Article 1: Name: The name of the organization shall be the Indian Federation of Trade Unions and in abbreviated form it shall be IFTU.

Article 2: Flag: The flag shall have a red base having length and breadth in the ratio of 3:2 and inscribed with a hammer across a sickle in white colour on two-thirds of the red base and inscribed with IFTU on the right end of the red base from top to bottom.

Article 3: Aims and Objects: The aims and objects of the IFTU shall be:

(a)    To hold high the banner of proletarian internationalism.

(b)   To organize the working class to lead relentless struggles in closest alliance with the peasantry and other sections of the toiling masses, so that it can forge a united front of all anti-imperialist and anti-feudal forces to fight imperialism, feudalism and bureaucratic capitalism, and to establish new democracy, scientific socialism and ultimately a classless society.

(c)    To organize the working class and lead the democratic movements against hunger, poverty and unemployment.

(d)   To organize and mobilize the working class struggle for better wages and living conditions, for the defence of our country’s sovereignty, for freeing the country from semi-feudal fetters and for winning full civil liberties and democratic rights for the people.

(e)    To organize the working class to resolutely struggle against imperialists – particularly of US imperialism, aggression and support national liberation struggles.

(f)     To struggle for the unity of the working class of the country and strive for one single mass organization of the working class based on democratic centralism.

(g)    To organize the working class to lead and defend the struggles of the peasantry against feudalism and support all just struggles.

(h)    To struggle for free social security.

(i)      To organize the working class to strive for friendship with all the neighbouring countries.

(j)     To hold high the banner of the revolutionary working class movement.

(k)   To struggle for shorter working hours, better housing, other amenities and to resolve other problems affecting them.

(l)      To struggle against the onslaught of reaction, reformism and revisionism.

(m)  To render aid to workers during any just strike called by the union or during closures or lock out and to defend the workers in disputes on litigations arising out of struggles.

(n)    To fight for communal harmony and against casteism and caste oppression.

(o)   To fight for social status with due benefits entitled to the female workers at per with the male workers and to strictly fight against severe oppression of child labour.

(p)   To cooperate and associate with other workers’ organizations having similar aims and objects.

(q)   To support just struggles of nationalities.

Affiliation of Trade Unions

Article 4: Affiliation to the IFTU shall be open to all trade unions which accept the constitution and programme of IFTU.

Article 5: (1) Affiliation shall be accepted on the following basis:

(a)    The trade union seeking affiliation shall make an application in the prescribed form through the Provincial Committee or, in absence of the Provincial Committee, directly to the National Committee of the IFTU. In the latter case, two of the National Committee members must recommend for the affiliation after proper investigation.

(b)   It shall send a copy of its rules and regulations, annual or biennial as the case may be, list of its Executive/Working Committee, a copy of duly audited annual statement of accounts giving average paying membership for the year and such other information or materials that may be required by the General Secretary of IFTU.

(2) The National Committee of IFTU shall have the authority of accepting or rejecting any application for affiliation from a trade union. While rejecting an application, the reason for rejection shall be given.

Affiliation Fee

Article 6: (1) Each affiliated trade union shall pay to IFTU

(a)    Rs.25 as entry fee;

(b)   Annual affiliation fee at the rate of 50 (fifty) paise per member per annum subject to a minimum of Rs. 25 (Rupees twenty five only) per annum;

(c)    Such other special contributions as may be fixed by the National Committee from time to time.

Article 7: (1) The annual affiliation fee shall be paid by the 31^st of July each year. The levy or special contribution shall become payable as and when fixed. Non-payment of affiliation fee that has become due shall disqualify the defaulting union from participating in the meetings of IFTU or its constituent bodies until the payment is made. The National Committee may, for reasons to be recorded, remit the disqualification on receiving such request from the defaulting union on reasonable grounds.

(2) A union which has ceased its affiliation for non-payment of affiliation fee may be readmitted on payment of arrears and current affiliation fee.

Organizational Structure of IFTU

Article 8: The IFTU shall be constituted with the following organs:

(1)   The affiliated unions

(2)   All India Conference of IFTU

(3)   National Committee

(4)   Provincial Conference

(5)   Provincial Committee

(6)   City, Area, District Conferences wherever possible

(7)   City, Area, District Committees wherever possible

All-India Conference of IFTU

Article 9: The highest authority of the IFTU is the All India Conference of IFTU.

Article 10: (1) The All-India Conference of IFTU shall be normally convened every three years by the National Committee. The National Committee may hold the conference earlier or it may postpone it under special circumstances.

(2) Affiliated unions shall elect delegates in accordance with the constitution of IFTU. The office-bearers and members of the IFTU National Committee and staff of the central office shall be ex-officio delegates with full rights of elected delegates. The National Committee will determine number and names of delegates from the central office staff.

(3) The All India Conference of IFTU shall have power:

(a)    To here and approve the reports made by the National Committee and the audit report of the IFTU.

(b)   To decide the programmes and immediate tasks to further the interest of the working class and of the democratic movement of the country.

(c)    To discuss and decide the questions placed before the conference by the provincial committee and affiliated unions.

(d)   To amend the constitution of IFTU if necessary.

(e)    To elect the office-bearers and members of National Committee of IFTU.

Special All-India Conference of IFTU

Article 11: (1) In between two All-India Conferences, a special All-India Conference of IFTU may be held if demanded by affiliated trade unions representing one-third affiliated membership strength of IFTU.

(2) In between two meetings of the National Committee or Provincial Committee, one-third members of the concerned committee may requisition for a special meeting of the concerned committee. This privilege shall in no case be misused. Quorum of the requisition meeting shall be two-third members of the concerned committee.

Election of Delegates

Article 12: (1) For the General or Special Session of the All-India Conference of IFTU, the affiliated unions shall be entitled to elect delegates on the following basis:

One delegate of each union having a membership of 200 or less and one additional delegate for the last fraction of 200 if the said fraction consists of more than 100 members. Number of delegates may be fixed by the National Committee before the All-India Conference.

(2) The basis to ascertain the number of delegates shall be the number of paying members as disclosed in the annual return of the member union certified by the auditors for the year prior to the All-India Conference.

National Committee

Article 13: (1) The National Committee shall consist of:

(i)                  A President

(ii)                Vice-Presidents, not more than five

(iii)               A General Secretary

(iv)              Secretaries, not more than five

(v)                A Treasurer, and

(vi)              Other members of the National Committee, who will not be more than thirty-eight.

(2) Casual vacancies shall be filled by the National Committee.

(3) Between the two All-India Conferences of IFTU, the National Committee shall be the highest body of the IFTU.

(4) The Secretariat shall consist of President, General Secretary and three others from the National Committee of IFTU.

Powers of the National Committee and its Office-Bearers

Article 14: (1) The National Committee will meet at least three times a year.

(2) In between the two conferences of IFTU, the National Committee shall have the authority and be responsible:

(a)    For taking all steps for the implementation of the decisions and resolutions and the general line of the All-India Conference.

(b)   For dealing with any emergency that may arise affecting the interests of the working class and the democratic movement of the country.

(c)    For removing a member of National Committee who remains absent in three consecutive meetings of the National Committee without any information. Before taking such action National Committee shall give notice to such members to explain their absence.

(d)   For forming industrial federations wherever the National Committee thinks it appropriate.

Article 15: When the National Committee is not in session, the Secretariat shall be responsible for carrying out the decisions and resolutions adopted by the All-India Conference of UFTU and the decisions of the National Committee and directing all trade unions throughout the country including day-to-day working of the IFTU and the publication of periodicals of the IFTU.

Article 16: The President shall preside at meetings of the National Committee, the All-India Conference of IFTU and Special Conference till presidium is elected.

Article 17: (1) Power of the President:

(a)    The President has the power to spend an amount to be decided by the National Committee for the organization of IFTU throughout the country between two National Committee meetings.

(b)    The President has the authority to contact other central trade unions for joint action on any problem of the working class.

(c)    The President shall also enjoy the power to dissolve, with prior decision of the National Committee, any state committee, the role of which is not satisfactory. Explanation will be sought from concerned state committee before National Committee takes direction to the effect.

(2) Power of the Vice-Presidents:

(a)    In case of absence of the President, one of the Vice-Presidents is entitled to preside over National Committee meeting.

(b)   In case of long absence of the President, any one of the Vice-Presidents can take the charge of President with approval of the National Committee and he can also materialize the power of the President.

(3) Power of the General Secretary:

(a)    The General Secretary shall have the authority to build IFTU branches throughout the country where there are no state committee/committees. He may take help from any member of the National Committee to bring working class under IFTU banner. General Secretary can instruct any provincial committee to call its meeting.

(b)   The General Secretary has the power to spend an amount to be decided by the National Committee for the functioning of IFTU throughout the country between two National Committee meetings.

(4) Power of the Secretaries:

(a)    Whenever the General Secretary will be absent, any one of the secretaries may take the responsibility of the General Secretary with the consent of the National Committee.

(b)   All the Secretaries have the authority to organize the IFTU in their state or where they will be deputed by the National Committee.

(c)    The function of IFTU is divided into several zones and every Secretary is in-charge of at least one zone.

(d)   Every one of the Secretariats has the power to spend an amount to be decided by the National Committee for organizational and mass movement work in their respective zones between two National Committee meetings.

(5) Power of the Treasurer:

(a)    The treasurer is entitled to ask for (take) vouchers or to realize payment from any office-bearer or member of IFTU.

(b)   The treasurer has the power to examine account books, banking accounts, voucher receipt of payments of any state committee and of any affiliated union with prior decision of the National Committee.

(c)    The treasurer has the authority to spend an amount to be decided by the National Committee for supervision of the IFTU funds. If he has to spend more than this amount it is to be done by the approval of the National Committee.

Duties of the National Committee and its Office-Bearers

Article 18: (1) Duties of the President:

(a)    To organize and supervise the functioning of IFTU Committees and encourage mass struggles throughout the country.

(b)   The President must participate in and supervise at least once in every block year each state committee which is attached to IFTU.

(c)    He will be held responsible for giving direct leadership to working class struggle.

(2) Duties of the Vice-Presidents:

(a)    To organize and supervise the working class struggle in their zones.

(b)   They will be liable to answer for direct leadership of the working class struggle in their own zone.

(c)    They will help in the formation and operation of big unions in their own state.

(3) Duties of the General Secretary:

(a)    To form and lead the working class struggle throughout the country.

(b)   To give definite structure and spread IFTU branches throughout the country.

(c)    The General Secretary must join or inspect every state committee once in a year. He must find out new ways and possible means of organizing state committee of IFTU where its operation is most urgently needed.

(d)   He will be responsible for giving direction to the working class struggle throughout the country.

(4) Duties of the Secretaries:

(a)    All Secretaries will be in charge of building and expanding working class struggle throughout their zones.

(b)   They shall also assist the General Secretary throughout the country.

(5) Duties of the Treasurer:

(a)    The responsibility of the Treasurer is to maintain the account books, ledger, bank accounts, voucher receipt of payment of each transaction, etc.

Quorum

Article 19: Quorum at the All-India Conference of IFTU and at the meeting of the National Committee shall be one-third of delegates or members of the respective organs.

Reception Committee

Article 20: (1) The provincial committee will form a reception committee for the purposes of holding conference and its arrangements in its province (where the All-India Conference of IFTU will be held).

(2) The reception committee shall have the power to collect funds for the expenses of the sessions of the All-India Conference of IFTU and if there be any surplus, the same will go to the provincial committee where the session is held.

Funds

Article 21:  (1) The sources of funds of the IFTU shall be:

(a)    Affiliation fees received from the affiliated unions.

(b)   Such other contribution as may be fixed by the National Committee.

(c)    Proceeds from periodicals.

(2) The funds of the IFTU shall be kept in the bank and the National Committee shall have the power to nominate such persons among the office-bearers of IFTU who may be authorized to open and operate such bank accounts jointly. Normally such joint account shall be opened jointly in the name of the President, General Secretary and Treasurer to be operated jointly by any two of them at a time.

Highest Organs of Provinces

Article 22: The highest leading organ in provinces shall be its Provincial Committee in the states. The highest authority of Provincial organ shall be its Provincial Conference which shall be convened every three years.

Article 23: (1) The Provincial Committee shall hold their provincial conference to elect their organs and implement the policies of IFTU. The holding of Provincial Conference and election of organs shall be in accordance with the method of holding of All-India Conference of IFTU and clearance of the National Committee.

(2) The powers and functioning of the Provincial Committee shall be in accordance with the functioning of the National Committee and the area of functioning of the Provincial Committee shall be the province concerned.

(3) The City, Area and District Conference shall be held every 3 years prior to Provincial and All-India Conferences and shall elect respective committees. The powers and functioning of these committees shall be in accordance with the functioning of the Provincial Committee.

Disciplinary Action

Article 24: (1) The National Committee shall have the power to disaffiliate any union which refuses to pay affiliation fees and for intentional anti-IFTU activities. Before taking such action, the concerned union shall be given opportunity to explain its conduct.

(2) The National Committee shall have power to remove any office-bearer or its member for his anti-working class activities, anti-IFTU activities. Before taking such action he shall be given opportunity to explain his conduct.

(3) The Provincial Committee shall have the right to take such action against its members and office-bearers for such activities and shall report the same to the National Committee. Before taking such action, he shall be given opportunity to explain his conduct.

(4) Unions and individuals against whom disciplinary action has been taken shall have the right to appeal before the All-India Conference of IFTU or Provincial Conference as the case may be.

Bye–Laws

Article 25: The National Committee shall have the power to make bye-laws, not inconsistent with the constitution.