Public and Commercial Services Union

1. Title

The title of the Committee shall be the Public and Commercial Services Union Wales/Cymru Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee).

2. Status

The Committee shall be governed by the national rules and constitution of the PCS and will at all times conduct its business under these rules and in accordance with the policies of the union as decided by conference or the PCS National Executive Committee.

The Committee shall cover those branches with members working in the areas as set out in the attached Annex.

3. Main Functions

The main functions of the Committee shall be as follows:-

[i] To advise, assist and help coordinate the work of the PCS Wales Office on the priorities for PCS in Wales in relation to recruitment, organisation, education and campaigns in accordance with National strategies and conference policy.

[ii] To co-ordinate the PCS approach in Wales for dealing with the National Assembly for Wales and any Agencies in which PCS is entitled to participate.

[iii] To co-ordinate the PCS approach in Wales for dealing with the WTUC and to promote the maximum participation of Branches and members in the activities of the WTUC.

[iv] To co-ordinate the PCS approach in Wales for working with the communities in which our members work and live; dealing with community, anti-racist and other bodies and institutions including those organisations to which the PCS is affiliated.

[v] To work with and assist the NEC to help to co-ordinate national campaign activity.

4. Composition

[i] Each PCS Group/national branch with members based in Wales shall be entitled to send delegates to meetings as follows :-

Less than 2,500 members in Wales - 1 Seat
More than 2,500 members in Wales - 2 Seats

[ii] There shall be reserved seats for branches in Wales which are outside of the PCS Group structure as follows:-

Private Sector [Wales] - 2 Seats
ASPBs/OGDs - 2 Seats

Nominations for those seats will be made by the WAGAF.

[iii] Additional members, including representatives with an expertise in a particular field, can be co-opted on to the Committee in a non- voting capacity.

[iv] In the event that the nomination process fails to provide for an ethnic minority delegate, the Committee shall have the authority to co-opt . The ethnic minority delegate shall have full voting rights.

[v] All Members of the Committee must be employed in Wales.

[vi] All those nominated to the Committee shall be individuals elected to a Group or Branch position in accordance with the national rules of the union.

[vii] Full time Officers from the PCS Wales Office shall provide secretarial support and will attend meetings of the Committee as and when required.

[viii] Members of the NEC based in Wales will be entitled to attend meetings of the Committee and to participate in discussions.

[ix] Any PCS members of the WTUC General Council or its Committees will be invited to attend meetings of the Committee and to participate in discussions.

[x] All branches with members in Wales shall be entitled to send observers to meetings of the Committee who may participate but shall not be entitled to vote.

[xi] Each Committee shall have an NEC Member allocated as an NEC Liaison Officer.

[xii] The PCS Wales/Cymru Committee will have an approved budget with funds to cover the costs of Committee Members and Officers, which shall be the responsibility of the PCS Wales Office to administer and authorise payments.

[xiii] Where there are established regional tiers of approved bodies or networks within the union, they shall be entitled to send an observer to Committee Meetings.

5. Voting

The Committee shall seek to reach decisions by consensus. In the event of a vote being required, it will be by a show of hands. Only Committee Members and Officers may vote. NEC Members and WTUC Members may not vote. If there is a tied vote, the chair will have a casting vote.

6. Officers

[i] The Officers of the Committee shall comprise of a Chair and a Vice Chair.

[ii] The Officers shall be elected by the delegates from within their number at the first meeting of the Committee each year.

[iii] The Secretary of the Committee shall be the Senior National Officer for Wales.

[iv] The Officers Committee, which shall conduct the business of the Committee in between meetings, shall consist of:

• Chair
• Vice Chair
• Secretary

The NEC Liaison Officer and NEC Members who are members of the Committee may attend Officers meetings.

[v] The Committee shall have the power to fill Officer vacancies during the year in accordance with the provisions of this constitution.

[vi] The Chair Vice Chair shall be ex-officio.

7. Meetings

[i] There shall be at least four meetings of the Committee every year, in March, June, September and December. The March meeting will be the Annual Meeting at which the election of the Committee Officers will take place.

[ii] Each meeting of the Committee shall receive a report of NEC business from the NEC Liaison Officer.

[iii] The notice convening the meetings of the Committee shall be sent to all those eligible to attend as Committee Members and to all Branch Secretaries not less than fourteen days prior to the meeting together with the Agenda.

[iv] A special meeting of the Committee may be convened at the discretion of the Officers of the Committee or at the request of the NEC. Discussions shall be confined to the items notified in the Agenda.

8. Amendments

The AGM of the PCS Wales/Cymru Committee shall be able to recommend to the NEC, changes to the composition of the Committee and the elected Officers of the Committee by a simple majority of those delegates eligible to vote.

9. Wales TUC

It shall be the responsibility of the PCS Wales/Cymru Committee at its AGM, to nominate delegates to the Wales TUC General Council in addition to the PCS Senior National Officer for Wales or nominee who will automatically be a delegate. The PCS Wales Committee shall also make nominations for any other posts in the Wales TUC.

The PCS Senior National Officer for Wales will be responsible for forwarding all nominations to the TUC and reporting them to the NEC.