#title Statutes of the Workers Solidarity Initiative (WSI) #author Zeeshan Aman #SORTtopics Pakistan, anarcho-syndicalism #date 4 August 2020 #source Retrieved on 17th May 2021 from [[https://wsipakistan.pk/en/statutes/][wsipakistan.pk]] #lang en #pubdate 2021-05-17T16:35:50 #notes Workers Solidarity Initiative was founded on 22 May 2020 with the aim of establishing a section of the International Workers Association in Pakistan. WSI is an initiative of the Asia-Pacific Sub-Secretariat of the IWA۔ The Workers Solidarity Initiative is a libertarian workers movement organised according to anarcho-syndicalist principles. We aim to create a society based on liberty, mutual aid, federalism and self-management. WSI believes the working class and the employing class have nothing in common. Between these two classes a struggle must go on until the workers of the world organise as a class, take possession of the earth and the machinery of production, abolish the wage system and replace the government of people with the administration of things. In the present, we take an active part in the struggle for worker solidarity, shorter hours, immediate wage increases and improved working conditions. And we actively oppose all attacks on workers such as conscription of labour, strike breaking, drives for increased production and longer working hours, wage cuts, unemployment or any other actions harmful to the health and well-being of working people and their communities. WSI wants worker/community self-education for complete self-management of production, distribution, social organisation and preservation of a healthy ecological environment. This will come about by worker/community expropriation of wealth and the creation of alternative economic systems. WSI is opposed to all economic and social monopoly. We do not seek the conquest of political power, but rather the total abolition of all state functions in the life of society. Hence we reject all parliamentary activity and other collaboration with legislative bodies. We believe in fighting organisations in the workplace and community, independent of, and opposed to all political parties and Trade Union bureaucracies. Our means of struggle include education and direct action. To ensure the full participation of all in both current struggle and the future self-management of society, we oppose centralism in our organisations. We organise on the basis of Libertarian Federalism that is from the bottom up without any hierarchy and with full freedom of initiative by both local and regional groups. All co-ordinating bodies of the Federation consist of recallable delegates with specific tasks determined by local assemblies. WSI sees the world as our country, humanity as our family. We reject all political and national frontiers and aim to unmask the arbitrary violence of all governments. WSI oppose all attitudes and assumptions that are harmful and injurious to working class solidarity. We oppose all ideologies and institutions that stand in the way of equality and the right of people everywhere to control their own lives and their environment. *** 1. NAME This organisation shall be known as the Workers Solidarity Initiative. *** 2. MEMBERSHIP 2.1 Membership of the WSF affiliates shall be open to all workers, employed or not. 2.2 No member of an WSF affiliate shall be: 2.2.a A paid official of a trade union or a craft union, or an office-bearer of a political party or religious organisation. 2.2.b Someone who has powers of hiring and firing in their occupation. 2.3 All new members in agreement with the Aims and Principles and who agree to abide by the Statutes of the WSI, join by paying dues to the Treasurer. 2.4 All members shall have an equal voice and an equal part in decision-making. 2.5 All decisions are made after full debate by all members meeting in the duly constituted assembly of their affiliate. 2.6 No office to have any executive powers. All delegated and other offices to be elected and recallable at any time. The maximum term of tenure for all office shall be one year. Maximum of two terms to be served consecutively. *** 3. OFFICES **** A. SECRETARY 3.A.1 A member will elected by the assembly to fulfil the function of Secretary. 3.A.2 The responsibilities of the Office of Secretary shall include; 3.A.2.a All correspondance of the WSI 3.A.2.b The recording of the minutes of the meetong of the assembly. 3.A.2.c The preparation of reports as required. **** B. TREASURER 3.B.1 A member will elected by the assembly to fulfil the function of Treasurer. 3.B.2 The responsibilities of the Treasurer shall include; 3.B.2.a The collection of dues 3.B.2.b The maintenance of financial accounts. 3.B.2.c The preparation of the annual financial report or any other reports as required. **** C. THE COMBINATION OF OFFICES 3.C.1 The offices of Secretary and Treasuer may be combined where necessary. 3.C.2 The combination of offices shall end when it is possible to do so. *** 4. FINANCES 5.1 All members shall pay monthly or annual dues. Dues for unwaged or low income members shall be set at a lower rate. The Dues rate to be set by WSI meeting in assembly. 5.2 The WSI meeting in assembly may exempt persons in special need from paying their dues wholly or in part. 5.3 Members are considered financila if they have paid their dues by the agreed date. 5.4 Members in arrears will be considered non-financial. Non-financial members will not be eligible for any offices or mandated functions. 5.5 Members shall be considered lapsed if they are in arrears for a period longer than 12 months. *** 6. PUBLICATIONS 6.1 The WSI shall maintain a website. The WSI Secretary shall be responsible for its maintenance. 6.2 The WSI Secretary shall be responsible for any social media platforms. The WSI Secretary may delegate responsibility for one or more social media paltforms to other members by decision of meeting in assembly. 6.3 All WSI publications shall clearly state they are published by the WSI. *** 7. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 7.1 The WSI shall apply to the IWA to affiliate to the IWA as a Friends Group 7.2 Upon the founding of another organisation with which the WSI can federate, the WSI will convert to the WSF and apply to the affiliate to the IWA as the Pakistan section of the IWA. 7.3 The WSI will not enter into relations with organisations deemed by the IWA to be hostile to it. 7.4 The WSI will do all it can to promote anarcho-syndicalism and the IWA within our immediate region of Asia and the Pacific.