UNION OF JOURNALISTS WORKING IN TANZANIA (UJWT) Establishment and Name 1. The Union of Journalists Working in Tanzania (hereafter referred to as The union) was established at a meeting of Tanzania journalists held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on 2 September 2014. General Meetings The authority for the governance of the union shall be vested in the General Meeting, whose task it will be to issue guidelines to the Executive Committee established under this Constitution for the general management and supervision of the union’s activities. In addition to such other powers as are conferred upon it elsewhere in this Constitution, the General Meeting shall have power to a) approve, vary and confirm the minutes of the previous General Meeting; b) elect the members of the Executive Committee in accordance with this Constitution; c) receive, consider and adopt, with or without modification, a report from the Executive Committee on the activities of the union since the last General Meeting, incorporating annual accounts for each year under review which shall be certified by the union’s auditors; d) approve or vary the future work programme and the plans of income and expenditure as recommended by the Executive Committee; e) consider possible options for the dates, venue and host organisations (if any) for the next General Meeting and provide guidelines for the Executive Committee. . 19. There shall be a President and one or more Vice-Presidents of the union who shall be elected by the General Meeting and hold office until elections take place at the following General Meeting; 20. The President of the union, and in his absence a Vice-President, shall preside at a General Meeting. If the President and both Vice-Presidents are absent, the chair shall be taken by such person as the General Meeting may determine. 21. The Executive Director of the union shall whenever practicable give at least six months’ notice to all members of the dates and venue of the General Meeting. 22 Decisions at General Meetings will normally be taken on the basis of consensus, but, if a vote becomes necessary, each country represented by at least one full member shall be entitled to one vote to be cast by a voting delegate elected by and from amongst the full members present from that country. A decision in such cases shall be taken by a simple majority except as provided under Articles 31 and 45. 23. General meetings as provided for in this Constitution may be held in union with and at the same venue as a conference convened by the union and open to union members for the purpose of discussing a subject or subjects of professional interest to Tanzania journalists. Executive Committee 24. The overall direction of the business of the union, subject to such directives as may be given by the General Meeting, shall vest in an Executive Committee constituted as hereinafter provided, which shall hold office between General Meetings. The executive Committee shall comprise the President and Vice-Presidents of the union and twelve other members, and shall be elected by the General Meeting from the full members of the union. The Committee may co-opt other persons at its discretion. The President of the union shall be the Chairman of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall appoint an Honorary Treasurer. 26. A member of the Executive Committee may appoint an alternative to act in his name in his absence form a meeting of the Executive Committee. 27. In determining membership of the Executive Committee, the General Meeting shall, so far as practicable, ensure that it reflects the nature and diversity of the Tanzania. 28. The Executive Committee shall meet prior to and immediately after each General Meeting and, if funding is available, once in every year between General Meetings. Meetings of the Executive Committee shall take place at such times and places as the Committee itself may decide. The quorum for meetings of the Executive Committee shall be five. 29. The Executive Committee shall, subject to the general control and direction of the General Meeting, have the authority to - a) convene General Meetings and establish their provisional agenda, and the dates and venues of such meetings; b) issue invitations to the Tanzania leaders, NGOs, to other Tanzania professional associations as may seem appropriate and to, to attend a General Meeting as observers; c) present a report to the General Meeting reviewing the activities undertaken by the union since the preceding General Meeting; d) circulate such other reports to members on the activities of the union as it thinks fit or as may be called for by the General Meeting; e) plan and propose the work programmes for the union or consideration by the General Meeting; f) receive and mange funds on behalf of the union; g) present a financial report, including audited annual reports for the years under review and the provisional budget for the following years, for consideration by the General Meeting; h) implement the union’s general work programme as approved by the General Meeting, with authority to modify the approved plan of expenditure in the light of unforeseen circumstances; i) appoint the Executive Director of the Association and fix his remuneration and other terms and conditions of employment; j) do all other acts as appear to be necessary or fitting to be done in order to carry into full operation and effect the objectives of the union. 30. Decisions of the Executive Committee will normally be taken by consensus but, if necessary, may be made by a simple majority of members present and voting. Each member shall have one vote. A co-opted member shall not vote. 31. The Executive Committee may, if it thinks fit, transact any business by the circulation of papers and a decision approved in writing by a majority of its members shall have the same effect as if it had been made at a meeting of the Executive Committee 32. If the Executive Committee should find it impossible to carry out any of its functions, whether because of the difficulty or expense of convening meetings of Committee members or the impracticability of transacting specific items of business through the circulation of papers or for any other reason, it may, at its discretion, delegate responsibility for carrying out such functions. Management Committee * 33. The Management Committee (hereinafter to be called the Management Committee‚ shall comprise twelve members, each of whom shall be nominated or approved by an ordinary member of the Executive Committee (i.e. a member other than the President and Vice-Presidents) as his or her representative in considering and undertaking such business as may necessarily be delegated by the Executive Committee to the Management Committee, including convening General Meetings and establishing their agenda, presenting reports on the Association‚ activities to General Meetings, planning and proposing the work programmes of the union, receiving and managing funds on behalf of the union, presenting a financial report to the General Meeting, implementing the union‚ work programme, appointing the Executive Director of the union and transacting such other business as may appear to be necessary or fitting to be done on behalf of the Executive Committee to carry into effect the objectives of the union. 34. Members appointed to sit on the Management Committee shall normally be journalists resident in Tanzania and shall, so far as possible, be chosen so as to reflect the nationalities of members of the Executive Committee. 35. Meetings of the Management Committee shall normally take place four times annually. The Committee will choose by consensus one of its members to act as chairman. Meetings will be convened by the Executive Director, who will also participate in the meetings, together with the Executive Secretary. 36. Minutes of the meetings of the Management Committee together with any supporting papers shall be sent to the President and Vice-Presidents and to the other members of the Executive Committee as soon as possible after the meetings have taken place. 37. Decisions of the Management Committee will normally be taken by consensus but, if necessary, may be made by a simple majority of members present and voting. Each member shall have one vote. Executive Director of the Association 38. In addition to such other duties as he or she may have under this constitution the duties of the Executive Director shall be - a) to administer the day-to-day business and affairs of the union, b) to keep the accounts of the union and operate within the authorised plan of expenditure; c) to be responsible for the preparation and distribution of the publications of the union; d) to maintain relations with members of the union; e) to prepare and circulate documents for General Meetings and for meetings of the Executive Committee and the Management Committee; f) to present to the Executive Committee and the Management Committee an audited statement of account; g) to carry out such other duties, as may from time to time, be required by the General Meeting, the Executive Committee or the Management Committee. Finance 39. The funds of the union shall comprise - a) annual membership subscriptions; b) grants, special contributions and other forms of income from such private foundations, international agencies and other bodies as the Executive Committee and/or the Management Committee shall approve. 40. The funds of the union shall be applied exclusively to the purposes of the union. 41. The union‚ financial year will run from *the 1st January to December 30th By- Laws 42. The General Meeting may make by-laws within the form work of this Constitution for the furtherance of the objectives of the union. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, such by-laws may provide for- a) the procedure for the nomination of members of the Executive Committee; b) the procedure for the nomination and election of the President and Vice-Presidents of the union; c) a system of rotation of membership of the Executive Committee having regard to the desirability of broad regional representation; d) financial matters, including the keeping of accounts and their audit; e) the filling of vacancies on the Executive Committee between General Meetings; f) the appointment of an interim President in the event of the retirement or incapacity of the elected President; g) the keeping, approval and circulating of minutes of General Meetings, and meetings of the Executive and Management Committees; h) procedures for the conduct of General Meetings and meetings of the Executive and Management Committees and the giving of notices in connection with such meetings; i) the circumstances in which membership of the union may be suspended or the recognition of a branch of the union may be withheld or withdrawn, including the procedure for, and the consequences of, such suspension or of the withholding or withdrawal of recognition of a branch; j) the conferment of honorary life membership on persons who have rendered distinguished service to Tanzania journalism; k) the participation in the affairs of the union of General Meeting or otherwise of observers and other interested parties. Amendment of Constitution 43. This constitution shall not be amended except at a General Meeting of the union, and such amendment shall not be valid unless not less than two thirds of those present and eligible to vote, vote in favour of the amendment proposed. 44. An amendment to this constitution may be proposed by the Executive Committee or by a member of the union and such proposal must be notified to the Executive Director of the union not less than two months before the date of the General Meeting at which it is to be considered. The Executive Director shall circulate the notice of the proposal forthwith to all members of the Executive and Management Committees, and as far as practicable, to all members of the union. Dissolution 45. The union shall not be dissolved except by a resolution passed by the General Meeting by the affirmative vote of not less than two thirds of the members present and eligible to vote. Formation of Branches 13. Full and union members in the same region or country will, whenever practicable, form themselves into a regional branch. 14. Each branch shall elect a managing committee with responsibility for formulating branch policy in accordance with the general aims and objectives of the union as a whole, for collecting members fees (where appropriate) and organizing functions and activities in keeping with the needs and interests of branch members. 15. Where authorised to collect membership fees from local members of the union, a branch may retain the cost of organising members‚activities, forwarding the balance to the Executive Director as a contribution to the general income of the union, unless prevented from doing so by local currency regulations or other difficulties. 16. It shall be the responsibility of branches to liase with the union‚ central Secretariat on a regular basis (i.e. at least once a year), reporting on the state of the branch, providing an account of branch activities and significant local developments relevant to the media or affecting the well-being of journalists and, where authorised to collect local membership fees, submitting an audited statement of income and expenditure to the Executive Director. 17. Any branch failing to liase with the Executive Director on a regular basis or, where authorised to collect membership fees from local members, failing without reasonable cause to forward the appropriate proportion of the total to the Executive Director, may after due warning and subject to the overall authority of the President and the Executive Committee, be deemed to have forfeited its status as a recognised branch of the union. Aims and Activities The aims of the union are: to promote friendship and understanding between journalists throughout the Tanzania; to do all in its power to raise the standard of journalism and improve the status of Tanzania journalists; to assist journalists in Tanzania to fulfil their key role of supporting and participating in the democratic process, and to defend the rights of Tanzania journalists to freedom of expression and to carry on their work without hindrance or fear of harassment from the authorities or any other source. The union will, at the same time, seek by every available means to promote understanding and goodwill between Tanzania peoples. 3. The union shall pursue its aims by: a) where possible, providing facilities for the exchange of journalists between Tanzania member regions; b) providing training for journalists in developing Tanzania regions in response to local needs; c) organising conferences, seminars and workshops on subjects of particular relevance to the work of Tanzania journalists and the promotion of Tanzania ideals; d) monitoring journalists‚ freedom to pursue their legitimate activities and, where such freedom is in jeopardy, making such representations to the local authorities in defence of their personal and professional rights as may seem appropriate and necessary; e) publishing on a regular basis a journal or newsletter to publicise the work of the union and bring to the notice of members matters of common interest to journalists throughout the union, and f) seeking to collaborate with other like-minded professional associations and other interested bodies both within and outside the Tanzania on all matters having a bearing on the work, professional interests and personal well-being of Tanzania journalists. 4. The union shall not support with its funds, or otherwise endeavour to impose on or procure the observance by its members or others of any regulation or restriction which, if applied to the union, would make it a trade union. Membership The union is a body comprising full individual members, associate members and corporate members. 6. Full membership of the union will be open to journalists who are citizens of a Tanzania country. (For the purposes of this constitution, “journalist” means a person whose principal earnings are derived from editing or writing for a journal or newspaper, or for a broadcasting organisation, or from photojournalism.) 7. Union membership will be open to part-time journalists and to persons working in fields closely related to journalism, who are citizens of Tanzania. 8. Corporate or affiliated membership will be open to organizations within the Tanzania whose aims and purposes closely resemble those of the union and the predominant proportion of whose members would as individuals be eligible to full membership of the union. 9. The annual fees for full, associate and corporate membership shall be determined by the Executive Committee which, in determining the level of fee to be paid by members, will take into account the stage of economic development of the country or region concerned in the light of information received from time to time from the President. 10. Annual membership fees shall normally be payable to the Executive Director of the union. Where a regional branch of the union has been established, however, payment of the annual fee may, at the discretion of the Executive Director, be paid to the branch. 11. A member may withdraw from the union by giving three months’ notice in writing to the Executive Director, or in the case of branch members, to the president or chairman of the local branch. 12. Any member whose fees have not been paid for six months after the date on which they became due may be deemed to have lapsed from membership.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 14:31:04 +0000
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