NameOrg.
Article 1
The name of the international trade union movement for the teaching staff that has adopted these statues is : World Confederation of Teachers - WCT. This confederation is hereafter designated in the Statutes by its initials WCT.
Headquarters
Article 2
1. The headquarters of the WCT are established in Brussels.
2. The Congress may decide on the transfer of the headquarters. If particular circumstances necessitate the transfer when the Congress cannot be consulted, the Confederal Board is empowered to decide on the matter. Such a decision must be ratified by the next Congress.
Declaration of principles
Article 3
1. The programme and action of the WCT are inspired by the principles defined in the Declaration of Principles of the WCL, to which it is affiliated, which forms the annexe to the present Statutes.
2. The existence and functioning of the WCT are governed by :
- the Statutes
- the Internal Regulations
Aims
Article 4
By virtue of its Declaration of Principles and its programme, the WCT pursues the following objectives :
a) to gain recognition and effective application in economic, social and cultural life of the principles defined in its Declaration, with a view to establish in the world a society organised according to these principles ;
b) to contribute to the establishment, consolidation and development on national, regional and world level, of organisations which protect the interest of the teaching staff ;
c) to gain respect for trade union freedom and to guarantee the exercise of this right for all members of the teaching staff of the world ;
d) to give its moral and material support to the affiliated organisations and to ensure permanent collaboration between them within the WCT ;
e) to organise and/or to support activities aimed at securing full respect for the members of the teaching staff and the improvement of their living conditions.
Means of action
Article 5
The WCT endeavours to attain these ends :
a) by organising and maintaining an international secretariat ;
b) by seconding and in so far as is necessary, co-ordinating the action of its affiliated organisations at national, regional, professional and international level ;
c) by studying the regulations with respect to the legal status of the teaching staff and by promoting their legal protection ;
d) by organising congresses, conferences as well as training courses of all kinds ;
e) by publishing periodicals and other printed matter and by making use of the appropriate means of communication ;
f) by documenting and studying the educational problems that arise at regional or international level and by developing itself continuously to an improvement of the quality of education ;
g) by having representatives attached to the institutions and bodies in which it will be able to further these aims and the interests of its affiliated organisation and their members ;
h) by collaborating with other trade union movements in compliance with its own principles and autonomy ;
i) by undertaking any other actions and by making use of any other legitimate means which help to achieve the objectives defined in Article 4.
Membership
Ordinary members
Article 6
The WCT is composed of ordinary members and extraordinary members.
1. Ordinary members of the WCT are :
a) national education organisations which have made it their goal to protect the interests of their members ;
b) the regional organisations.
2. The WCT has o federal structure and respects the autonomy of its members.
3. The national trade union organisations and the extraordinary members affiliated to the WCT are grouped into regional organisations which place the WCT is defined in Article 13 of the present Statutes.
4. An organisation that is part of another world confederation cannot be affiliated as an ordinary member to the WCT
5. The affiliation of an organisation to the WCT is decided by the Confederal Board in accordance with the procedures defined in the Internal Regulations.
The Confederal Board submits its decision to the Congress
6. The affiliated organisations must notify the WCT of any modifications they may make in their Statutes and governing bodies.
7. The Affiliated organisations are requested to communicate regularly the reports of their annual council meetings or congresses to the general secretariat of the WCT, and also furnish it with all the information which the governing bodies of the WCT need in order to pursue their activities successfully.
8. Without prejudice to other stipulations, full membership and assertion of statutory rights are reserved for the organisations having regularly paid their dues.
9. Membership-fee
By 15 February of the current year at the latest, the member organisations must state to the WCT Secretariat the correct number of paid-up members.
a) The membership-fee for the next contribution year of organisations that exceed this term will be calculated on the following basis : the number of members given by the member organisation in the current contribution year as basis for calculation, unless the actual number of members is higher.
b) The Confederal Board of the WCT is empowered to have the accuracy of the information concerning the number of members paying membership-dues checked
10. All the affiliated organisations of the WCT, of whatever type, must undertake to conform to the provisions of the Statutes and regulation of the WCT, as well as to the decisions taken by the latter.
Article 7
When in a particular country a trade union organisation is already affiliated to the WCT, a second trade union organisation may be admitted from the same country, under the conditions provided for in Article 2 of the Internal Regulations.
Extraordinary members
Article 8
1. In countries where there is no WCT affiliate, membership may be granted in an extraordinary capacity to workers’ organisations, which do not fall within the category of organisations as referred to in Article 6,1.a, but have nevertheless set themselves the task of representing and defending the interests of the members of the education staff
2. In exceptional cases, an organisation may be admitted as extraordinary member in a country where there is already an affiliated trade union organisation, on condition that the provisions of Article 2 of the Internal Regulations are fulfilled.
3. Education trade union organisations affiliated to another world organisation may be admitted as extraordinary members in compliance with the conditions defined in Article 2.3. of the Internal Regulations and in compliance with a decision taken by a 2/3 majority of votes cast of the Confederal Board.
Cessation of membership
Article 9
1. Affiliation ceases :
a) by resignation ;
b) by expulsion ;
c) by dissolution.
2. Every resigning organisation or organisation which affiliation has ceased as a result of expulsion is required to fulfil all obligations contracted by WCT on its behalf or at its request individually or in co-operation with third parties.
3. Upon cessation of affiliation, the organisation concerned as well as all their members, considered individually or collectively, will lose all rights to the property of the WCT and its institutions.
Article 10
1. Notice of resignation must be given before 1 September of the current calendar year.
2. In the event of notice of resignation given after that date during the running calendar year, affiliation ceases after the end of the next calendar year.
3. Notice of resignation must be addressed to the Secretary General of WCT by registered post.
4. The only date of the year on which resignation can become effective is 31 December of the current year.
Article 11
1. An organisation may be expelled from membership if it acts in contradiction to the Declaration of Principles, Statutes, regulation or decisions of the WCT, or if it fails to fulfil its financial obligations to the latter.
2. It is within the competence of the Confederal Board to pronounce expulsion. The Confederal Board presents its decision to the Congress
3. Before rendering an opinion on the file prepared by the Executive Committee, the Confederal Board is required to hear the organisation and the competent regional organisation.
4. To be valid, expulsion must be lodged by a majority of two-thirds of the members present at the Confederal Board.
5. An appeal against the expulsion my be lodged with the Congress within three months of notification of expulsion by registered letter to the organisation concerned.
6. When an appeal has been lodged, in accordance with the provisions laid down in paragraph 5 of the Article, expulsion does not take effect until the appeal has been decided.
Co-operation
Article 12
1. Co-operation agreements can be concluded with organisations which can become neither ordinary nor extraordinary members of the WCT ; on this basis they can take part in a number of activities of the WCT.
2. The Executive Committee decides on the conclusion, alteration or termination of the co-operation agreements mentioned in section 1 ; it presents its decision to the next meeting of the Confederal Board for ratification.
Regional organisations
Article 13
1. The regional organisations of the WCT are groupings with certain geographical limits, of organisations affiliated to the WCT. The geographical areas correspond with the generally accepted continental divisions.
2. Within these geographical limits, it is the task of the regional organisations to ensure the necessary c-ordination, to support and promote the activities of all affiliated trade unions organisations in their region.
3. The regional organisations establish their own internal structure, Statutes, Declaration of Principle, Action programme and budget in compliance with the provisions of the Internal Regulations of the WCT.
4. Disputes which might arise between an affiliated trade union organisation and a regional organisations will be settled as stipulated in the Statutes of the regional organisation. The organisation concerned can appeal to the competent bodies of the WCT.
The Governing bodies
Article 14
The governing bodies of the WCT are :
a. the Congress ;
b. the Confederal Board ;
c. the Executive Committee.
The Congress
Article 15
1. The Congress is the general assembly of the affiliated organisations. It constitutes the supreme power and legislature of the WCT.
2. Each of the affiliated organisations mentioned in Article 6.1.a. may be represented at the Congress by a delegation. This delegation may also comprise observers.
3. Members of the Confederal Board who are not included in the delegation of one of the organisations referred to in the preceding paragraph, may attend the Congress without the right to vote.
4. Organisations affiliated as extraordinary members may be represented at the Congress by delegations whose powers will be decided by the Executive Committee according to the procedures defined in Article 17 paragraph
5. The regional organisations may be represented at the Congress by two effective delegates and observers. The president of the WCT can fix maxima as regards the number of observers.
Article 16
The Congress has the power and is required to
a. adopt the Declaration of Principles of the WCL and approve and modify the Statutes, rules and programmes of the WCT and define the position of the WCL on all problems arising ;
b. issue directives for the course to be pursued by the Confederal Board, the General Secretary and the members ;
c. discuss the activity and management of the Confederal Board, the General Secretary, the member and Treasurer and render an opinion on the reports presented by them ;
d. draw up a programme of action ;
e. determine the guidelines of the financial policy ;
f. make decisions on proposals introduced by the national and regional trade unions organisations ;
g. execute all the other tasks assigned to it under the Statutes and Internal Regulations ;
h. elect all the members of the Confederal Board.
i. declare itself on the decisions of the Confederal Board where it acted on behalf of the Congress: affiliation and exclusion.
Article 17
1 the number of votes allotted to the organisations mentioned in Article 6.1.a. at the sessions of the Congress is proportional to the number of members for whom these organisations pay a subscription to the WCT ; the ratio is as follows :
For each 50,000 members or part thereof more, up to 300,000 members, the trade union organisation concerned is entitled to 1 vote more.
For each 100,000 members of part thereof more, the trade union organisation is entitled to 1 vote more.
2. The right to vote at sessions of the Congress may only be exercised by delegates from organizations that have fulfilled their financial obligations towards the WCT since the previous Congress.
3. The right to vote at sessions of the Congress con also be exercised by delegates of organizations which become members in the year of Congress, provided that they pay the dues for that calendar year.
4. The number of votes that may be allotted to the extraordinary members is determined by the Confederal Board on the basis of the number of their members for whom they pay to the WCT, which amount is fixed by the Confederal Board.
The Confederal Board
Article 18
1. The regular and deputy members of the Confederal Board are elected by the Congress on presentation of the national and/or regional organizations.
2. The President, Treasurer, General Secretary and a maximum of two members are directly elected in that capacity by the Congress.
3. All members of the Confederal Board have the right to vote.
4. The seats of the Confederal Board are divided in compliance with Article 16 ofhe Internal Regulations.
5. The Congress will elect for each member of the Confederal Board, with the exception of the President, Treasurer, General Secretary and the Members, one alternative member who will be called upon to replace the regular members in the latters’ absence, at the sessions of the Confederal Board.
6. The regular and alternate members of the Confederal Board are elected for a period extending to the next Congress. They are eligible for re-election.
7. When the vacancy arises in the Confederal Board because a member is unable to attend (e.g. because of death or resignation) the Confederal Board may nominate a replacement in agreement with the organization whose representative has left the vacancy.
Article 19
There are at maximum seven Vice-Presidents, namely at least the first leader of each regional organisation. They are appointed by and within the Confederal Board. The first Vice-President is elected by and within the Confederal Board during its first meeting after the Congress.
Article 20
The quorum needed for a valid meeting of the Confederal Board is half the number of the members plus one.
Article 21
The Confederal Board is responsible for :
a. the general leadership of the WCT, which it must assume in all important matters, in accordance with the decisions and directives of the Congress ;
b. establishing the amount of subscription, the terms and conditions for payment and any other special charge ;
c. drawing up the annual budget ;
d. supervising the execution of the tasks entrusted to the President, General Secretary, Member and Treasurer and the Executive Committee by the Statutes, the regulations and the governing bodies of the WCT ;
e. establishing the agenda, date and place of the sessions of the Congress ;
f. preparing for the sessions of the Congress ;
g. performing any other task assigned to it by the Statutes, regulations or Congress ;
h. appointing the members of the advisory councils ;
The Executive Committee
Article 22
1. The Executive Committee is composed of the President, the first Vice-President, the General Secretary, the Treasurer and a maximum of two Members elected by the Confederal Board, to be called : the other Members.
2. The Executive Committee is mandated to make decisions on the dues level. It has to present these decisions to the next meeting of the Confederal Board for ratification.
3. It is responsible for :
a. dealing with routine matters ;
b. managing internal affairs, in so far as this task does not pertain to the Confederal Board and the Congress ;
c. drawing up a draft budget in collaboration with the finance committee provided for in Article 30 of the Statutes, to be submitted to the Confederal Board ;
d. executing any other task entrusted to it by the Statutes, regulations and other bodies of the WTC.
4. The Executive Committee reports on its activities and its management to the Confederal board.
The President
Article 23
1. The President represents the WCT by virtue of the mandate conferred upon him by the Confederal Board.
2. In co-operation with the members of the Executive Committee, he establishes the agenda, date and place of sessions of the Confederal Board.
3. He presides over the sessions of the Congress, Confederal Board and executive Committee. he is entitled to attend the meetings of the Committees and institutions of the WCT which are not placed under his chairmanship.
4. The President can have himself replaced in all or part of his functions by the first Vice-President. In case of longer absence, the first Vice-President substitutes for the President until the next Congress at the latest.
5. The President participates in the meetings of the Executive Committee, the Confederal Board and the Congress with casting vote.
6. The first Vice-President participates in the meetings of the Executive Committee, the Confederal Board and the Congress with casting vote.
The General Secretary
Article 24
1. The General secretary is in charge of the day-to-day management of the WCT and of the efficient functioning of the secretariat and other services of the WCT. The General Secretary must act in accordance with the agreements, resolutions and decisions of the governing bodies of the WCT, and see that they are carried out. He is secretary of the Congress, Confederal Board and Executive Committee. he represents the WCT in the exercise of his functions.
2. The General Secretary receives from the Congress and Confederal Board general instructions for the execution of his mandate. he regularly gives an account of his activities to these bodies.
3. In co-operation with the Executive Board he draws up the agenda and establishes the date and place of the meetings of the Confederal Board.
4. The General Secretary participates in the meetings of the Executive Committee, the Confederal Board and the Congress with casting vote.
Article 25
The President and the General Secretary represent the WCT jointly before the law.
Article 26
1. Should there be just reason, the General Secretary may be suspended by the Confederal Board and dismissed from his post by the Congress.
2. Appeal may be lodged with the Congress against a suspension or dismissal decreed in accordance with paragraph 1 above.
3. The salary and legal status of the General Secretary will be determined by the Executive Committee in a special statute.
The Treasurer
Article 27
1. The Treasurer is responsible for the financial management of the WCT and he must ensure the proper execution of the budget passed by the Confederal Board. As far as possible, the allocation of funds should be decide upon in conjunction with the Executive Committee.
2. The Treasurer will prepare and preside over the proceedings of the Finance Committee referred to in Article 30 of the present Statutes.
3. He will present financial reports to the Confederal Board and the Congress, the accuracy of which must be ascertained by the Finance Committee.
4. In the event of the Treasurer being prevented from performing his duties, he will be replaced by a person appointed by the Confederal Board.
5. The treasurer participates with a right to vote in the meetings of the executive Committee and the Confederal Board.
The Other Committee Members
Article 28
1. In collaboration with the President and the General Secretary, the other Members are charged with the performance of the tasks and functions that are connected with the general educational activities of the WCT. On the proposition of the President and /or General Secretary the Confederal Board and the Executive Committee determine the specific tasks to be allotted to them according to the plan of action of the WCT under the direction and co-ordination of the executive Committee.
2. They can represent the WCT by mandate of the Confederal Board or Executive Committee for a particular task or mission.
3. They participate with a right to vote in the meetings of the Executive Committee and the Confederal Board.
Financial Management
Article 29
1. The resources of the WCT are composed of :
subscriptions of the affiliated organizations referred to in Articles 6 and 8 ;
special subscriptions of the affiliated organizations ;
proceeds of its possessions ;
legacies, donations and other fortuitous income.
2. An external financial institution can be charged with checking the financial administration of the WCT.
3. The financial year coincides with the calendar year.
4. The financial headquarters of the WCT are based at the same place as the secretariat.
Finance Committee
Article 30
1. The Confederal Board elects from among its members a finance Committee composed of the three members. None of the members of this Committee must come from the organization to which the Treasurer is affiliated.
2. The financial Committee is charged, under the guidance of the Treasurer,
to submit a report and opinions on the financial management of each fiscal year to the Confederal Board,
to submit a report and opinions to the Congress on the financial management between two Congress,
to seek for ways and means of increasing the ordinary and extraordinary resources of the WCT.
3. It will be consulted on all important financial matters of which the settlement cannot wait until the next meeting of the Confederal Board.
The Advisory Councils
Article 31
1. The Advisory Councils are advisory grouping focused either on the protection of equivalent interests of professional groups or categories, or on education-related themes. By definition, they are no standing councils, and their existence is linked to the tasks set by the Confederal Board.
2. Advisory Councils may be set up by the Confederal Board, on the proposition of the Executive Committee, at a general level as well as at the level of the original regional organizations.
3. The Advisory Councils report to the Executive Committee and Confederal Board on the full or partial accomplishment of their tasks and assignments, and advise with respect to the promotion of the interests of the staff they have been set up for.
4. For each Advisory Council the Confederal Board appoints a person who is in charge of the activities of the Advisory Council concerned and reports regularly to the Confederal Board
Internal Regulations
Article 32
1. The provisions laid down in the present Statutes are completed and made explicit in the Internal regulations.
2. The Internal Regulations are drawn up and, if necessary, amended by the Congress.
3. They may not contain any provisions that are contrary to the present Statutes.
4. The Congress may adopt special regulations or issue special directives on the position to be adopted with regards to certain important problems. These regulations and directives may not contain any provisions that are contrary to the Statutes or Internal Regulations.
5. The Internal Regulations and the special directives and regulations referred to in paragraph 4 above have the same legal force as the Statutes.
Amendments To The Statutes
Article 33
1. Before an amendment can be made to the present Statutes, a proposal to this end must be entered on the agenda of the Congress and the amendment thus proposed must be approved by a majority of two-thirds of the number of valid votes.
2. Proposals for amendments to the Statutes may be submitted by the Confederal Board or by each organizations referred to in Article 6.
3. The Congress may not discuss a proposal for an amendment to the Statutes if the agenda carrying the proposal has not been communicated to the affiliated organizations referred to in Article 6 at least two months before the date planned for the Congress session.
Dissolution
Article 34
1. The dissolution of the WCT may only be decreed by a congress convened expressly for this purpose. Both the notice of the Congress and the agenda of the session when the proposal to dissolve the WCT will be discussed must refer to the present Article of the Statutes.
2. The dissolution of the WCT may only be pronounced in exactly the same conditions as those specified in Article 34 concerning amendments to the Statutes.
3. In the event of dissolution, the property of the WCT and its institutions will be assigned as far as possible to purposes that conform to the aims purposed by the WCT.
Final Provisions
Article 35
1. All cases not anticipated by the Statutes or regulations and all disputes concerning the application of the Statutes or regulations will be settled by the Confederal Board.
2. An appeal may be lodged with the Congress within 30 days of the decision of the Confederal Board.
If an appeal of this kind is lodged, execution of the decision of the Confederal Board will be suspended until the Congress renders its opinion.
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