RULES

Article 1.1

Belgium-based officials and other employees of the European Institutions and organisations except those for whom another member organisation of Union Syndicale Federale exists, seconded national experts, the different types of staff of the European Schools in Belgium, and any other persons having a direct employment contract with those Institutions and organisations in Belgium who have accepted these Rules hereby form a trade union called “Union Syndicale – Service Public Europeen – Bruxelles” [Union Syndicale – European Public Service – Brussels] with its headquarters in Brussels.

The short form of the name of the trade union [“Union Syndicale Brussels”] and the abbreviation “USB” may equally be used provided it is absolutely clear that the reference is to “Union Syndicale – European Public Service – Brussels”.

Article 1.2.

Officials and other employees of the Commission’s research institutes and of offices, delegations, and agencies outside the main places of employment, seconded national experts and any other persons having a direct employment contract with those institutes, offices, delegations, and agencies may also apply for membership of the Union.

Article 1.3.

The Union is affiliated to the Union Syndicale Federale des Services publics europeens et internationaux [USF] [European and International Public Services Federal Trade Union] and through it to the Public Services International [PSI]. with its headquarters in Ferney-Voltaire [France] and to the European Federation of Public Service Unions [EPSU]. with its headquarters in Brussels; it is associated with the International Trade Union Confederation [ITUC] and the European Trade Union Confederation [ETUC]. both of which have their headquarters in Brussels.

Article II.1

The main purposes of the Union shall be to:

• serve and defend the economic, social, professional and moral interests of its members and of the entire staff of the European Institutions and organisations;
• contribute towards defining and fulfilling the objectives and defending the principles of Union Syndicale Fédérale, the PSI, the EPSU, the ITUC and the ETUC by means of practical solidarity with European and international

Article II.2.

To these ends, the Union’s activities shall seek to:

• defend the independence, competence and permanent nature of the European public service, which are necessary for the achievement of the objectives of European integration;
• obtain recognition of or maintain the right of the Union to contribute, through free negotiations and through participation in administration, to determining the working conditions and the conditions of employment of its members and of the entire staff;
• do all within its power to ensure that the structures and the working methods of our institutions, including agencies, are adapted to meet the requirements of a modern and humane multinational administration.

Article III.1.

The Union shall be independent of all national and international institutions, governments, administrations, political parties, denominational or philosophical movements and interest groups.

Article III.2.

For the purpose of defending common interests, the Union may be affiliated to any federation of unions of staff members of European organisations which are affiliated to the PSI.

Article III.3.

The Union affirms its willingness to cooperate with other democratic trade union organisations which have the same objectives.

Article IV.1.

Any official, other employee, seconded national expert or any other person having a direct employment contract with the Institutions, organisations, institutes, offices, delegations and agencies referred to in Article LI or L2, even if retired, may seek admission to the Union. No person may simultaneously be a member of Union Syndicale and of another trade union or professional organisation of European or international officials.

Article IV.2.

Admission to the Union shall be by way of an application accompanied by a written declaration which shall imply acceptance of these Rules. The competent Section Committee or by default the Executive Committee shall decide on the application. Admission to the Union shall confer the status of associate member of the international non-profit-making body “La Maison de l’Union Syndicale”.

In the event of the said Committee rejecting the application, the applicant may appeal against such decision to the Executive Committee, which shall be obliged to submit the appeal to the next General Meeting, the matter being included explicitly on the agenda.

The General Meeting may reject the appeal only if the majority of the members present decide in favour of such rejection.

Article IV.3.

A member may submit his resignation from the Union at any time. The resignation must be notified to the Executive Committee or to the competent Section Committee in writing.

Article IV.4.

If the resignation or departure of a member happens whilst they enjoy the benefit of USB support for an ongoing legal matter, that support shall cease immediately unless there is an interest in continuing it; the decision on this matter shall be at the entire discretion of the body of USB that decided on the support and that body may also seek the refund of sums paid out if circumstances so justify.

Article IV.5.

Membership shall be withdrawn automatically as a result of a delay of more than twelve months in the payment of the subscription amount which the member owes. In duly justified cases the Executive Committee may dispense a member from payment of the subscription for a maximum period of twelve months. It may also set up a phased reimbursement plan in respect of arrears that are due.

Article IV.6.

Membership shall also be withdrawn automatically if the member has no further statutory link (such as a job contract, unemployment benefit, pension, membership of the JSIS, pending legal case, …) with the institutions and other bodies referred to in paragraph IV.1. However, the Executive Committee may, upon request by the member, and taking into account the circumstances, authorise the member to remain in USB for a maximum of two years.

Article IV.7.

Expulsion from the Union may be requested by the competent Section Committee or by default by the Executive Committee in respect of any member whose behaviour is such as to be harmful to the Union. The section which makes a reference to the Disputes Board must send a copy of the file to the Executive Committee which may submit its own observations to the said Board within a maximum time limit of 15 days.

Procedure:

• the request from the said Committee must be notified to the person concerned in writing and addressed to the Disputes Board referred to in Article XIII ;
• the Disputes Board shall hear the person concerned and shall give a ruling within 30 days;
• if the Disputes Board does not take a decision within those 30 days the Executive Committee shall rule on expulsion by an absolute majority of its members;
• the decision of the Disputes Board (or of the Executive Board, as appropriate) shall be communicated to the person concerned and to the Executive Committee (or to the Disputes Board, as appropriate) and shall take effect the following day.

The requesting committee may at any time withdraw its request and shall notify the person concerned and the Disputes Board accordingly without delay.

The person concerned may appeal against a ruling on exclusion to the Executive Committee, which shall be required to submit that appeal within ¢5 days, to a General Meeting, which shall decide by an absolute majority of the members present, the matter being entered explicitly on the agenda. The membership of the person concerned shall be suspended until the General Meeting has taken a decision.

Article IV.8.

Where the request for expulsion concerns an elected member of one of the statutory bodies referred to in Article VIII, it must be addressed to the Disputes Board by a majority of the members constituting the Executive Committee.

Article IV.9.

On the death of a member, his or her spouse, children and other dependent persons who are not entitled to be a member by virtue of Article I.1 or I.2 may, free of charge, enjoy the support and accompaniment of the Union for all procedures and matters related to their statutory rights.