NTUC Phl Youth Committee Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure

NTUC Phl Youth Committee
Terms of Reference and Rules of Procedure

1. Structure and objectives

The NTUC PHL youth structure will address and promote the concerns of young workers in trade unions and elsewhere. It will operate through (1) a Youth Assembly with delegates from all affiliates, (2) a Youth Committee with members from the Assembly, (3) Officers consisting of a chair, two vice chairs and eight substitute officers, and (4) a Youth Advisory Council.

Its main objectives are:

• To adopt and promote positions on issues relating to youth, for workers in the formal and informal economy, including migrant workers, in ASEAN;
• To engage Philippine bodies, mechanisms and processes and other Philippine stakeholders in addressing youth concerns, including equal opportunities and equal treatment;
• To develop, implement and monitor youth programs, and ensure the mainstreaming of youth in policies and actions of the NTUC Phl and its affiliates;
• To support the formation of youth structures or increased youth representation in trade union activities and decision-making bodies at all levels; and
• To facilitate the inclusion of youth, including migrant workers, in trade unions through union organising and other forms of self-organisation.

2. Youth Assembly

The Assembly will elect the members of the Youth Committee and chart the directions of the Committee towards its objectives consistent with NTUC Phl programmes of action.

The Assembly will be composed of two delegates each (one young man, one young woman) nominated by affiliates, to ensure gender and age balance of the Assembly. Nominees must be 35 years old or younger.

Delegates must come from the youth structures of their organisations, and/or have responsibilities and experience in youth concerns.

The Assembly will meet at least once every two years.

3. Procedure for elections

Each delegate of the Assembly shall have one vote.

The NTUC Phl Secretariat will organise the elections. One or two delegates who are not candidates for any officer post shall assist the Secretariat with counting the votes.
 

4. Youth Committee

The Committee shall have 12 titular members (6 young women and 6 young men) respecting age and gender balance. Geographical distribution and/or size of youth membership of the organizations to be on the Committee shall also be considered.

Youth members seeking to be officers must be less than 31 years old at the time of their election to respect the age limit of 35 years. Except for second substitutes, only those present in the elections are eligible.

The Committee shall have substitute members. They shall attend meetings of the Committee on behalf of titular members unable to attend. Titular members will advise the NTUC Phl Secretariat at the earliest time possible of their unavailability for meetings.

4.1 Officers of the Youth Committee

The members to the Committee will elect two chairs (one woman, one man), two vice-chairs (one woman, one youth) and eight substitute officers (four young women, four young men) from among themselves. Age, gender and geographical balance shall be ensured.

All other delegates to the Assembly not elected as officers of the Committee shall be second substitutes.

The officers of the Committee shall serve for a period of four years, or until they reach 36 years old. No person will hold the same or any other position for more than eight years.

A co-chair who leaves or become ineligible, will be replaced by one of the two vice chairs, to be elected by the Committee. A vice chair who leaves, becomes ineligible, or is elevated to co-chair, will be replaced by a substitute officer, to be elected by the Committee.

Vacancies occurring in the substitute officers shall be filled by election among the members of the Committee.

Vacancies in the members of the Committee shall be filled by the affiliate to which such member belongs.

The successor will serve the unexpired term of the position.

4.2 Responsibilities, representations and cooperation

The Committee will:
• Implement the decisions of the Assembly, including organising conferences and/or set up working groups for a limited period to work on specific issues when necessary;
• Propose programmes and actions for NTUC Phl engagement in Philippine structures on youth;
• Serve in NTUC Phl focal groups; and
• Represent NTUC Phl in invitations concerning youth concerns.

The co-chairs will take turns to:
• Chair meetings of the NTUC Phl Youth Committee;
• Represent the Committee, or recommend a suitable representative from among the Committee members, to participate in NTUC Phl programmes and activities;
• Serve as provisional Vice Presidents of NTUC Phl, until formally confirmed by the NTUC Phl Executive Board.

The Committee and its Officers will establish and maintain cooperation, where appropriate, with the ATUC Youth and Women Committee, the ITUC-AP Youth Committee and other appropriate youth organisations.

The Committee will meet at least once a year. In between annual meetings, the Committee will meet remotely if necessary. The meetings will be held on dates and place decided by the NTUC Phl in consultation with the co-chairs of the Committee.

More than one half of the members of the Committee shall form a quorum. All major decisions of the Youth Committee shall be arrived at by at least a two-thirds vote of its members present constituting a quorum.

The co-chairs of the ATUC Youth and Women Committee are invited as observers to the NTUC Phl Youth Committee meetings; unless in exceptional circumstances and after consultation with the ATUC, the costs of their participation could not be supported.

4.3 Youth Advisory Council
The Youth Advisory Council, composed of former officers of the TUCP/NTUC Phl Youth Committee, will provide support, advice, and guidance to the Committee.
4.4 Operating costs
The Committee’s operating costs including travel and accommodation incurred by members to attend Committee meetings and the Chair to attend the NTUC Phl Executive Board/General Council meetings will be borne by NTUC Phl as finances permit.

5. Secretariat

The NTUC Phl Secretariat is the Secretariat of the Assembly and the Committee. It shall cause calling of meetings, setting the agenda in consultation with the Committee chair, providing documents, reports and minutes of meetings, and monitor and record actions towards decisions of the Committee and the Assembly.

Adopted on 18 August 2019, in Quezon City, Philippines.