The Stage

Rules review rejected

Published Tuesday 31 May 2005 at 15:45 by Alistair Smith

Proposals for a comprehensive review of the Equity rule book, giving more power to the council to change rules without consultation, were rejected by members.

The motion was opposed by the council, despite claims by Alyn Gwndaf, on behalf of the West and South West London Branch, that legislation was in serious need of modernising.

Speaking in favour of the motion, he said: “There’s no doubt the rules need review. We have a rule book that has become a series of ad hoc piecemeal reviews. It is not always comprehensive, coherent or clear.”

He suggested that council ought to draft rule changes, which would then be approved by members subject to a referendum. In cases where the rule was in contradiction to British law, the council would be able to alter it without consultation. He also proposed that a special representative conference ought to be held every two or three years to deal with legislative changes.

However, speaking for the council, Dave Eager warned that the proposed review of rule book procedure would take power away from the union’s members and make legislation too easy to change.

He warned: “The rules might only be a small book but they completely enshrine Equity. They are the strength of the union. Rules should not be easy to change, they should be hard to change because they are what members rely upon. Anything that undermines the individual member’s right to dictate the rules of this union is unacceptable. Unity is our strength - only the members can have the final say.”