Statutes

ENG	ESP	FRA
RUS	DEU	JPN

NAME

Article 1 - Name and Head Office

IndustriALL Global Union (hereafter also IndustriALL) is an association which is governed by these Statutes, and subsequently by articles 60 and following of Code Civil Suisse (CC).

The name of the association is the same in all languages.

The Head Office of the association is in Geneva, Switzerland.                                 

AIMS AND MEANS

Article 2 - Aims

IndustriALL is composed of free, independent and democratic trade unions representing blue and white collar men and women workers in the metal, chemical, energy, mining, textile and related industries throughout the world.

IndustriALL is established to organize and build the collective power of working people around the world, andto promote and defend their rights and common interests with respect to both corporations and states. To this end, IndustriALL works to strengthen the global trade union movement by uniting industrial workers worldwide into trade unions and promoting and coordinating collective bargaining.

IndustriALL advances women’s rights and gender equality and promotes the full integration of women in trade unions, including through equal inclusion in leadership bodies and activities at all levels.

IndustriALL advocates for a democratic, equitable and sustainable economic structure that provides a fair distribution of wealth, good working conditions, employment and security for all workers while safeguarding the environment.

IndustriALL fights to promote respect for trade union and other human rights, freedom, peace, democracy and social justice throughout the world. 

IndustriALL defends the right to self-determination for all people and opposes all forms of discrimination on the basis of colour, gender, ethnic or national origin, religious or political beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age. 

Article 3 - Means 

To achieve these aims, IndustriALL shall:

•  Advocate the recognition and effective enforcement of international labour rights and standards, including freedom of association, collective bargaining, the right to strike, prohibition against discrimination, forced labour and child labour, health and safety, wages and reasonable hours of work.
•  Actively defend its affiliates and their members against attacks by governments, employers or other parties, whenever and wherever workers’ rights are threatened. 
•  Coordinate and facilitate cross-border organizing and bargaining campaigns.
•  Strengthen affiliated unions by providing them with information, education and training.
•  Support affiliated organizations with technical assistance in areas such as labour law, economic and corporate research, communications, organizational and financial management, and occupational health and safety.
• Pursue and coordinate strategic relationships and collaboration with other organizations.
• Be committed to diversity in its own composition, reflective of ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age and other, as well as demand this of all other public and private institutions.
• Maintain a target of 40% women’s representation as part of the ongoing work towards equal rights and stronger representation of women throughout all levels of IndustriALL decision-making bodies. This target will also be taken into account when budgets and programmes are drafted, and be mainstreamed in sectoral work, training and union building activities.

Each network and sector shall set its own rules for ensuring women’s participation in its activities consistent with this Article.  IndustriALL will work with its affiliates to increase and strengthen women’s representation at local, national and global level.

• Promote actions to enhance the participation and recruitment of young workers. 
• Engage in joint working, collaboration and coordination with IndustriALL European Trade Union, including through a joint work plan.

MEMBERSHIP

Article 4 - Sectors 

Trade unions that are representative, independent and democratic shall be eligible for membership of IndustriALL where their members, all or in part, are employed in the industries as set out in the Appendix to these Statutes.

In all these industries, both white and blue collar workers are represented.

Article 5 - Prerequisites for Affiliation 

Prerequisites for affiliation are:

(a) that the trade union subscribes to democratic principles in its internal structures and external relations, and is independent from government and employer influence.

(b) that the trade union undertakes to abide by the Statutes and decisions of IndustriALL, observes its policies, agrees to work for the practical achievement of its policies and aims, and keeps its constituent bodies informed of its activities and actions.

Article 6 - Membership Application Procedure

Applications for admission shall be addressed in writing to the IndustriALL General Secretary. Applications must contain the name of the applicant and the number and nature of the membership of the trade union, and include a statement accepting the obligations imposed by IndustriALL.

If an applicant is from a country where IndustriALL already has one or more affiliates, the General Secretary must inform the affiliates in that country about the application and request their comments.

The General Secretary must submit each request for affiliation to the Executive Committee, together with the view of the IndustriALL affiliates in the country where the request originates, and a recommendation on the request.

The Executive Committee decision shall be communicated to the union concerned, and reported to the following Congress. 

Applicants that have been denied affiliation may reapply once to the Executive Committee before the next Congress is held. 

Applicants that have been denied affiliation may appeal the decision to the following Congress. The appeal shall be addressed to the General Secretary who will submit it to the following Congress together with a recommendation on the merits of the appeal.  

Article 7 - Expulsion, Disaffiliation and Re-affiliation

An affiliated trade union can be expelled by a decision of the Executive Committee or the Congress when it:

• acts in a manner deemed to be detrimental to the interests of IndustriALL. 

In any of these cases, the General Secretary should report the facts to the Executive Committee, along with recommendations and after consultation with the affiliate that is being considered for expulsion. The Executive Committee is empowered to take appropriate action following the General Secretary’s report.

The affiliate may appeal an expulsion decision of the Executive Committee to the Congress. The appeal shall be addressed to the General Secretary, who will submit it to the following Congress along with recommendations on the merits of the appeal. Pending the appeal, the rights and obligations of the affiliate concerned shall be suspended. 

An affiliate may disaffiliate from IndustriALL by submitting written notice to the General Secretary.

A union that is disaffiliated for reasons given under Article 7a can re-affiliate to IndustriALL if it settles all of its outstanding affiliation fees from the previous period of affiliation.

AFFILIATION FEES  

Article 8 - Affiliation Fees

All affiliated trade unions shall pay an annual affiliation fee, except those that have been exonerated according to Article 9 of the Statutes. 

 The basic annual affiliation fee is set and modified by the Congress.

As of 2017, the basic annual affiliation fee is set at 1.28 CHF per member.

The basic annual affiliation fee is adjusted according to the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita of the country where the affiliated union is headquartered on the basis of the thirteen groups as listed below. The GNI of reference is that determined by the World Bank in nominal values in their most recent published report.

The basic annual affiliation fee shall be adjusted annually in accordance with the latest published Swiss consumer price index. The change in affiliation fees due to a change in the Swiss consumer price index shall be applied with a 2-year delay, allowing for IndustriALL to inform its affiliates at least 6 months in advance of the upcoming change.

The basic annual affiliation fee shall be multiplied by the number of members declared by the affiliated union at the end of the preceding calendar year. Affiliates have to declare all members in IndustriALL sectors who pay 50% or more of the basic national union fee.

The minimum annual affiliation fee for each affiliated union shall be no less than CHF 100.

The Secretariat shall calculate the annual affiliation fee of each affiliated union based on the number of members declared by the affiliated union.  

The annual affiliation fees are to be paid in the first half of each calendar year.  

If a trade union is accepted into membership in the course of a calendar year, the annual affiliation fee for that year shall be calculated on a pro rata basis from the date of its acceptance into membership by the Executive Committee, based on the membership declared at the time of affiliation. 

A trade union that is in arrears with its payment of affiliation fees at the end of the year and has not been granted exoneration under Article 9, loses participation and voting rights at all meetings of IndustriALL the following year, including the meetings of the Congress and the Executive Committee. Representatives of affiliates whose payment is in arrears can no longer serve on the decision-making, regional or sectoral bodies, nor can they represent IndustriALL in any way whatsoever.

Article 9 - Exoneration

A request for exoneration must be submitted in writing to the General Secretary in the first half of the year for which the exoneration is requested. All supporting documentation concerning the request must also be submitted at that time. The Executive Committee shall decide whether or not to approve an exoneration request.

Exoneration from the payment of annual affiliation fees shall only be granted by the Executive Committee in extraordinary cases, where external factors beyond the control of the requesting union result in severe financial strain for the union. Exoneration is granted for only one year at a time. 

STRUCTURES

CONGRESS

Article 10 - Congress

The highest authority of IndustriALL shall be the Congress. The Congress takes place at least every four years. 

The Executive Committee shall determine the date, duration, location and agenda of the Congress.

Article 11 - Participation at the Congress

The Congress is composed of representatives of affiliated trade unions that are in compliance with all obligations, including financial. Each affiliated trade union shall determine the number of its representatives at the Congress, and shall be responsible for their expenses. 

The Executive Committee may decide to limit the number of delegates, giving reasonable notice to affiliates.  

Delegates to the Congress may represent other affiliated unions, provided they have submitted a proxy in writing to the General Secretary prior to the Congress.

In forming their delegations, affiliates shall consider the appropriate gender and sectoral balance. At least fortypercent of the delegates shall be women.

Where there are only two delegates, one of them shall be a woman. 

The President, Vice-Presidents, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretaries and the Chairpersons of the sectors shall have the right to speak at the Congress, but not to vote, unless they are, at the same time, delegates representing affiliated organizations.

Article 12 - Invitations, Agenda, Standing Orders, Motions and Resolutions

The General Secretary shall notify all affiliates by e-mail of the time and location of the Congress at least six months before the opening date. The Congress determines its own standing orders.

The Executive Committee and all the affiliated trade unions that are in compliance with all obligations are entitled to submit resolutions and motions to the Congress. Proposed resolutions and motions from affiliates must be submitted to the Secretariat at least four months before the Congress starts.

The General Secretary shall send a draft agenda for the Congress, as well as an action program, reports, and resolutions to all affiliated unions at least three months before the opening date of the Congress. Suggested amendments to the resolutions shall be forwarded by affiliates to the Secretariat at least one month before the opening date of the Congress. 

Emergency resolutions submitted by affiliates in the course of the Congress shall be considered only if they are supported by affiliates from at least five countries. 

Article 13 - Duties of the Congress

The duties of the ordinary Congress shall include:

(a) Deliberating and adopting the strategies, goals and activities of IndustriALL for the next four years.

(b) Reviewing, and, where appropriate, approving submitted reports, including the Secretariat report, the financial report, the report of the internal and external auditors, and the reports on the work of the Executive Committee.

(c) Deciding upon all submitted motions and resolutions.

(d) Setting the level of the basic annual affiliation fee.

 (e) Electing the President, the General Secretary and a maximum of three Assistant General Secretaries, as well as one Vice-President per statutory region from among the members of the Executive Committee, based on the recommendations of the Executive Committee members in their respective regions.

The President and the Vice-Presidents must hold an elected position within their organization.

IndustriALL seeks for the elected leadership as a group, defined as the President, the Vice-Presidents, the General Secretary and the Assistant General Secretaries, to be composed of 40% women. 

 IndustriALL strives to increase that number to 40% by the 2020 Congress.

(f) Electing five internal auditors.

(g) Electing Executive Committee members and their substitutes as nominated by the regions, based on the numbers allocated in Article 16.

(h) Considering appeals on affiliation or expulsion of unions. 

(i) Constituting sectors.

(j) Dissolving IndustriALL.

(k) Modifying the Statutes of IndustriALL.

(l) Approving a merger of IndustriALL with another organisation.

All Congress decisions will be taken by a simple majority of votes cast by affiliated unions present or represented at Congress, with the exception of decisions under points (j) and (k) which require a majority of at least two thirds of the total number of votes cast by affiliated unions present or represented at Congress, and under point (l), which requires a majority of at least three quarters of the total number of votes cast by affiliated unions present or represented at Congress. 

Article 14 - Congress Voting Rights 

Each affiliated trade union that has fulfilled its financial obligation to IndustriALL has the right to vote at the Congress. 

Each affiliate shall have one vote for each member for which it has paid affiliation fees in accordance with Article 8. The calculation of the voting rights shall be based on the average of paid-up members for the Congress period.

If exoneration is granted to an affiliate for full or partial affiliation fee obligations, its voting rights at Congress shall be reduced accordingly. 

Affiliates which have received a proxy from other affiliated unions in accordance with Article 11, may also vote in the same manner. 

EXTRAORDINARY CONGRESS

Article 15 - Extraordinary Congress

An Extraordinary Congress shall be convened by decision of the Executive Committee, or by written request to the General Secretary of a fifth of all affiliated trade unions. 

Notice of the date and place, and the reasons for calling an Extraordinary Congress, will be given to all affiliates as early as possible before the Congress.

The Executive Committee shall determine the standing orders and agenda for an Extraordinary Congress, in accordance with these Statutes. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Article 16 - Executive Committee Members 

The Executive Committee shall be composed as follows:

Sixty (60) members shall be elected, allocated as follows:

The distribution of allocated seats among countries within each region shall be determined by affiliates within that region.

(c) The General Secretary, with the right to speak but not to vote;

(d) The Assistant General Secretaries, with the right to speak but not to vote.

Overall, the composition of the Executive Committee shall reflect the membership as regards gender balance, regions and sectors. 

Article 17 - Executive Committee Voting

The Executive Committee shall endeavour to achieve the broadest possible consensus in every field. 

The quorum for an Executive Committee meeting is reached when more than half of the total number of the members with voting rights are present.  Decisions shall be taken by majority vote. In the event of a tie, the President shall have the deciding vote. If votes are required, they will be expressed by a show of hands, unless the majority of members request a secret ballot. 

Article 18 - Executive Committee Meetings

The Executive Committee meets at least two times a year. The meetings shall be called by the General Secretary, in consultation with the President. The date and place of each meeting, which is set by the Executive Committee, shall be communicated to the members of the Executive Committee and all affiliates at least four months prior to the meeting, except in extraordinary circumstances, when notice shall be given as far in advance as possible, but no less than 30 days. 

The Executive Committee shall determine its own rules. The Executive Committee is encouraged to utilise all appropriate communications technologies to foster participation.

The General Secretary, in consultation with the President, shall draft an agenda for each meeting. The agenda shall be provided to the members of the Executive Committee at least two weeks prior to the opening date of an ordinary meeting, along with any written reports on questions to be dealt with at the meeting. Exceptions may be made in the case of urgent or important matters arising at a later date.

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Executive Committee. In the event that the President is not in attendance for all or any part of the meeting, one of the Vice-Presidents will preside over the meeting during his or her absence. 

Minutes shall be kept of all meetings of the Executive Committee. Copies of these minutes shall be sent as soon as possible after the meeting to the members of the Executive Committee and the auditors. They will also be distributed to all affiliates.  

Article 19 - Duties of the Executive Committee 

The duties of the Executive Committee shall include:

(a)  Reviewing and ensuring that all activities, decisions, resolutions, motions, and policies adopted by the Congress are implemented and fulfilled until the next Congress. 

(b)  Ensuring that IndustriALL is operating as a single global organization with common principles and priorities throughout the regional and sectoral structures. 

(c) Reviewing all reports submitted to it by the Secretariat and the internal and external auditors.

As part of this work, the Executive Committee shall examine the General Secretary's activity report on developments within the areas of work, the financial report, and the internal and external auditors’ reports, as well as any additional relevant regional, sector or other reports, and direct the General Secretary in these activities.

(d) Approving the annual accounts reviewed by the internal and external auditors.

(e)  Discharging the General Secretary of any further responsibility.

(f)  Reviewing, discussing, and approving the annual budget prepared by the General Secretary. 

The Executive Committee will also deal with other financial issues, including the IndustriALL’s long-term financial planning, income needs, externally funded projects and the terms of reference for collective bargaining negotiations with staff.

(g) Overseeing the management of the assets of IndustriALL, including investments and real property. Any essential changes concerning the use and disposal of assets shall require approval by 75% of the Executive Committee members.

(h) Reviewing important global political and economic events that have a bearing on the activities of IndustriALL and taking necessary action.

(i) Deciding on applications for admission and proposals concerning expulsions, and taking note of disaffiliations in accordance with these Statutes.

(j) Nominating an Acting President from among the Vice-Presidents for the period until the following Congress, in case this office becomes vacant between Congresses.

(k) Nominating, from among its members, Acting Vice-Presidents for the period until the following Congress, in case any of these offices become vacant between Congresses. 

(l) Nominating an Acting General Secretary and/or Acting Assistant General Secretaries for the period until the following Congress, in case any of these offices become vacant between Congresses.

(m) Nominating new titular members and substitutes of the Executive Committee, after consultation with the respective region, for the period until the following Congress, in case any of these offices become vacant between Congresses.

(n)  Nominating the external auditor.

(o) Nominating one or more internal auditors for the period until the following Congress, in case any of these positions become vacant between Congresses.

(p) Nominating, in consultation with the affiliates in the relevant sector, Sector Chairpersons, in case any of these offices become vacant. 

(q) Deciding on the dismissal of the General Secretary and/or Assistant General Secretaries in case of gross neglect of duty. 

(r) Selecting and approving the date, venue and agenda of the next Congress.

(s) Establishing special committees, working groups, missions, and/or projects for specific work on areas deemed to be relevant for the work of IndustriALL.

(t) Setting guidelines for sectoral work, add sectors in between Congresses and establish clusters between sectors.

(u) Establishing or closing Regional Offices in one or more regions to facilitate the regional work. The accounts of all Regional Offices shall be audited annually. A report on all such audits shall be submitted annually to the Secretariat and to the Executive Committee.

THE WOMEN’S COMMITTEE

Article 20 - The Women’s Committee 

Members and Meetings

The Women’s Committee is a standing committee of the Executive Committee. 

Its members are the female titular and substitute Executive Committee members. 

The Women’s Committee will elect two Co-chairs. 

The Women’s Committee will meet at a minimum prior to every Executive Committee meeting.

THE PRESIDENT

Article 21 - Duties of the President 

(a) The President shall preside over all meetings of the Congress and the Executive Committee.

(b) The President shall ensure that all business of such meetings is conducted in accordance with the Statutes and the relevant Standing Orders. 

(c) The President shall, jointly with the General Secretary, be responsible to IndustriALL for the supervision and general direction of the work of the Secretariat and the regional offices. 

(d)  In the event the President vacates her/his elected union position at any time during her/his term of office at IndustriALL, she/he shall immediately vacate her/his position at IndustriALL. In the event this occurs, the Vice-Presidents will consult with one another and determine which of them will assume the Presidency temporarily until the following meeting of the Executive Committee, which shall elect one of the Vice-Presidents to serve in a temporary capacity as Acting President until the next Congress. 

(e) The President ensures the unity of the organisation and looks for a necessary consensus that takes the diversity of affiliates into account.

THE VICE-PRESIDENTS

Article 22 - Duties of Vice-Presidents

The Vice-Presidents support the President as representatives of their respective regions.

The President and the Vice-Presidents work closely together. They will be contacts for the General Secretary in the regions, with the aim of ensuring an effective implementation of the decisions taken by the Executive Committee. 

If the President in exceptional cases cannot attend a meeting, he/she will be represented by a Vice-President.  

The Vice-Presidents shall preside over all meetings of the respective Regional Executive Meetings. The Vice-Presidents shall ensure that all business of such meetings is conducted in accordance with the Statutes and the relevant Standing Orders.

The Vice-Presidents will work with the regional office, on the implementation of the IndustriALL Action Plan in the regions and on developing general policies on issues specific to their region. The regional offices and the secretariat cooperate with the Vice-Presidents.  

The Vice-Presidents shall coordinate elections and substitution elections of the Executive Committee members of each region, in accordance with the gender representation as stipulated in Article 16.  

In the event a Vice-President vacates her or his elected union position at any time during their term of office at IndustriALL, she or he shall immediately vacate her or his position at IndustriALL.

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDITORS 

Article 23 - Internal and External Auditors 

The Congress shall elect five internal auditors, who cannot be titular members of the Executive Committee. 

The internal auditors shall be responsible for internal audits as well as related procedures, policies and methods utilised for such audits, and issue a report on their findings to the Executive Committee twice a year. The internal auditors shall also undertake other responsibilities as directed by the Executive Committee. 

A minimum of three internal auditors shall inspect the books at least twice a year.  

The internal auditors shall verify that these books are kept in accordance with the applicable law, with good accounting practices and with the Statutes. In addition, they shall verify if the economic activity corresponds to the decisions of the Executive Committee and the Congress.  

They shall work in cooperation with the external auditor. The external auditor shall carry out an ordinary annualaudit.   

THE SECRETARIAT 

Article 24 - Management of the Secretariat  

The management of the Secretariat shall be entrusted to the General Secretary. He or she shall appoint the members of the staff. All staff engaged shall be under the supervision of the General Secretary and perform such duties as may be assigned to them.   

Article 25 - Duties of the General Secretary  

The General Secretary shall have the following duties, subject to the direction of the Congress and the Executive Committee: 

(a) Implement the policy and decisions of the Congress and the Executive Committee.  

(b) Safeguard at all times and in every respect the interests of IndustriALL. 

(c) Serve as the legal representative of IndustriALL.  

(d) Manage and direct all key operations and handle all staff and other personnel issues, after consultation with the President and members of the Executive Committee in the respective region.  

The General Secretary, in consultation with the President and the Executive Committee, shall establish working conditions through negotiations with the staff. 

(e) Act as treasurer and be responsible for general financial management. This includes monitoring the collection of annual affiliation fees, implementing financial and other business operations and transactions, maintaining financial accounts and records of income and expenses, preparing financial reports, and submitting the books for inspection to the internal and external auditors as soon as possible after the end of the fiscal year.   

Unless decided otherwise by the Executive Committee, the General Secretary or his or her designee is authorised to sign documents on behalf of IndustriALL. The General Secretary shall also sign all major financial instruments, together with the staff member with senior responsibility for financial control or another staff member designated by the Executive Committee. 

(f) Prepare all documentation for the Congress and other statutory meetings. The General Secretary shall report on the activities at each Congress and at all statutory meetings, and inform all affiliates of the key decisions taken by the Congress and Executive Committee.  

(g) Act as the principal spokesperson, representing IndustriALL towards outside institutions.  

(h) Have the editorial responsibility for all materials, publications and other communications to affiliates and the public. 

Article 26 - Duties of the Assistant General Secretaries 

The General Secretary together with the Assistant General Secretaries form the leadership team, which operates under the authority of the General Secretary. In consultation with the President, they agree on a distribution of political and administrative responsibilities and inform the Executive Committee accordingly. 

SECTORS  

Article 27 - Sectors

The Congress and the Executive Committee can establish sectors for specific industrial sectors and white collar workers falling within the organizational scope of the affiliated unions. These sectors shall comprise representatives of the affiliated unions representing the workers concerned.  

The Executive Committee shall organise the work of the sectors, which may for administrative purposes be grouped into clusters. 

Each sector or cluster shall elect two Co-Chairpersons, one woman and one man, who shall work with the Executive Committee and the Secretariat to organize the sector and arrange necessary meetings and actions to carry out international work in the relevant sector, and work on specific cross-sectoral issues.  

Each sector shall be responsible for the implementation of the sector rules for ensuring women’s full participation in its activities, consistent with Article 3. 

REGIONAL AND NATIONAL STRUCTURES 

Article 28 - Regions  

IndustriALL shall work in the following regions: 

• North America 
• Latin America and the Caribbean 
• Sub-Saharan Africa 
• Middle East and North Africa 
• Asia-Pacific 
• Europe  

The Executive Committee members of each region constitute the Regional Executive Committee. 

Where they exist, the Regional Executive Committee meets at least once per year.  

The Regional Executive Committee: 

• Decides on regional Action Plans.
• Discusses general policies to address priorities and matters specific to the region.

A Regional Conference of all affiliates in the region may be held once every four years if necessary. A Regional Conference may elect two Co-chairs, one woman and one man, from among the regional members of IndustriALL’s Executive Committee to coordinate the work in the region together with the Vice-President. The Regional Conference may also decide to set up smaller coordination bodies. 

The Regional Offices shall support the activities decided on by the regional Executive Committee, cooperate with the regional Vice-Presidents and perform activities of the regions, based on resources allocated to them.  

Article 29 - National Councils 

National Councils may be established by affiliates in countries where IndustriALL has more than one affiliate, in order to promote common action and maintain relations between the affiliates and the Secretariat.  

OBLIGATIONS OF AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS 

Article 30 - Expenses of Affiliates in Relation to IndustriALL Meetings 

All expenses incurred by delegates to attend IndustriALL meetings, including the Congress, the Executive Committee and the Women’s Committee, are to be paid by the affiliates concerned. The General Secretary, on the basis of principles agreed by the Executive Committee, may permit exceptions, authorising the payment of expenses for certain delegates, in part or in full. 

DISSOLUTION 

Article 31 - Dissolution 

IndustriALL may be dissolved only by the Congress. A decision to this effect must obtain a majority of at leasttwo-thirds of the total number of votes cast by affiliated unions present or represented at Congress in accordance with Article 14.

In case of dissolution, under no circumstances can the remaining assets be returned to the founding members of IndustriALL or used for their benefit, in whole or in part, in any manner whatsoever. The remaining assets must be transferred to an institution pursuing a similar public purpose and benefiting from a tax exemption. 

STATUTES - GENERAL RULES 

Article 32 - Interpretation of the Statutes

In case of any disagreement concerning the interpretation of these Statutes, the Executive Committee shall be the competent body to decide and may make recommendations to Congress concerning necessary changes to the Statutes arising from such interpretations. 

In case of any disagreement concerning the wording in these Statutes, the reference language of origin shall be the French language. 

Article 33 - Changes to the Statutes 

The Congress shall be the only competent body to amend the Statutes. 

Any decision to amend the Statutes must obtain a majority of at least two-thirds of the total number of votes cast by affiliated unions present or represented at Congress in accordance with Article 14.