CONSTITUTION OF THE WELLINGTON SOCIALIST SOCIETY

I. NAME & SEAL:

The name of the society shall be “Wellington Socialist Society” and may also be referred to as “Wellington Socialists”, “Socialist Society” or “WSS”. The Common Seal of the society shall be as below:

II. PURPOSE:

We exist to pursue the following:

  • To promote and encourage a greater understanding and engagement with socialist theory, politics, and history.
  • To organise and participate in various events, conferences, exhibitions, seminars, and workshops for the exploration of socialist ideas.
  • To work with other individuals and organisations with an interest in socialist ideas in order to provide events and activities to promote engagement with socialist ideas.
  • To develop an organisation based on collegial practice and discussion that can provide a basis for socialist activity where conditions allow.
  • To practically support working class struggle where possible and appropriate.
  • To do all such things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects.

We take socialism to mean: the political goal of bringing the working class to power at all levels of society in order to establish a system where production is rationally organised to meet human need, rather than for the accumulation of private wealth.

III. MEMBERSHIP:

While attendance and participation in our events is open to all, membership is based on agreement to section “II. Purpose”. Membership grants the right to submit motions and vote on them at any Annual General Meeting (AGM) or Special General Meeting (SGM) of the Society, and eligibility for election to the Executive Committee. Members will be encouraged to be in discussion with one another, as well as the acting executive, to pursue the goals of the Society as well as organise and support its events.

Members will also contribute dues of forty (40) dollars per year to the Wellington Socialist Society which will be managed with internal transparency in order to pursue the objectives of the society in section “II. Purpose” and section “VI. Standing Orders”

Though members are free to be members of other organisations, parties, etcetera (“dual-membership”), any potential conflict of interest that may arise from this situation should be communicated to the Society as soon as possible.

Members are encouraged to engage one another in a spirit of comradely debate, freedom of speech and opinion, and open and honest disagreement. Members should also treat each other with respect, understanding that while we may have widely different views on some topics, we are part of the same project as equals.

Any member who is found to have brought the Society into significant disrepute or acts with serious misconduct within the organisation may be expelled as a member by a majority vote of the Executive. Any member may challenge the decision to expel a member, and a SGM will be held for all members to discuss and vote on expulsion with a minimum of two weeks notice.

IV. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE:

The Executive Committee shall be made up of members of the Wellington Socialist Society. The executive shall be a minimum of five individuals and will negotiate collective responsibility on the day-to-day operations of the Society. The actions and decisions of the executive will be transparent to all members.

The Executive shall be elected for one year (12 months) at an AGM of the Society. The executive may be elected as a slate, or as individuals, and will be voted in by a show of hands, unless a secret ballot is requested at the AGM. Members may nominate themselves but must receive one second from another member at the AGM.

The Executive is entrusted with the operation of the Society, its funds, assets, and the pursuit of its purpose as defined in this document. The Executive will have regular communication (a minimum of one per month) with all contacts providing updates on the activities and events of the Society.

Any member of the Executive, or the entire Executive is subject to a recall vote. Any member may request a recall vote so long as there is one (1) seconder. Requests for a recall vote shall be received by written notice, e-mail, or from the floor at any official meeting of the Socialist Society as laid out in section “V. MEETINGS”.

V. MEETINGS:

The highest decision making body of the Society shall be the AGM. The AGM shall be held no later than November 30th of each year. The date shall be decided by the Executive Committee who will notify all members for a period of at least thirty (30) days beforehand. During the notice period, and up until three (3) days before the AGM, members may submit resolutions to be discussed and voted on.

A quorum for the AGM shall be eight (8) members of the Society, of which no fewer than five (5) shall be non-Executive members. A resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a member requests a secret ballot. Every member present shall have one vote. In the event of an equality of votes the resolution shall be tabled for further discussion, and a follow up meeting to be set no longer than sixty (60) days after the AGM to reach a decision. The same period of notice for any follow up meeting(s) applies as to the AGM.

The Business of an AGM shall be:

  • Any minutes of the previous meeting(s);
  • A report from the Executive Committee on the previous year of activity, finances, and condition of the Society;
  • Election of Committee Members;
  • Motions to be considered;
  • Formulation of the ‘Standing Orders’ for the Society for the next 12 months;
  • General business.

If the Executive wishes it may call a Special General Meeting to make larger decisions about the Society during the year. These shall follow the same rules for quorum, notification of members, and method of voting.

General meetings are also the bodies which can amend the Constitution of the Wellington Socialist Society.

All other meetings of members may make decisions that fall within the objects of the society in section “II. PURPOSE”, change or add to section “VI. STANDING ORDERS”, or to address any formal objection to decisions made by the Executive. These meetings are to ensure continuity and business as usual operations of the Society.

VI. STANDING ORDERS:

We, the members of the Wellington Socialist Society, hereby provide a mandate to the Executive of the Wellington Socialist Society, to pursue the following general and specific goals for the next twelve (12) months of basic operations of the Society.

  1. To continue with our regular schedule of public events: one educational and/or one social event per month. The Executive may alter this schedule as circumstances permit to best align with section “II. PURPOSE” and to account for periods when organisational capacity has been extended
  2. To continue our annual Ernie Abbott Memorial Lecture (March/April).
  3. To hold a general members’ meeting approximately six months after the AGM for the Executive to report back to the membership and allow members to have input into future Society activities.
  4. To maintain our assets, digital and physical.
  5. To contribute to the maintenance of the “New Zealand Federation of Socialist Societies”.

VII. NATIONAL AFFILIATION:

The Wellington Socialist Society is a participating member in the New Zealand Federation of Socialist Societies. As such we contribute to the life and maintenance of that body as appropriate and provide support to fraternal affiliated societies.