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Constitution, Rules and Bye-Laws, I.C.U. Yase Natal,  1929 [Extracts]

Publication date

1929

Published date

Last updated

1. Name And Jurisdiction

The Organization shall be known as the Industrial and Commercial Workers Union Yase Natal (hereinafter referred to as the I.C.U. or the Union) and shall have jurisdic­tion over its members in Natal, Zululand and such Branches as may be formed and estab­lished in other parts of Africa. In it alone is vested authority to establish Branches and reserves to itself the right to negotiate, regu­late and determine all matters affecting the well-being or interests of all its members.

2. Head Quarters And Constitution

(1) The Head Office and management of he Union shall be located at Durban, Natal, but any Branch may demand a ballot of the Union for its removal to any other centre having more than 1000 members.
(2) The I.C.U. Yase Natal shall be a registered Trade Union and shall be con-[ituted of all persons employed in any Jndertaking, Industry, Trade, Commerce or ither occupation.
(3) The membership shall be divided into he following sections or Branches or such ither divisions as may be deemed expedient ir necessary:—
(A) AGRICULTURAL WORKERS
(B) BUILDING WORKERS
(C) CLERKS AND SHOP WORKERS
(D) DOMESTIC WORKERS (E) FACTORY WORKERS (F) MUNICIPAL WORKERS (G) MINE WORKERS (H) MARINE WORKERS (I) PROFESSIONAL WORKERS (J) RAILWAY WORKERS (K) TRANSPORT WORKERS (L) WAREHOUSE WORKERS (M) WATERSIDE WORKERS & (N) GENERAL WORKERS.

3. Others

Recognising that all human beings have a ody to nourish, a brain to develop and a soul a unfold and express itself in right living, the .C.U. Yase Natal stands, primarily, for the mancipation of the African Workers by the radual introduction of industrial, political nd social democracy, with equality of pportunity for all men in all spheres of life, tierefore the objects of the Union shall be:—

(1) To organise wherever possible .ranches of the I.C.U. Yase Natal, to protect, sgulate and increase the wages of its members nd to obtain and maintain just and proper ours of work and conditions of employment.

(2) To establish a Land Fund to acquire, :ase, mortgage, hold, or otherwise deal with ind, building farms, holdings, stock cattle, nd implements, or such other methods as iay be deemed expedient to find homes and employment for its members who are or may be evicted or thrown out of work.

(3) To establish and open up Branches of the African Workers Co-operative Society, to secure the greatest possible value for its members when spending their wages on the food, clothes or goods they need or when selling the products of their land or labour.

(4) To negotiate and settle differences and disputes between the members of the Union and their employers and other persons through Conferences, collective bargaining, agreements, conciliation boards, industrial boards, withdrawal of labour or other legal action.

(5) To participate, affiliate, federate, financially or otherwise, directly or indirectly, with all properly constituted Trade Unions, Federations, Congresses or other organizations having for their objects the furthering of the interests of labour and Trade-unionism, locally, nationally and/or internationally as may be deemed expedient.

(6) To assist financially or otherwise its members in distress, sickness, old age, and to make provisions for mortality allowance and funeral expenses on the death of a member.

(7) To provide legal advice and assistance to the Union and its members wherever it is necessary or expedient.

(8) To strive constitutionally for Polit­ical emancipation and the full rights of citizenship, free  primary and secondary education and, ultimately, equality in Church, State and social life.

(9) To establish Schools, Leagues, Debating Societies, Churches, Clubs and such like Institutions having among their objects the training, education and upliftment of Trade Unionist and their children.

(10) To make provisions and opportunities for social intercourse and the promotion of sport and social events among its members.

(11) To establish, or carry on, or partic­ipate financially or otherwise, directly or indirectly, the business of printing or publishing of books or pamphlets, journals, newspapers or other literature that may be deemed necessary for the material, intellectual and spiritual welfare of its members.

(12) The I.C.U. Yase Natal shall have power to raise funds by borrowing money on any real or personal property of the Union in such manner and on such terms as may be necessary and shall also have power to provide Funds by subscription, levy or otherwise as the Union may direct for maintaining these objects or some of the benefits from time to time authorised in pursuance of these Rules and for the establishment or maintenance of any undertaking of any kind financially or otherwise authorised by the Union calculated to further the interests of the Union or its members or the Trade Union or Co-operative movement generally.