Rule 6

General Secretary

General Secretary
1. The General Secretary shall obey the instructions of the National Executive Committee and devote the whole of the time to the Union but shall not;

(a) become a Member of Parliament, or

(b) accept a position on any commission or board of enquiry without previously obtaining the permission of the National Executive Committee.

Duties and Responsibilities

2. The General Secretary shall be responsible for all the functions of that office and in particular shall:

(a) manage the work and activities of employees, organisers and national officers;

(b) conduct the general correspondence of the Union;

(c) sign all documents and statements pertaining to the office of General Secretary;

(d) prepare any annual statements required by statute;

(e) keep copies of all correspondence and ensure that it is filed or stored in a satisfactory manner;

(f) keep a separate register of the members subscribing to each Branch and ensure that a register is kept in which shall be recorded each member’s name, address, age, registered number, Branch, grade, place of employment, contribution rate and funds subscribed to as of the date of joining; any subsequent changes thereto, including inter-Branch membership transfers; the date of, and the reasons for, termination of membership;

(g) in the case of an Annual or Special General Meeting and of Meetings of the Appeals Court and the National Executive Committee;

(i) make arrangements as defined by Rule 4, Clauses 4 and 7 (k), for the convening and the conduct of such meetings and attend them with the right to speak but not vote;

(ii) prepare and submit a Report on the Union’s political activities, including the state of organisation in those constituencies in which the Union’s sponsored candidates or Members of Parliament have an interest;

(iii) submit any correspondence or documents which require the attention of those bodies;
(iv) comply with all decisions of the National Executive Committee and circulate the decisions as directed within.

(h) On behalf of the National Executive Committee submit a report of activities to the Biennial Maritime Industrial Organising Conference and the Biennial Offshore Industrial Organising Conference.

(i) prepare for each meeting of the National Executive Committee a record of the business transacted at each previous National Executive Committee meeting in respect of the text of all motions and amendments submitted, including any motion or amendment ruled out of order by the President; the names of each proposer and seconder and of each National Executive Committee member who voted for or against each motion and amendment, and ensure that this statement is issued to Branches as soon as possible after each National Executive Committee meeting;

(j) be a delegate to the annual conference of the Trades Union Congress;

(k) ensure that the register of members and the books of the Union are open for inspection at any reasonable time by any member having a legitimate interest in the Union’s funds.

3. The General Secretary shall:­

Salary and Expenses
(a)  receive a salary as determined from time to time by the National Executive Committee 9/10ths of which shall be paid from the General Fund of the Union and 1/10th of which shall be paid from the Political Fund in respect of political work undertaken on the Union’s behalf. Salary excludes expenses arising from travelling and absence from home whilst engaged on Union business. These expenses shall be charged as may be appropriate to the General or the Political Fund;

Retirement
b)  have the option of retiring on reaching the age of 60; 

Suspension
(c) be subject to suspension by the National Executive Committee for being absent from duty, gross neglect or incompetency, but shall have the right of appeal to the Annual General Meeting;

Resignation and dismissal
(d)  on resigning or on being discharged shall give or receive three months written notice, or receive or forfeit three months’ salary in lieu, but if declared by the National Executive Committee to be guilty of fraud be subject to instant dismissal.