Research Committees

Adopted in 1994; revised 1998, 2012 and 2018

1. The Research Committee on Labour Movements RC44 was established in 1990 in accordance with Article XI of the ISA Statutes.

2. The objectives of RC44 are to encourage international research on Labour Movements, with a focus on their role both in industrial relations, in the political arena and the broader society. Its activities include:
   1. organising sessions at each ISA World Congress and at regional ISA conferences
   2. organising other international meetings, workshops, colloquia, etc.
   3. publishing a regular newsletter via the website
   4. encouraging professional interaction and collaborative research in labour movement studies
   5. any other relevant activities

3. RC44 strongly affirms its support for the following core labour standards which it holds to be fundamental human rights:
   1. Freedom of association
   2. Right to organise and bargain collectively
   3. Prohibition of forced labour
   4. Elimination of exploitative forms of child labour
   5. Non-discrimination in employment or occupation

4. Membership is open to any person engaged in research into labour movements or in labour movement activities.
   1. Members shall either be regular members or affiliated members.
   2. Regular members shall be individuals or institutions in good standing within the ISA.
   3. Affiliated members shall be individuals or institutions interested in the activities of RC44, who are not members of the ISA.

5. In line with ISA practice, membership fees are collected for a period of four years.
   1. Membership fees will be determined by the Business Meeting held at each ISA Regional or World Congress.
   2. Students and affiliated members will be eligible for a reduced fee.

6. The policy of the RC44, consistent with the Statutes, will be determined by a simple majority of regular and affiliated members present at each Business Meeting. It is open to the meeting to submit any question to a postal ballot of members, and this procedure must be followed in the absence of a quorum of 15 members.

7. In the period between each ISA World Congress, the RC shall be governed by a Board comprising of the following positions: President, Vice-President - Programme, Vice President - Communications, Secretary and Treasurer and between 4 and 10 ordinary members.
   1. The President shall be responsible for chairing the programme committee for the Congress. The President shall also sit on the programme committee for the Forum. The President is responsible for interim reports to the ISA.
   2. The VP-Programme shall be responsible for chairing the programme committee for the Forum. The VP-Programme shall also sit on the programme committee for the Congress.
   3. The VP-Communications shall be responsible for sending out regular newsletters and other relevant communications to members and maintaining the membership listserve.
   4. The Secretary shall sit on the Forum and Congress programme committees, assist the President in organising the general meetings, coordinate the nominations of new board members and engage in efforts to increase membership.
   5. The Treasurer shall keep financial documentation, prepare the financial report to the Board to be accepted by the General Meeting, and realize the financial relations between RC44 and the ISA.

8. A statement of financial affairs will be given by the Treasurer every four years to the Board of RC44 and to the Business Meeting Assembly. The Treasurer must be discharged of their financial responsibilities by the Business Meeting Assembly.

9. The Board and the business meetings shall identify themes and topics of the Forum and the Congress.

10. The President and/or the Secretary normally act as delegates to the ISA Research Council with them identifying alternate delegates if necessary.

11. All regular and affiliated members of RC44 shall be entitled to nominate candidates for the Board.
    1. Nominated candidates shall be regular members of RC44.
    2. Nominations shall be invited in advance but may, at the discretion of the   President, be accepted at the Business Meeting which may also decide to hold a postal ballot of members, and may agree to combine two or more official positions.
    3. Nominated candidates shall confirm their preparedness to accept the respective position on the Board in case they are elected and to remain a regular member in good standing for the duration of their mandate, and shall return the nomination form to the Secretary, together with a brief curriculum vitae.
    4. Officers shall normally serve for no more than two consecutive terms (4 years each). Board members shall normally serve for no more than two consecutive terms (4 years each). 

12. Temporary vacancies in the Board between consecutive ISA World Congresses may be filled by appointment by the President, in accordance with ISA Statute 4.5. The places of any Board member not in good standing with either the ISA or RC44 may be declared temporarily vacant by the President, at the President’s discretion, and the vacancy filled.

13. Should the President fail to carry out their presidential responsibilities or allow their membership to lapse, one of the Board members, identified by the Board, will assume the responsibilities of the President of the Board in the case of the death, incapacitation, resignation, or other inability of the incumbent to carry out the responsibilities of the office of the President.

14. A Business Meeting Assembly is held at least every four years, preferably at the ISA World Congress. The meeting is chaired by the President or by one Vice-President of the RC 44. Votes can only be cast by regular and affiliated RC44 members in good standing who are present at the Meeting. The duties of the Assembly are:
    1. to evaluate and approve the four-year-report
    2. to discharge the outgoing Board of its responsibilities, including the financial statement
    3. to discuss and carry motions on any other point that may arise. 

15. Decisions in a Business Meeting Assembly are taken by simple majority.

16. These Statutes were first adopted at the Business meeting held in Bielefeld in 1994, revised at the Business Meeting held in Montreal in 1998, revised in the Business Meeting held in Buenos Aires in 2012, and revised in the Business Meeting held in Toronto in 2018. These Statutes may be amended by a two-thirds majority at any subsequent Quorate Business Meeting or in a ballot of members (called either by a simple majority or by a decision of the Board).

Unless otherwise agreed by the President, proposed amendments must be received in writing by the Secretary at least two weeks in advance.