CHARTER
Swedish Association of University Teachers
(adopted SULF's council in 1984 last emended in SULF Congress 2010)
OBJECTIVES
§1
The Swedish Association of University Teachers, SULF, is a politically independent union organization and a professional association for university teachers, researchers, doctoral candidates, and comparable personnel.
SULF also accepts supporting members. These are emeritii, people with doctoral degrees, and doctoral students who are not entitled to membership under § 1.
§2
Based on common values stemming from the knowledge and competence of the association's members, SULF addresses issues of importance to its members' conditions of employment, professional practice, and opportunities to develop.
In this, the activities of the Associations rest upon the fundamental values that characterize a democratic state based on the rule of law as expressed in the Swedish Constitution.
SULF's function is to guard and monitor the trade union, social, and economic interests of it members and to represent its members regarding such issues.
§3
SULF´s members must be allowed to work independently in accordance with their professional role. They must be allowed to pursue their work professionally and without improper influence of family relations, friendship, or other forms of dependence.
MEMBERSHIP
§4
Membership in the Association is granted according to rules established by the Board of the Association.
§5
Members have the right to receive advice and support from the Association regarding issues concerning salaries and terms of employment.
§6
Decisions regarding whether or not SULF will represent a mernber in negotiations or legal action shall be taken by the Executive Committee of the Board in each individual case.
New members do not have the right to be represented by the Association in union matters arising from a period prior to their joining the Association, unless there are extraordinary reasons for such representation.
§7
Members have an obligation to show allegiance to the Association, to respect decisions taken in accordance with the Charter of the Association as well as duly issued instructions and negotiated agreements entered into, to the extent that said members' freedom to act in advocacy of another legitimate interest is not thereby unreasonably restricted.
Members are obligated to inform the Association of any changes regarding their employment situation and personal data with bearing on their membership.
§8
Members who violate the Charter of the Association on or whose actions seriously harm the interests of the Association can be expelled from SULF. Decisions regarding expulsion shall be taken by the Board of the Association. The decision shall be taken by a two thirds majority of all regular members of the Board. Such decisions shall not be taken by correspondence or by telephone.
Members who fail pay their dues shall be expelled from the Association.
§9
Termination of membership will be granted as of the end of the month during which the termination request, in writing via letter, fax, or e-mail, is received by the office.
Immediate or earlier termination of membership can be granted, according to rules laid down by the Board, in connection with changes in field of activity or for other acceptable reasons.
CONGRESS
§10
The Congress is the supreme governing body of SULF.
§11
The right to attend and to participate in discussions is also vested in members of the Board who are not members of the Congress, in the Association's auditors, in the chairperson of the Nominating Committee, and in SULF functionaries involved in preparing issues. Other persons may also be granted the right to attend and to participate in discussions by unanimous decision of the Congress.
§12
The regular Congress convenes every second year in the month of November or December.
§13
The summons to the Congress shall be sent out at least thirty days before the Congress, together with an agenda. Other requisite documents shall be sent out at least fourteen days before the meeting unless extraordinary reasons necessitate a later date of distribution.
§14
An extra Congress convenes when the Board finds it appropriate or when the number of local unions representing at least one half of the members of the Association petition for it or when the auditors request it.
§15
An extra Congress shall convene within thirty days of the receipt by the Administrative Office of the Association of a petition or request under § 14.
§16
A summons to an extra Congress shall be sent out at least fourteen days before the Congress, together with an agenda. Other requisite documents shall be distributed at least seven days before the Congress unless extraordinary reasons necessitate a later date of distribution. Items of business not included on the agenda may not be taken up without the unanimous consent of the Congress.
§17
The Board may distribute proposals for decisions by an extra Congress by correspondence if extraordinary reasons render it necessary, and if those who requested the extra Congress under § 14 consent to it.
In connection with the proposal a final date shall be stated for the ballots to arrive at the office of the Association. Ballots arriving after the expiry of the voting period are not valid. Proposals for decisions shall be distributed at least fourteen days before the end of the voting period.
§18
The right to vote in the Congress and in other bodies within the Association may be performed in person only.
§19
The Congress consists of 100 members appointed in the following manner:
One seat is allocated to every local union (electoral corporation) with at least ten members. Members of local unions with fewer than ten members shall be provided with an opportunity to participate in congressional elections in the largest local union in the community or in the closest neighboring community.
The remaining congressional seats are allocated to local unions in direct proportion to the number of members in the respective local unions. (Each local union is allocated one seat for each time the number of its members is evenly divisible by the total number of members in the Association divided by the number of seats to be allocated. Any seats remaining after this allocation are distributed to the local unions on the basis of the size of the surplus arising from this distribution. In cases where these surpluses are equal, the seat will be allocated by lottery.)
In local unions' elections of congressional members, the size of the respective sections within the local organization, shall be reflected to the greatest possible extent.
The term of the congressional members runs from one regular Congress to the next.
§20
The number of members that provides the basis for allocation of congressional seats shall be calculated on the number of members in the respective local union according to the notation in the Association's membership roster from the month of December in the preceding year.
The number of members for local unions with fewer than ten members shall be added to the number of members for the largest union in the community or the closest neighboring community.
In congressional elections, supporting members are assigned to the local union (electoral corporation) with which they were most recently associated.
§21
The right to demand that a Congress consider a certain item of business (motion) is lodged with every section, local association, and individual member. Motions to the regular Congress shall have reached the Association office by September 15 of the year the regular Congress is held.
§22
The following items of business shall be included at each regular Congress:
1. Verification of the register of eligible voters
2. Election of chairperson for the meeting
3. Election of two persons both to confirm the minutes and to count votes
4. Confirmation of whether the Congress has been duly summoned
5. Determination of the agenda
6. Determination of the rules of procedure
7. Consideration of the Report of the Board, consideration of the Report of the Auditors, ratification of the balance sheet, and the adoption of the Report and Accounts of the Board
8. Adoption of the budget, membership dues and dispute funds.
9. Items of business taken up by the Board in the summons or which the Congress unanimously decides to take up for consideration
10. Motions.
11. Election of
- President of the Association
- First, Second, and Third Vice Presidents of the Association
- eleven regular members of the Board
- five deputy members of the Board, including the order in which they shall
replace regular members
- two auditors and a deputy
- six members of the Nominating Committee, including a chairperson
- three members of a remuneration board, one of whom is the chair
of the Nominating Committee.
§23
Elections by the Congress shall be prepared by a Nominating Committee. This does not apply in the case of the Nominating Committee.
THE BOARD OF THE ASSOCIATION
§24
Between Congresses the Board of the Association is the supreme
governing body of SULF.
§25
It is incumbent upon the Board to:
- execute decisions of the Congress
- prepare business for consideration by the Congress
- lay down guidelines for the work of the Administrative Office
- deal with the business of the Association and making decisions in matters
not incumbent upon the Congress
- decide on the members of the Saco-S representation for SULF:s behalf
§26
The Board has the power to:
- appoint working groups to prepare individual matters or groups of matters for the Board
- affiliate the Association to negotiating cartels and the like
- conclude agreements regarding double membership with another association and decide about reductions in dues in connection with double membership
- in cases of anticipated or on going labor disputes decide about special dues from members to defray costs incurred in connection with the dispute, to the extent that this is necessary for the Association to be able to fulfill its obligations vis à vis Saco (the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations)
- hire and dismiss the Executive Director
- delegate decision making in certain matters to its Executive Committee,
individual members, or the Administrative Office. Decisions regarding affiliating SULF to negotiating cartels as well as hiring and dismissing the Executive
Director cannot be delegated, however.
§27
The Board of the Association consists of the President of the Association, a First, Second, and Third Vice President, and eleven regular members, all of whom are elected by the Congress for a term of two years. Five deputies for these members are elected by the Congress. When electing the national board attention should be paid to its composition so that it broadly reflects the geographic, disciplinary, professional, and gender distribution of the membership.
§28
The Board is summoned to meet by the President or at the written request of at least one third of the Board's members or the auditors. When, such petition has been made, the Board shall meet within fourteen days of receipt of the request by the Administrative Office.
§29
Decisions taken not by the Board but by delegation or as a result of the urgency of the matter shall be reported to the Board.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
§30
Between meetings of the Board of the Association the Executive Committee is the supreme governing body of SULF.
It is incumbent upon the Executive Committee to:
- prepare items of business for consideration by the Board
- hire and dismiss staff at the Administrative Office, with the exception of the Executive Director
- approve agreements regarding salaries and other terms of employment for staff at the Administrative Office
- hire local officials in consultation with the local organization in question
§31
The Executive Committee consists of the President of the Board and the First, Second, and Third Vice Presidents. One of the three vice chairpersons should be a doctoral student.
§32
The Executive Committee has the power to:
- take decisions that, owing to their urgency, cannot be dealt with by the
Board
- delegate decision making in certain matters or groups of matters to individual members of the Executive Committee or to the Administrative Office.
§33
The President of the Association has the power to make decisions in matters that, owing to their urgency, cannot be dealt with by the Board or the Executive Committee.
§34
Decisions taken not by the Executive Committee but by delegation or as a result of the urgency of the matter shall be reported to the Executive Committee.
LOCAL UNIONS
§35
The function of the local union is to represent the union interests of its members at the unit comprised by the local union. This primarily takes the form of monitoring salary and job security issues, but also of pursuing other measures and proposals that may be of importance to the members' activities at the unit. Examples of the latter are forms of organization, budget issues, premises, and efforts for gender equality and a good working environment. The local union should also influence public opinion regarding SULF policies in various matters via contact with the local media, by arranging public meetings, and by other means for spreading understanding of union arguments.
§36
There should be a local SULF union at each university or university college. SULF unions may also be, formed at other places of work in the Association's sphere of activities.
Even in cases where no local union has been established at a unit of higher education, the members at the unit shall be construed as constituting a local union in congressional elections.
§37
Members belong to the local union at the university or university college (or the equivalent) where they are employed. Members may belong to more than one local union. Members who are employed by units of higher education with no local union have the right to attend and participate in discussions at union meetings of the largest local union in the community or in the closest neighboring community. Supporting members have the right to continue to attend and take part in discussions at union meetings of their local union.
§38
The activities of a local union are regulated by a charter adopted by the Board of the Association and proposed by the local union.
SECTIONS
§39 The function of the section is to deal with matters specific to that section.
§40 SULF members are divided into the following sections:
- The Swedish Association of Professors, SPF
- The Swedish Association of Associate Professors and Researchers, ULF
- The Swedish Association of University Instructors, SUAF
- The Swedish Association of Teacher Educators, SLF
- The Swedish Association of Doctoral Students, SDF
The Board of the Association determines what functions shall be referred to respective sections.
Members who cannot be referred to any section constitute a group of miscellaneous members.
§41
The activities of the section are regulated by a charter adopted and amended by the Board of the Association.
ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES
§42
The Association shall have a central Administrative Office under the direction of the Executive Director. The Administrative Office executes decisions taken by the Board of the Association, its Executive Committee, and the President of the Association.
§43
The Board of the Association may establish local administrative offices. The Executive Director of the Association is responsible for activities at local administrative offices.
RULES FOR DECISIONS
§44
Decisions in the bodies of the Association are taken by simple majority of the valid votes, cast unless otherwise regulated in the Charter. Should the votes be split evenly, the chairperson of the meeting casts the deciding vote, except in cases of elections by secret ballot, where the decision is determined by drawing lots.
§45
Elections are performed by secret ballot if more candidates have been proposed than are to be elected and if any eligible voter requests secrecy.
CONFERENCE OF CHAIRPERSONS
§46
At least once per year the national board shall convene a conference with the chairpersons/deputies of the local SULF associations.
REMUNERATION BOARD
§47
To determine what remuneration elected trustees shall receive, a remuneration board shall be constituted, consisting of three members, one of whom is the chairperson of the Nominating Committee. The members of this board shall be appointed by the national Congress. The Executive Director shall serve as secretary to the board.
AUDIT
§48
Two auditors, one of which shall be an authorized auditor, along with a deputy are elected by the Congress. The auditors shall review the activities and accounts of the Association and present a report of their findings to the Congress.
FUNDS
§49
The Association shall have a dispute fund. A charter for this fund shall be adopted by the Congress.
SUPPORTING MEMBERS
§50
Supporting members have the right to hold office, on the Board of the Association, in local unions, and in sections.
Supporting members do not have the right to take part in decisions regarding salaries and terms of employment for SULF members.
Supporting members pay reduced dues to SULF.
AFFILIATION
§51
The Association is affiliated with the Swedish Confederation of Professional Associations, Saco.
AMENDING THE CHARTER
§52
Decision to amend this Charter are taken by the Congress. For amendments to take effect it is required that either a majority of two thirds of the number of members of Congress entered on the register of voters agree to the decision or that an identically worded decision be taken by simple majority at two successive regular Congresses.
Swedish Association of University Teachers