7.3 Authority and Function

The union's authority (the internal governance): the constitution's government (the members' sovereignty — the general meetings; the elections); the office bearers' terms-and-roles (the president, the secretary, the treasurer — the duties-and-limits); the funds' management (the subscriptions' collection; the accounts-and-audit; the lawful expenditure's discipline); the federations' affiliation (the higher bodies' relation — below). The union's functions: The economic function: the collective bargaining (the terms' negotiation — Unit 5); the grievances' handling (the individual members' representation); the benefits' advancement (the welfare's negotiation); The dispute function: the industrial disputes' conduct (the conciliation's participation; the strike's lawful organisation); The representation function: the labour Court's-and-offices' representation (the members' causes); the committees' seats (the bipartite-and-tripartite bodies — Unit 8); The political-and-social function: the labour policy's advocacy (the legislation's consultation); the education-and-organisation (the workers' literacy — the union's school); The service function: the members' welfare services (the mutual aids; the training).