- Conference
- 2008 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 22 October 2007
- Decision
- Remitted
From title ‘Standing Orders for National Women’s Conference’
Delete all and replace with:
1.APPLICATION OF STANDING ORDERS
1.1These Standing Orders shall apply to all meetings of the National Women’s Conference.
2.STANDING ORDERS COMMITTEE
2.1The members of the Standing Orders Committee shall hold office from the end of one National Women’s Conference until the end of the next National Women’s Conference.
2.2No delegates shall serve on Standing Orders Committees for more three consecutive years.
2.3At its first meeting after it takes office, the Committee shall elect a Chairperson and a Deputy Chairperson from amongst its members.
2.4The functions of the Committee shall, subject to these Standing Orders, be to:
2.4.1Ensure that the Union’s Rules and Standing Orders relating to the business of Conferences are observed, and notify the Chairperson of any violation that may be brought to the Committee’s notice.
2.4.2Draw up the preliminary agenda and final agenda of Conference business, and proposed hours of business.
2.4.3Determine the order in which the business of Conference shall be conducted, subject to the approval of Conference.
2.4.4Consider all motions and amendments submitted for consideration by Conference and, for the purpose of enabling Conference to transact its business effectively, the Committee shall:
1decide whether such motions and amendments have been submitted in accordance with the UNISON Rule Book, and specifically principles outlined in Section D4, and in accordance with these standing orders;
2group together motions and amendments relating to the same subject, decide the order in which they should be considered and whether they should be debated and voted on separately or debated together and voted on sequentially;
3make such wording changes to motions and amendments to motions where to do so will render them competent and admissible to the agenda as the Committee may consider necessary. This will not include changing the purpose, or perspective of the submitted motion but is to ensure that motions submitted in good faith are not ruled out of order on arbitrary pedantic grounds.
4prepare and revise, in consultation with the movers of motions and amendments, composite motions in terms which in the opinion of the Committee best express the subject of such motions and amendments;
5refer to another representative body within the Union a motion or amendment which in the opinion of the Committee should properly be considered there. The mover shall be informed of the reason for so doing.
6have power to do all such things as may be necessary to give effect to these Standing Orders.
7.the Standing Orders Committee will, from time to time, issue guidelines in order to assist with the smooth running of Conference and submission of motions and amendments. Such guidelines shall be consistent with these Standing Orders and be ratified by the Standing Orders Committee prior to issue.
8.Any guidance issued by SOC will be reviewed by SOC following each
National Women’s Conference to ensure the guidance continues to be fit for purpose.
2.5Any decisions of the Committee which are to be reported to Conference shall be announced by the Chairperson of the Committee and shall be subject to ratification by Conference.
3.MOTIONS AND AMENDMENTS –
3.1.The National Women’s Committee shall have the right to submit to the National Women’s Conference reports, statements, motions, amendments to motions and amendments to Standing Orders.
3.2Each branch and regional women’s group and other national self-organised groups may submit motions, amendments to motions and amendments to Standing Orders.
3.3Motions and amendments shall be sent to the General Secretary’s Office in order that the Standing Orders Committee may consider them for inclusion in the preliminary agenda. Such motion or amendment shall be in writing and signed by the appropriate persons from the body on whose behalf it is submitted.
3.4The date and time by which motions and amendments to be considered for the Conference shall be received by the General Secretary’s Office shall be as stated in the timetable laid out in Rule D.1.9 of UNISON rules.
3.5.1A motion or amendment should normally be moved by a delegate of the branch, region or other approved body proposing that motion or amendment;
3.5.2In the absence of a delegate of the branch, region, approved body, the motion or amendment may be moved by another delegate attending the Conference only where prior notification has been given to the Standing Orders Committee, but may not be moved formally from the Chair;
3.5.3In the event of SO 3.5.2 being applied, the Presiding Conference Chair shall advise Conference of t