Rules 2002

Rule 13
Industrial councils, branches and sections

(a) There shall be an industrial council for industrial sectors of the membership in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Continental Europe as follows: Newspapers and Agencies; Magazines and Books; Freelance; Public Relations and Information; Broadcasting. These councils shall promote and supervise negotiations and agreements with individuals or groups of employers on wages and conditions of employment and allied problems – including the promotion of vocational training – within their sectors and shall be encouraged to carry out recruitment and organisation activities within their own sectors. They shall be available as advisory committees to the NEC and have the right to make representations to the NEC.

(b) The councils will determine their own policies within the confines of general policy laid down by ADM or by the NEC. They shall report all their decisions to the NEC.

(c) The NEC may overrule any council if it believes that council is acting against the interests of any section of the membership.

(d) Candidates for election to each council will be members registered as working in the relevant sector nominated by branches with membership in that sector. When a member is unable to obtain nomination because his/her branch fails to meet, the NEC may accept his/her nomination countersigned by no fewer than five members in good standing. The ballot shall be on the single transferable vote system with members voting only in the sector in which they work.

(e) The total number of members in each industrial council shall be as last determined by ADM.

(f) The Freelance Industrial Council (FIC) shall appoint one of its members to each of the industrial councils to ensure freelance representation.

(g)

(i) Members registered as freelances belonging to Scottish branches shall directly elect two members to the Freelance Industrial Council.
(ii) Each council shall have an equality representative elected by the membership in its sector as a member of both the sector council and the Equality Council. Where no such representative is nominated, the Equality Council shall appoint one of its members to serve on the appropriate industrial council.
(iii) Each council shall have a black members’ representative elected by the membership in its sector as a member of both the sector council and the Black Members’ Council. Where no such representative is nominated, the Black Members’ Council shall appoint one of its members to serve on the appropriate industrial council.
(iv) Each council shall have a disabled members’ representative elected by the membership in its sector as a member of both the sector council and the Disabled Members’ Council. Where no such representative is nominated, the Disabled Members’ Council shall appoint one of its members to serve on the appropriate industrial council.

(h) NEC members shall have the right to attend and speak at council meetings in their own electoral areas and NEC Emergency Committee members shall have the right to attend and speak at any industrial council meeting.

(j) The NEC shall allocate such sums as may be necessary to meet the running costs of the councils and to cover educational, promotional and recruitment work. Members of each council shall be paid reasonable expenses.

(k) The NEC shall encourage the formation of industrial branches in areas where there are a substantial number of members working in a specific industrial sector. There shall not be more than one industrial branch for a specific sector in any such area. A freelance member working in an area where no freelance branch exists may choose to be in membership either of the branch in whose area his/her work is predominantly used or in the geographical branch for his/her place of residence.