2.1 ELIGIBILITY
1. Membership of the Union shall be open to all persons who accept the principles, objects and methods of the Union and whose application for Membership is accepted by any Branch of the Union or any Officer authorised for the purpose by a Branch or by the National Executive Council of the Union.
2. The National Executive Council shall have the power to direct a Branch to refuse admission to, or cancel the Membership of any person who, in their opinion, is not desirable as a Member of the Union and to cancel the Membership of any Member which has been obtained by misrepresentation and to return the whole or part of the contribution paid by such Member.
3. An applicant for Membership who is rejected by a Branch may apply to the National Executive Council for admission to Membership. The National Executive shall have the power on the admission of any such person into Membership to debar such person for any period from holding any office in the Union or in a Branch of the Union.
4. Every application for Membership shall be made on a form prescribed by the National Executive Council and if approved by the Branch shall be forwarded to the National Executive Council whose decision on such application shall be final.
5. Each new Member shall be issued with a Membership Card, a copy of the Rules of the Union and the Union Badge.
6. A Member of a Branch may transfer to another Branch. Such transfers shall be affected in accordance with regulations made by the National Executive Council.
7. Every Member of the Union shall, on payment of a sum not exceeding €0.05, have a copy of the Rules of the Union delivered to him/her.
8. The Union shall be non sectarian in that a Member’s religion or creed shall not impair or limit in any way his/her entitlement to full Union Membership. The Union shall design its policy and programme to conform with the principles of natural justice.
2.2 BENEFIT MEMBER
1. Any Member whose arrears exceed eight weeks contributions shall not be entitled to propose or second a Motion or exercise a vote on Union matters or be appointed or elected or continue to hold office in any position within the Union.
2.3 CONTRIBUTIONS
1. A weekly contribution, subject to an overall maximum to be determined from time to time by the National Executive Council, shall be paid by all Members of the Union in accordance with the following Scales:
Scale A:- 1% of basic pay plus €0.13 per week. This amount includes a contribution of 20% p.w. to the Social Benefit Fund, €0.13 p.w. to the Distress Fund and €0.13 to the Help for the Intellectually Disabled Fund.
Scale B:- 1% of basic pay plus €0.26 per week. This amount includes a contribution of 20% p.w. to the Social Benefit Fund, €0.13 p.w. to the Distress Fund and 15% of each member’s annual contribution to the Member’s Branch local fund, in respect of each fully paid up Member.
Scale C:- 1% of basic pay. This amount includes a contribution of 20% p.w. to the Social Benefit Fund and €0.13 p.w. to the Distress Fund.
Every Member shall pay contributions in accordance with the Scale to which the person is assigned by the National Executive Council. A Member must complete an authorisation form so as to arrange to have Union contributions deducted from pay / debited from his /her Bank / Building Society Account etc. as appropriate.
2. Contributions shall become payable on Friday in each week, unless alternative arrangements have been made. The first contributions of a Member shall become due on the Friday following the date of acceptance into the Union. A member upon joining the Union shall be considered a non-benefit member until such time as eight (8) weeks contributions have been made by the Member in accordance with the rules. After 26 weeks Union contributions, members become entitled thereafter to applicable and appropriate benefits as referred to in Rule 10 commensurate to contributions paid and subject to the approval of the National Executive Council. A Member in arrears to the extent of eight (8) weeks contributions or more shall be deemed to be a non benefit Member of the Union and shall not be entitled to have representations made on his/her behalf and shall be excluded from the benefits provided under the Rules of the Union.
3. The Membership of any Member whose contribution is thirteen (13) weeks or more in arrears or who has failed to pay in full any levy imposed under Rule 10 shall automatically lapse. A lapsed Member may be reinstated on such terms and conditions as the National Executive Council, in its absolute discretion, shall deem fit.
4. A Benefit Member who is not in receipt of pay because of illness or for any other valid reason shall be regarded as a benefit Member and shall be exempt from paying weekly contributions, at the discretion of the National Executive Council.
5. Notwithstanding the provisions contained at Rule2.3.1, the National Executive Council shall have the power, from time to time, to determine the union subscription rates in companies where Scale A, Scale B and Scale C rates have not traditionally applied.
2.4 OBLIGATIONS OF MEMBERS
1. By accepting Membership of the Union, every Member accepts these Rules and agrees and undertakes to accept, fulfil and be bound by these Rules and any alterations, rescissions and amendments as may from time to time be lawfully made thereto in accordance with the provisions thereof or in accordance with law.
2.5 MEMBERSHIP RECRUITMENT
1. Notwithstanding any other provision of these Rules, the National Executive Council shall be empowered, at its absolute discretion, to:
(a) create Branches, Sections or workplace representative structures in order to assist in recruitment outside of traditional areas;
(b) make any special provision, it regards as desirable, as regards benefits for such Members;
(c) set special contribution rates for such Members and arrange portability of Membership for all Members with special contributions rates, if considered desirable;
(d) make all the necessary organisational, financial and other arrangements considered necessary to assist the recruitment process.
2.6 ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP
1. A Member who is a benefit Member of the Union for at least two years on the date of retirement on pension shall become an Associate Member of the Union and shall be supplied with an Associate Membership Card.
2. An Associate Member shall be bound by the Rules and shall be entitled to all the benefits of a Member of the Union with the exception of those excluded by Rule.
2.7 UNION BADGE AND SCROLL
1. The Badge of the Union shall be supplied to each Member on recruitment and thereafter on such terms as may be fixed from time to time by the National Executive Council.
2. A Branch may recommend that a benefit Member who has twenty years continuous benefit Membership be presented with a Silver Badge of the Union.
3. A Branch may recommend that a benefit Member who has thirty years continuous benefit Membership be presented with a Gold Badge of the Union.
4. A Branch may recommend that a benefit Member be presented with an illuminated Scroll of the Union on permanent retirement from employment.
5. All requests for Silver or Gold Badges and presentation Scrolls shall be submitted in writing by the Branch Secretary in a manner decided by the National Executive Council to the General Secretary.
2.8 DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS
1. A Member who is deemed to have been guilty of conduct unbecoming that of a Member or whose conduct is inimical to the interests of other Members may be:
(a) Debarred from attending Union meetings for a period as decided;
(b) Removed from office, suspended from office, debarred from holding office or participating in any way in Branch or Union administration for a period as decided;
(c) Deprived of some or all of the benefits of Membership for a period as decided;
(d) Suspended from Membership for a period as decided;
(e) Expelled from Membership.
2. The Branch Committee or National Executive Council may charge a Member under Section (1) of this Rule and may impose one or more of the penalties referred to for the conduct regulated therein.
3. A Member who is being charged under Section 1 of this Rule shall be given written notice to be sent by registered post. Such notice shall also state the time, date and place set for the hearing of the case to which the Member shall be invited to attend. The Member may choose to submit a defence in writing instead of attending the hearing.
4. Any Member debarred from attending Union meetings for a period as decided, or debarred from holding office, or from participating in any way in Branch or Union administration for a period as decided, or expelled under this Rule by a Branch Committee may appeal in writing to the National Executive Council provided such appeal is received at Head Office not later than 21 days after the date on which the decision of the Branch Committee is notified by registered post to the Member and the decision on such appeal shall be final, subject to rule 2.9.5.
5. Any member debarred from attending union meetings for a period as decided, or debarred from holding office, or from participating in any way from Branch or Union administration for a period as decided, or expelled under this rule by the National Executive Council, may serve notice of appeal in writing to the National Executive Council provided such appeal is received at Head Office not later than 21 days after the date in which the decision of the National Executive Council is notified by registered post to the Member. Such appeal shall be heard by a committee appointed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
2.9 Authority Within the Union
The ultimate authority within the Union shall be the will of the general Membership as expressed by their Biennial Conference, Special Delegate Conference or by Referendum of the Membership organised by the National Executive Council.