Below are the current Standing Orders of Neasden Branch, for information

1. The name of the Branch shall be the [1070] Jubilee North and Metropolitan Line Branch, The branch shall also be referred to as Neasden Branch.

2. Under the rules of the national union and directed by the Annual General Meeting and the Council of Executives, Neasden Branch will be consultative and propagandist and will assist in the organisation and retention of members. It may also submit resolutions to the regional council, council of executives, grades conferences, advisory committees, the appeals court and annual general meeting.

3. The Branch will normally meet on the First Wednesday, following payday of each month [or another agreed day] at The Torch Public House, Function Room, Wembley Park [or another agreed venue] 5 members plus the secretary and chairperson shall constitute a quorum.

4. Special meetings to deal with important matters may be requested by fully paid branch members at an ordinary meeting, or by the Branch Secretary/Chairperson, and their deputies. 5 members plus the secretary and chairperson shall constitute a quorum.

5. The meeting will start at 16:00 hours prompt, and close at 19:00 hours. The Branch meetings are open to all members of the RMT (on production of a RMT Membership Card) and invited guests. Requests to invite speakers outside the RMT should be made to the Chairperson or Secretary in advance of the Branch Meeting.

6 There shall be a Chairperson, Branch Secretary, Vice Chairperson, Assistant Branch Secretary, Membership Secretary, Communications Officer, Political Officer, Black and Ethnic Minority Members Officer, Women’s Officer; LGBT Officer and Young Members’ Officer. Who will be elected at the Branch Annual General Meeting. There will also be two auditors and four trustees also to be elected at the AGM. This shall be known as the ‘branch committee’.

7. All Representatives and Branch Officials shall attend a minimum of six branch meetings a year, to be eligible for re-election. The Branch Secretary has the power to over-rule this, based on special circumstances. The Branch AGM will be held in December. Vacancies will be filled at the soonest opportunity.

8. The Term of office for Level 1 and Tier 1 Representatives shall run from January to December each year, Representatives elected mid-term shall also cease office in the December following election. Union Learning Representatives are elected for a 3 year term, as per the Learning Agreement.

9. All candidates for office shall be present at the time of nomination or submit in writing their consent to stand. Voting at Branch meetings and the Branch AGM shall be based on a show of hands by members of Neasden Branch only.

10. The order of business shall be:
• Apologies for absence;
• Minutes of last meeting;
• Matters arising;
• Correspondence
• Branch Official & Representative’s Reports;
• Council of Executives Report (if present);
• Regional Organisers Report (if present);
• Resolutions
• Guest Speakers (if present)
• Any Other Business

11. Items under Reports and Any Other Business will be notified to the Chairperson/Secretary prior to the start of the meeting.

12. There shall be a code of conduct at all meetings of the Branch. Meetings will be held within the norms of the trade union movement based on democratic discussion and debate free from threats, offensive behaviour, offensive language, or unruly conduct and all members present will be respectful to all those present regardless of personal characteristics or point of view. If a member is regarded to be in breach of these democratic norms then he / she shall be instructed to leave the meeting by a ruling from the Chairperson or Secretary.

13. The ruling of the Chairperson on all matters shall be strictly adhered to but may be challenged by a motion that the Chairperson leaves the chair. This will be decided by a majority vote of Branch Members only.

14. All members at full branch meetings have the right to have resolutions placed before the Branch for discussion and debate. All resolutions should be submitted to the Secretary of the Branch by the start of the meeting. At the discretion of the Chairperson/Secretary resolutions or amendments can be accepted from the floor.

15. A resolution must be a bona fide resolution from a full paid member and is moved and seconded before any discussion takes place. Only one speech is allowed by anyone on the resolution, (5 minutes max for mover, 3 for all others) except that the mover of the motion has the right to reply to the debate before the vote is taken. This reply must not introduce a new matter and should be confined to responding to the points raised.

16. Emergency resolutions can be submitted for inclusion to the agenda after the branch has started, provided they constitute a bona fide emergency.

17. An amendment to a resolution will only be allowed when it actually deals with the subject of the resolution e.g. Substituting, adding or deleting words in the original motion. It, too, must be moved and seconded before any discussion takes place. After the resolution has been moved and seconded, all further discussion on the motion will be suspended until the amendment has been dealt with. If the amendment is accepted, the motion and the amendment become the substantive agreed motion and are open to further amendment, before being finally voted on for adoption or rejection

18. If Next business is moved then the meeting will immediately move to a vote on whether to move to the next business. The procedural motion must be moved, seconded and debated. If it is carried, the meeting moves on to the next item of business on the agenda. If lost, business is continued where the interrupted debate was left off.

19. A Point of order is an objection to a speech being made on the basis that a person is not speaking to the subject under discussion, is speaking on an issue outside the rules of the union, that the rules of debate are not being operated, offensive language is being used, or that the Standing Orders are not being complied with.

20. All branch funds received from RMT Head Office are the responsibility of the Branch Secretary. The books will be inspected by the elected auditors at least twice a year and a financial report will be given at the AGM.

21. Once agreed, these standing orders can only be changed at an AGM and by 2/3rds majority.