THE FOLLOWING MOTION WAS CARRIED
a) Minimum age for membership of the WGGB
This AGM resolves to change the rules of eligibility and add a minimum age of 18 to all membership eligibility criteria. Current rules do not include any age restriction on eligibility for WGGB membership. Under safeguarding guidance and regulation, all organisations that come into contact with children should have appropriate safeguarding measures in place. In this context, a child is anyone under the age of 18.
If anyone under the age of 18 were to join the WGGB, then to comply with the regulations all staff and some union officials will have to undergo Disclosure and Barring Checks and safeguarding training. This would add an administrative burden and could deter members from volunteering for roles.
The introduction of a minimum age requirement negates the need to undergo these checks and training. WGGB has no members under 18 years of age so there are no implications for current members.
Motion: Add ‘18 years of age and over’ to rules 5.1(a), 5.1(b) (ii) and 5.1(b) (v)
The revised rules would read:
5.1 Eligibility
(a) A Full Member shall be any person 18 years of age and over who has accumulated 8 Membership Points.
(b) (ii) An Affiliate Member shall be any such individual person 18 years of age and over or corporate body as an agent, technical adviser, researcher or consultant, engaged in a professional relationship with any Writer. Eligibility for Affiliate Membership shall be at the discretion of the Executive Council.
(b) (v) A Candidate Member shall be any person 18 years of age and over intending to qualify for Full Membership, but who does not yet qualify. A Candidate Member who becomes eligible for Full Membership must transfer to Full Membership, in order to retain membership.
THE FOLLOWING PROPOSED MOTION WAS CARRIED AS AN AMENDED FRIENDLY MOTION
PROPOSED MOTION
b) Bullying and harassment
This AGM resolves to include intolerance to bullying and harassment within our rules, in recognition that all members should treat each other with respect.
Motion, delete the Rule 6 xiii and replace with new Rule 6 xiii
Delete old Rule (xiii) Members shall use civil and comradely language in all their communications on Guild business, with fellow Members, Officers and Officials, and avoid abusive expressions and defamatory statements. “Communications” include, but are not limited to, speech, e-mail, letters, telephone calls, and text messages.
Replace with new Rule (xiii) The Guild does not tolerate bullying and harassment. Members will behave in a respectful and comradely manner in all their dealings with fellow Guild members, officer and officials, and avoid abusive behaviour, expressions and defamatory statements.
AMENDED FRIENDLY MOTION
b) Bullying and harassment
This AGM resolves to include intolerance to bullying and harassment within our rules, in recognition that all members should treat each other with respect.
Delete old Rule (xiii) Members shall use civil and comradely language in all their communications on Guild business, with fellow Members, Officers and Officials, and avoid abusive expressions and defamatory statements. “Communications” include, but are not limited to, speech, e-mail, letters, telephone calls, and text messages.
Replace with new Rule (xiii) The Guild does not tolerate bullying and harassment. Members are required to behave in a respectful and comradely manner in all their dealings with fellow Guild members, officer and officials, and should not use abusive behaviour, expressions and defamatory statements.
THE FOLLOWING MOTION WAS NOT CARRIED
c) Bringing the union into disrepute
This AGM resolves to change the rules to introduce a new rule that allows the union to discipline a member if they bring the union into disrepute.
Motion to introduce a new rule 6 (xiv)
6xiv Members shall not engage in actions that could reasonably be interpreted as bringing the union into disrepute and/or being contrary to the objects of the union as defined in Rule 4.
THE FOLLOWING MOTION WAS NOT CARRIED
d) Regulate or mediate
This AGM resolves to amend Rule 4.3 as it is not the job of the WGGB to regulate relationships between members, but to mediate if relations break down.
Motion, to replace ‘regulate’ with ‘mediate’ so Rule 4.3 now reads
4.3 To mediate the relations of members amongst themselves and between them and their producers, publishers, licensees and other business associates.
THE FOLLOWING MOTION WAS NOT CARRIED
e) Scope of advice and representation
This AGM resolves to change Rule 4.6 – there are areas where WGGB cannot furnish members or their representatives with advice on ‘all questions affecting them as writers’ – we will always endeavour to do so but we may not be able to do so.
Motion, to remove ‘all’ so Rule 4.6 now reads
4.6 To furnish advice to members and their representatives on questions affecting them as writers and to assist members and their representatives, either financially or otherwise, in any legal proceedings relating to their rights, duties or liabilities in connection with working under contracts insofar as it is considered by the Executive Council to be desirable and possible so to do.