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SR constitution (as amended by conference 2013) Socialist Resistance is a revolutionary Marxist organisation. It is committed to the overthrow of the capitalist system by the working class and the establishment of a socialist society by revolutionary means. The organisation is therefore committed to the construction of a revolutionary organisation dedicated to this task. 1) Membership Membership is based on a commitment to the basic aims and programme of the organisation. Engagement in the political activities of the organisation as decided by the decision-making processes of the organisation ~ though comrades level of activity may vary during their period of membership. Promote the publications of the organisation. Be a member of a trade union where possible. Pay regular dues to the organisation as decided by the National Committee (NC). Comrades should not be members of any other political organisation which has a hostile relationship to SR Recruitment should be by decision of the local branch of the organisation. Where no branch exists membership applications should be dealt with by the NC, , New members will normally be admitted as candidate members either the branch or in the case of members at large by the National Committee. Comrades who have worked with us for a long time or are otherwise judged to be politically experienced may be admitted to full membership immediately.
Branches should discuss the politics of the organisation with new members to facilitate their organisation.
Candidate membership shall be for an initial period of three months, At the end of this period the candidate members shall have their membership reviewed by the responsible body. This body may then decide to admit the candidate to full membership, extend their candidacy for a further period of not more than six months or end their membership.
Candidate members do not have a full vote either at branch or national level but shall have an indicative vote. 2) Membership rights and responsibilities Members have a right and a responsibility to play an active role in the organisation including in its decision-making processes through the various bodies the organisation establishes for this purpose. A member’s activity in the organisation will be regulated by the local branch or by the NC or EC where there is no local branch.
Members who are more than three months in arrears of dues shall be held to be in bad standing and reduced to sympathizer status by decision of the branch or the NC. This will be without prejudice and does not constitute disciplinary action.
A member removed from membership for arrears of dues and without prejudice in this way must be given adequate notice (at least a week) to be present and to state his or her case or raise objections. Appeals can be made to the leadership bodies but on procedural grounds only. 3) Organisational structure The basic unit of the organisation is the branch. The NC will regulate the establishment of branches. The task of the branch is to apply and elaborate the line of the organisation as defined by its leading bodies. It is responsible for organizing educational activities amongst its members, Members in areas where there is no branch should relate to the nearest branch where possible.
Branches should organise a branch conference within two months of a conference of the national organisation in order to discuss the local implementation of the decision taken and to re-elect the branch leadership. Branches should elect a chair, secretary, treasurer and a press organiser. Larger branches should elect a branch committee to organise its activities. Brach officers and branch committees will be responsible to the branch.
Fractions or commissions may be established by the NC to organise and elaborate particular areas of work. 4) National Committee The NC is the sovereign body of the organisation between conferences. It will be elected by a conference of the organisation.
A recommended list for the NC will be prepared by a nominations committee elected at the beginning of the conference and independent of the outgoing NC (i.e. outgoing NC members cannot stand for membership of it). The outgoing NC however is free to make submissions to it. The nominations committee should receive submissions from the delegates on the composition of the incoming NC, The composition of the NC shall be such as to ensure a stable majority of members who support the political line determined by conference on the main documents. Within this the NC should also broadly reflect the numerical weight of different tendencies or factions in the organisation.
The task of the NC is to implement the line and the decisions of conference. If subsequent events necessitate a substantial change in the line of the conference the NC can change the line but must call an early conference to seek a mandate.
The NC should normally meet every three months and should elect such officers as it regards necessary. Any NC member, branch, sub-committee, tendency or factions can submit a resolution to the NC. The minutes of the NC should be circulated to all members.
Any matter of disciple concerning a member of the NC shall be dealt with by the NC, which shall determine the procedures to be followed.
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5) Executive Committee The NC should elect an executive committee from its number to oversee the implementation of its decisions and react to event between meetings. The Executive will be responsible to the NC. 6) Full timers Any political or other full timers employed by the organisation should be appointed by the NC after appropriate interviewing procedures. The NC will be responsible for the terms of employment of full timers.
The recall of a full-timer may be carried out by the NC at any time by majority decision providing the full timer concerned is given the opportunity to be present. Such recall would not be regarded as disciplinary action. 8) National conference The national conference is the policy making body of the organisation. Its decisions override any other body of the organisation. The conference has the right to determine its procedures, order of business, and other matters relating to its deliberations.
The conference will normally be a delegate conference. It should be convened normally every 18 months but not more than every two years. The NC is responsible for convening and organising the conference.
The NC will be responsible for organising a democratic preconference discussion of normally three months giving every member an equal right to participate.
The NC will normally open the preconference discussion with a text or texts on the most important issue facing the organisation. However the opening of the pre-conference period should not be contingent on such texts. The NC will organise pre-conference bulletins as necessary available to all members.
Delegates should be elected in the branches and not more than two weeks before the conference. Branch delegates should be elected so as to reflect the support for the various line documents and for any existing tendencies or factions which may exist within the branch. Voting in branches is for this purpose only. The number of delegates at the conference should be adjusted to ensure that the makeup of conference reflects the voting in the branches, Delegates are not bound by such votes in the course of the conference, At the start of conference the outgoing NC (and all other elected committees) are dissolved and outgoing, NC members assume the status consultative delegates with speaking rights and a consultative vote.
A presiding committee should be elected at the start of the conference for the running of the conference. Its composition should broadly reflect the weight of different tendencies as reflected in the voting in the branches. 8) Party democracy The democratic basis of the organisation will be on the principles of maximum participation in the decision-making processes and maximum unity in action. Members will therefore normally be expected to uphold and support the policy decisions of the organisation.
Whilst working in a Marxist/revolutionary grouping in a broad progressive party of the left, however, we will not function as a permanent or homogeneous biock-voting caucus, other than on issues where class lines are crossed or the future of the project directly jeopardised, where we would expect our members to be part of the discussion in the organisation as a whole and vote as such.
Members do not have the right to take internal organisational disputes outside of the organisation. No member shall be subject to sanctions inside the organisation for the orderly expression of opinion or the exercise of any other right laid down in the constitution.
The NC shall ensure the regular publication of an internal discussion bulletin open to the whole membership for the purpose of debating, developing and clarifying the political and theoretical views of the organisation. 9) Rights of tendencies and factions Members of the organisation shall have the right to constitute themselves in organised tendencies and factions on the basis of a clear political platform available to all members of the organisation. Their activities shall be transparent to the whole organisation, The definition of a tendency is a grouping based on a political platform which would normally be formed for the duration of a preconference discussion in order to organise around a political position.
The definition of a faction is a grouping based on a political platform which over a period of time fights for an alternative leadership based on that platform.
The rights of such minorities should include: a) the right to meet and organise around their views in the organisation; b) the right to collectively present these views to the organisation; ¢) adequate opportunity in pre-conference discussions and at conference to explain and develop their views in counter position to other tendencies and factions. 2
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Membership of a tendency or faction is open to all members of the organisation who agree with its political platform. 10) The rights of the oppressed The organisation recognises that various forms of oppressive social relationships are present in capitalist society and that they act as a block to the unity of the working class in its struggle for socialism. It therefore views all oppressive behavior such as of racism, sexism, homophobia, or violence as against the interest of the working class. It will take up as a political matter any such actions by its members.
Any oppressed group has the right to caucus at any level in the organisation if they feel it would be productive. The existence of caucuses in our movement has often led to important changes in the way we organise to make them more accessible and to building solidarity and support between comrades from oppressed groups who otherwise may feel isolated and marginalised.
Thus the right to caucus and the functioning of caucuses strengthens the whole organisation.
The leadership has a duty to positively facilitate such caucusing . The purpose of such a caucus is to discuss the situation of the particular group and report back to the appropriate level of the organisation which should debate and decide on any proposals made.
The organisation recognises that childcare and caring for other dependents falls disproportionately on women. Branches and other bodies of the organisation will discuss with comrades who have such responsibilities whether it is possible for them to assist with making provision by organising collective provision, financially supporting comrades to do so or through other means 11) Discipline Any member or group of members shall have the right to bring charges against any member. The basis for such charges shall be that a member is acting against the interests of the organisation, abusing its resources, or in violation of the interests of the working class.
Charges should be made to and heard by a branch unless the accused is a member of the NC in which case the charge should be made to the NC and heard by the NC.
The accuser shall have the right to present their case and to call and question witnesses.
All accused shall have the following rights in the course of the procedure: a) To receive at least a weeks written notice of the charges. b) The right to have another member with them at the hearing and if they wish have this member present their defense. c) The right to call and question witnesses and hear all the evidence against them.
Where a hearing is conducted by a branch the accused has the right of appeal to the NC and then conference. Where it is heard by the NC the accused has the right of appeal to conference. 12) Appeals commission An appeals commission shall be elected by conference. None of its members shall be members of the NC and shall be independent of the NC. Where possible it should have a majority of women.
It is charged with overseeing all aspects of party democracy and discipline. It shall have full authority to investigate any matters within that category. It has the right to attend any meeting of the organisation in respect of AC business or to require any member or body to produce any material it deems necessary for its work. Any disciplinary proceedings initiated against any member or members must be notified to it.
Once it has concluded an investigation the AC shall present a report of its inquires, including any recommendation of action, to the NC, conference, or other appropriate body of the organisation. It has the right to make a written report to the membership if it considers this necessary. 13) Changing the constitution Amendments to the constitution can be agreed at a conference of the organisation if a majority of delegates agree to them.
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