULE NO. 19: BY-LAWS
The Executive Committee may make such by-laws, not inconsistent with those rules as may be deemed necessary for the efficient management of the union.

RULE NO. 20: DISCIPLINE
(a) A member may be suspended from the union as may be determined by the Executive Committee If:
(i) He fails within fourteen days of demand in writing by the General Secretary to pay subscriptions of the union.
(ii) He infringes any of the terms of this constitution or acts in a manner which is detrimental to the interest of the union.

(b) No member shall be suspended or expelled unless he has been given an opportunity to state his case personally or in writing to a meeting of the Executive Committee of which he has received not less than seven days notice in writing. Such notice shall include details of the allegations with which the member is charged.
(c) A member who has appeared before the Executive Committee in accordance with subsection (b) of this Rule shall, if he is dissatisfied with the decision of the Executive Committee, and has lodged an appeal in the matter shall be considered. .
(d) A member attending a meeting of the Executive Committee or Quinquennial Conference in the terms of sub-sections (a) and (b) of this Rule shall be entitled to call witnesses in support of his case.
(e) Any decision taken by the Executive Committee to suspend or expel a member shall, when an appeal has been lodged in the manner provided, be subject to ratification or otherwise of the Quinquennial Conference.
(f) Upon expulsion of a member, all monies due to the union by such member shall become payable. If payment is not made within fourteen days, the Executive Committee may take such action as it considers necessary to secure a settlement.
(g) A member shall cease to be entitled to any of the benefits of membership, including the right to vote and to hold office if:
(i) the subscriptions or other charges due by him to the union are more than Thirteen Weeks in arrears, or
(ii) during any period while he is under suspension In terms of this Constitution.

RULE NO. 21: AMENDMENTS AND ALTERATIONS OF RULES
(a) Alterations to these Rules shall only be made by resolution voted upon by secret ballot and passed at Quinquennial Conference of Special Conference. All proposals for amendments shall be submitted to the General Secretary not later than Three Weeks before the date of such Quinquennial Conference or Special Conference.
(b) No alteration of these Rules shall take effect until the date of registration thereof by the Registrar of Trade Unions unless some later date is specified In the Rules.

RULE NO. 22: DISSOLUTION OF THE UNION
The Union may be dissolved if at Quinquennial Conference called for such purpose, two-thirds of the members present and voting by secret ballot resolve that the union be dissolved. In the event of dissolution, all properties reliable assets of the union including funds shall be disturbed as the conference decides.

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