Rules of BRICS Trade Union Forum
RULES
of BRICS Trade Union Forum
Preamble
1. BRICS Trade Union Forum (hereinafter “the Forum”) is an instrument for free and equitable cooperation and dialogue among national Trade Union Centres of BRICS countries (hereinafter “Trade Union Centres”). The independent Trade Union Centres – participants in the Forum – shall be guided by the principles of , mutual respect, friendly consultation, solidarity, cooperation, and non-interference in each other's affairs.
2. These Regulations shall be used to coordinate positions of the Trade Union Centres participating in the Forum, to facilitate their dialogue and deepen cooperation.
Meetings of the Forum
3. Meetings of the Forum are in principle held in conjunction with the summits of the BRICS leaders. The venue and the date of the Forum shall be determined by the Trade Union Centre (Centres) of the Chair country.
4. An extraordinary meeting of the Forum may be convened at the initiative of any Trade Union Centre subject to an agreed solution of other national Trade Union Centres. Such meeting shall be convened by the Trade Union Centre (Centres) having proposed such an initiative.
5. Working meetings of BRICS Trade Union Centres’ representatives, National Coordinators,Assistant Coordinators and experts may be held between the Forums to harmonize positions and discuss issues related to the Forum. Venue and dates of such meetings shall be determined by agreement between the parties.
6. Meetings of the Forum shall be held in public unless decided otherwise by the delegates.
Agenda of the meetings
7. An agenda of the Forum shall be formed by the Trade Union Centre (centres) of the host country and circulated, as a rule, one months prior to the date of the Forum with enclosed draft decisions. National Trade Union Centres shall have the right to make amendments to the draft agenda and draft decisions. Amendments to the drafts shall be sent to the Trade Union Centre (Centres) of the host country through the National Coordinator two weeks prior to the date of the Forum.
Chairman, Secretariat
8. The Chairperson of the Forum shall be the leader of a/the national Trade Union Centre of the host country. In case of several national Trade Union Centres existing in the host country, the Chairperson shall be appointed among themselves.
9. The Chairperson of the Forum shall preside over the meetings, rule on the points of order, accord the right to speak, moderate the discussion and ensure implementation of the agenda.
10. The Forum Secretariat shall consist of staff members of the national Trade Union Centre (Centres) of the host country. The Secretariat shall carry out registration of the delegates, keep records of the Forum and provide technical support for the meetings.
Delegates and Their Rights Invited Guests.
11. Delegates to the Forum shall consist of representatives of BRICS Trade Union Centres, who have passed registration and are taking part in the Forum. Delegates shall have the right to discuss all items on the agenda.
12. The basis of representation at the Forum shall be as follows: four delegates from the country with one Trade Union Centre and two delegates from each Trade Union Centre from the country with two or more Trade Union Centres.
13. Any changes to the quantitative representation at the Forum in each individual case shall be agreed upon with the organizers of the Forum through the National Coordinators.
14. Depending on the available resources and capacities, the Forum organizers shall have the right to invite according to the “BRICS Plus” cooperation model representatives of national and international organizations, government agencies and their affiliated unions to participate in the Forum.
15. Personal composition of the delegations, indicating their heads, shall be communicated to the National Coordinator or the Assistant Coordinator of the host country in the process of preparation for the Forum. Delegation heads shall speak on behalf of their Trade Union Centres, participate in the working bodies of the Forum and, if necessary, sign documents of the Forum.
Decisions and Documents of the Forum
16. Decisions of the Forum shall be taken by consensus among the present delegations of BRICS Trade Union Centres.
17. Trade union positions on global problems and key issues of the BRICS summits’ agenda are expressed in BRICS Trade Union Forum Declaration. Pressing issues of a more narrow economic or social nature in the areas of particular concern to trade unions can be set forth in a Statement addressed to the leaders’ summit. Procedural and technical issues of the Forum, if necessary, shall be settled in the form of Resolutions.
18. The texts of Declarations (Statements) shall be approved by the delegations of BRICS Trade Union Centres, signed by their heads and handed over to BRICS leaders (BRICS Secretariat) in accordance with the applicable procedure.
19. The host country of the Forum provides each trade union delegation with a copy of the Declaration (Statement) signed during the Forum.
National Coordinators and Assistant Coordinators
20. Each BRICS country shall assign a National Coordinator who shall be solely responsible for the interaction with other participants in the Forum in the process of preparation and holding of the Forum, as well as during the intersessional period.
21. To facilitate routine communication and coordination among Trade Union Centres, each National Coordinator shall appoint at least a staff member as the Assistant Coordinator. In countries with more than one Trade Union Centre, each national Trade Union Centre should designate an Assistant Coordinator in consultation with the National Coordinator. Assistant Coordinators shall maintain regular communication among Trade Union Centres.
22. In the countries with more than one Trade Union Centre, the candidacy of a National Coordinator shall be agreed upon among the national Trade Union Centres and communicated to the rest of participants in the Forum. The change of National Coordinators in such case shall be based on the principle of rotation.
Language and Documents of the Forum
23. The official language of the Forum shall be English. The working languages shall be English, Portuguese, Russian and Chinese.
24. Declarations (Statements) of the Forum shall be drawn up by the Chair Country’s Trade Union Centre (Centres) in the national and English languages and sent well enough in advance – at least a month – for approval by the other Forum participants through their National Coordinators. Other countries shall translate the documents into their national languages.
Other Issues
25. Any additional provisions that are not included in these Regulations, as well as amendments hereto, shall be adopted by the delegates during the Forum or agreed upon by correspondence, in which case they shall be approved at the next meeting of the Forum.