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Regrettably, Covid cases are again on the rise as we approach Congress. We recommend that you wear protective masks whenever possible during your travel, whether on airplanes or trains and in airports and train stations. If you have any cold or flu-like symptoms, you should self-test for a few days, as one can test negative when symptoms start before testing positive. It would be good to self-test prior to flying and possibly re-consider travelling in case of a positive test.

PSI will provide masks, hand gel and self-tests at Congress. Anyone who tests positive is invited to inform the Congress reception desk and to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and others.

Looking forward to seeing you all healthy and well in Geneva shortly.

There is a busy schedule of meetings in Geneva, starting with sectoral and thematic pre-meetings from 12-14 October. Because room capacity is limited, only people who have pre-registered will be able to attend these meetings. We apologise if we must refuse access to other Congress participants.

The regional executive committees, the Women’s Committee and the Executive Board meetings will be held 13-14 October. Please note that these meetings are intended for regular Committee/Board members only – they are not open to all participants.

The main Congress agenda will begin on 14 October at 17:00 with the official opening of Congress, and will continue until its closure in the afternoon of 18 October.

All participants to Congress and pre-Congress events - delegates, observers and visitors (including any family members who will enter Palexpo and/or attend evening receptions) must register on-site and obtain their official participant badge before Congress starts.

Registration will take place inside entrance 1 of the Palexpo Convention Centre from 08h00 on Thursday 12 October thru to 18h30 on Saturday 14 October.   Participants arriving after 18h30 on 14 October will be able to register and retrieve their badge up until the closing of Congress, but they  will not be taken into account by the Credentials Committee in producing the credentials report.

Participants should present themselves at the registration desk as soon as possible after their arrival to ensure that they receive their badge, which may be used for controlling access to areas of the venue throughout the Congress week. Where multiple members of a delegation arrive at the same time, you are invited to send just one member of the delegation, ideally the Head of Delegation (or a nominated person), to register all people in your delegation and then distribute badges and voting cards to them. The ballot forms which may be needed in case of a membership vote will only be given to the Head of Delegation.  Details of voting materials are provided in the accompanying document: “Voting at Congress”.

Family or related persons are welcome to attend social events, on condition that their name has been registered with PSI as accompanying a Congress participant and that they have a badge. If in doubt, please contact the Registration Desk on-site.

Please contact the information desk in the reception area if you need assistance during Congress with:

• Meeting rooms
• First aid
• Telephone access
• Any other services

You can also contact your regional or sub-regional secretary.

Geneva Tourism will also provide information and brochures in the reception area during the Congress.

Will be distributed after you have registered, and on presentation of your name badge.

No printed documents will be available at Congress. If you require paper copies, please print them yourself using this link. All Congress documents will be provided at Congress on a USB key, and can also be accessed from the website and the Congress App.

Delegates and observers from the same union will sit together as one delegation. Unions will be seated by (sub)-regions, as much as possible.

The seating plan will be published shortly before the opening of Congress and be clearly displayed. This plan will accommodate the many participants and the particular layout of the meeting venue.

Each delegation is led by its head of delegation.

If the affiliate is represented by only one delegate, that person is automatically head of delegation.

The head of delegation has the same rights and entitlements as a delegate.

In case of a membership vote, it is only the head of delegation who casts the union's ballots.

Have the right to vote on each motion presented.

They will do this by show of hands with their delegate’s card. They will receive this card at registration.

The following is a simple guide to attendees at PSI's Congress on how voting will work. For a definitive interpretation please consult the Constitution and Standing Orders.

Congress is the highest decision-making body of Public Services International. It represents PSI’s affiliated unions from all over the globe in proportion to the number of workers each union declares as a member to PSI.

The number of delegates is calculated based on the number of members that unions affiliate to PSI. Some unions are offered financial support to ensure they can send a delegate to Congress. Unions unable to send a delegate are allowed to nominate another union in their sub-region as their proxy. These measures seek to ensure a fair and balanced representation of all affiliates.

How do delegates vote at Congress?

Everyone at Congress is issued with a badge which grants them access to the Congress hall. These should be worn at all times to ensure the security and integrity of the event. Delegates’ badges are red. These credentials double as a voting card. Only delegates may vote. When the Chair of the Congress calls a vote, they will ask to see all those in favour, then against and then abstentions. Delegates should raise their badge high in the air at the appropriate time, corresponding to whether they wish to support, oppose or abstain on a vote. This procedure is known as a hand vote. Delegates must be in the hall at the time of the vote for their vote to be counted. If a delegate is physically unable to raise their badge, they should speak to their head of delegation or a member of PSI staff so that accommodations can be made.

When are votes taken?

Votes on resolutions are taken throughout the Congress. A resolution will be debated and voted on at the end of the debate, as per the agenda. First, votes will be taken on any amendments to the resolution, then a vote on the resolution as a whole will be taken, as amended or not.

Where it has been determined that two resolutions on the same subject conflict, one resolution (the substantive resolution) will be debated and voted upon first. If this passes, then the second resolution (the alternate resolution) will automatically fall. If the substantive resolution falls, then a vote will be taken on the alternate resolution.

Where an amendment to a resolution is supported by the mover of the resolution, and by the Executive Board and no one speaks in opposition, the amendment will be incorporated into the resolution and no vote will be taken unless somebody calls for one.

The Programme of Action (PoA) will be adopted as a whole at the end of Congress. It will be debated section by section, with debate on amendments to each section as per the agenda. Where no opposition is voiced to an amendment, and it is supported by the EB, it will be considered incorporated without a vote unless someone calls for one. Where votes are taken, it will be done immediately after the amendment is debated before moving to the next item of the agenda.

Affiliate resolutions and associated amendments will be debated, and voted on, in the order listed.

How are votes counted?

Where the result of the vote is clear to the Chair, they will declare the result from the podium. If the Chair determines that a count is required, they will ask tellers, who will be stationed around the hall, to count the cards raised for each response: for, against, and abstentions. These tellers are elected at the beginning of Congress. Delegates may be asked to raise their hands a second or third time to ensure a correct count. The tellers will tally the votes and report these back to the Chair who will announce the result of the vote to Congress.

What is a membership vote and how does it take place?

A membership vote is a count of the exact number of members that each union affiliates to PSI. It is more time-consuming, but more representative of each affiliate’s relative size. According to the constitution, affiliates from at least four countries must request a membership vote on a resolution, amendment or constitutional amendment before hand voting begins. Heads of delegation should approach the chair or someone else at the top table well in advance of the start of voting to make their union’s desire for a membership vote known, or signal loudly from the floor.

Once requested, a motion for a membership vote will be put to the Congress floor, which must approve or reject the request by a hand vote with a simple majority. If approved, the Chair will proceed with the membership vote. Heads of delegation receive ballot papers for a membership vote in their Congress packs. These are pre-printed with the name and the paid-up membership of the union. The head of delegation should fill in the number of the resolution, amendment or constitutional change being voted upon and whether the union votes for, against or abstains.

The completed ballot should be handed to one of the tellers who will make themselves known around the hall. Any delegate holding a proxy vote for another union will also have been provided with ballot papers. The proxy should vote in line with the instructions received from the union they are representing and follow the same practical procedure outlined above. The tellers will then count and tally all the votes. The Chair will then announce the result to Congress.

How many votes are needed for motions, amendments and changes to the constitution to pass?

Resolutions or amendments to resolutions pass if a simple majority votes in favour, that is to say: half of the votes cast plus one, disregarding abstentions. They fall if a simple majority votes against. This applies to hand votes, on the basis of number of delegates, and to membership votes, according to the number of affiliated members.

Constitutional changes require a two-thirds majority of paid-up membership to PSI, as represented at Congress, to pass. “Represented at Congress” means all delegations credentialed as per the adopted report of the credentials committee.

The Chair may take a hand vote of all amendments to the Constitution as a single block, unless a membership vote is requested and approved by the Congress, in line with the procedure above. If this happens, two-thirds of the membership represented at Congress is required for the amendment to pass.

Please note that this means that all absences or abstentions in votes on the constitution will effectively be votes against. As such, we strongly urge all delegates to ensure their attendance at the session that deals with Constitutional matters.

If you have any questions, please contact your Regional Secretary, or approach the Speakers’ table once Congress has begun.

All Congress proceedings are ruled by Congress standing orders. Draft standing orders proposed by the standing orders committee (SOC) will be adopted by Congress at its first session and become final once adopted.

The SOC is mandated with the task of overseeing Congress proceedings. Any substantive changes to the order of business will be dealt with by the SOC which meets daily at close of Congress.

All delegates have the right to speak at Congress.

They need to follow certain rules in order to take the floor: these rules are specified in the Congress standing orders. They have to fill in a request to speak form and hand it to the speakers table prior to the lunch break for those requesting to speak in the afternoon sessions, and prior to the end of the day for those requesting to speak in the following morning sessions. The request to speak form will be available prior to Congress at the registration desk and can be obtained from the speakers’ table once Congress opens.

Affiliates who are moving resolutions or amendments must present their proposals in plenary and are encouraged to give the secretariat as soon as possible details of the delegate who will be speaking. Contact Speakrequest@world-psi.org

Speaking times for each session are determined by the standing orders. More details: standing orders, paragraph 4.3.

The Standing Orders Committee has confirmed the PSI practice of requiring speakers to use the Request to Speak form. This form will allow us to better balance the gender and region of speakers. As well, the form will help us ensure balance between those speaking in favour or against motions and to order debate.

1. At the top of the form, we request you indicate your name, your gender, your union and your country.
2. Then, we request you indicate whether you have a mandate to speak on behalf of your region or regional committee; your constituency or subregion; your union, or other PSI bodies.
3. Finally, you will be asked on which agenda item you wish to speak. For the more than 40 resolutions and 37 amendments, we will ask whether you speak in favour or against. This is to enable us to manage the speakers for and against during the debates that will lead up to votes.

You must submit one form for each time you wish to speak. You are required to submit your forms at the latest by the end of the half day before the session in which you wish to speak.

Request to speak forms are available at the Speakers Desk on both floors and at the information desk out front

Observers are official members of their delegation but do not have a right to vote. They may exceptionally speak on behalf of a delegate and with the approval of the head of delegation (see rules on speaking at Congress).

Congress will deal with formal motions and offer a large forum for debate and exchange.

The formal motions submitted to Congress for discussion and approval have been subject to a wide consultation process in the regions and sub regions in early 2023. They are:

• EB Resolution No. 1: PSI Programme of Action 2023-2028 and related Affiliate Amendments.
• EB Resolution No. 2: Revised PSI Constitution and related Affiliate Amendments.
• Affiliate and EB Resolutions No. 3-43 and related Affiliate Amendments
• Any Emergency Resolutions which may be submitted to Congress

The forum for debate will focus on a variety of public sector issues. These issues will be introduced by expert speakers during nine interactive panel sessions and allow for a general debate.

In sessions following the panels, PSI leaders will introduce the various resolutions that pertain to the subject matter. The resolutions will be debated and voted upon.

Emergency resolutions can only be submitted under exceptional circumstances and are spelled out in constitution appendix 4 resolutions.

Congress will elect the PSI President and the PSI General Secretary for the next mandate 2023-2028. Any necessary voting materials for the elections will be distributed to the heads of delegations.

Preamble and statement of principles

Solidarity is the foundation of our movement. Any conduct which undermines that solidarity undermines the dignity of our comrades and our unity of purpose. Violence and harassment contradict the values of equality and justice that we seek.

PSI is committed to respecting the dignity and integrity of each person. We condemn any form of violence and harassment, including actions and behaviour based on gender, race, ethnicity, caste or national origin, immigration status, colour, religion, political belief, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or sex characteristics, appearance, social condition or economic background, education or profession, or family status. We recognise that these identities and characteristics may be intersectional.

Guidelines

These guidelines aim to foster a safe environment, prevent unacceptable acts and behaviour, and establish a process to respond to incidents of violence and harassment.

We expect officers, executive board members, delegates, observers, guests, staff, their companions, Palexpo staff, contracted suppliers and service providers participating in all Congress-related events and activities to respect these standards of behaviour, including online and on social media.

What is violence and harassment?

These guidelines are informed by the International Labour Organisation Convention 190 and Recommendation 206, which define violence and harassment as “a range of unacceptable behaviours and practices, or threats thereof, whether a single occurrence or repeated, that aims at, result in, or are likely to result in physical, psychological, sexual, or economic harm, and includes gender-based violence and harassment”. Gender-based violence and harassment is directed at persons because of their sex or gender or affects persons of a particular sex or gender disproportionately and includes sexual harassment.

Prevention

PSI will provide each Congress participant with this policy and post it in Congress venues. These guidelines will also be provided to Palexpo staff, contracted suppliers and service providers. The statement of principles (above) will be read aloud at the opening of Congress. PSI strongly encourages Congress participants to embrace These guidelines and take responsibility for promoting and maintaining an environment free of violence and harassment.

Complaint process

1. Any Congress participant may make a complaint in confidence by speaking to a designated Congress ombudsperson, emailing VHC@world-psi.org, calling the 24-hour WhatsApp emergency line +33 617462560, or submitting a written, sealed letter to the on-site Congress office marked “Attention: VHC”. Anonymous complaints cannot be considered.
   Complaints should include the facts of the incident(s), including the complainant’s name and contact information, the respondent’s name, the date(s), time(s), and location(s) of the alleged incidents, and the names of any witnesses.
2. Complaints will be referred to an ad hoc investigation committee (the VCH committee) of five persons appointed by the Standing Orders Committee (SOC). Members of the VCH committee will be disinterested persons with no prior knowledge of the alleged incident(s) or relationship with the complainant(s) or respondent(s).
3. The VCH committee will investigate the complaint, observing the principles of confidentiality, due process and natural justice, procedural transparency, the protection of whistleblowers, including complainants and witnesses, timely resolution, and the safety and psychosocial well-being of those involved. The committee will take steps to prevent the re-victimisation of complainants.
4. The VCH may recommend to the SOC, or the SOC may initiate appropriate interim precautionary or mitigating measures to ensure a safe environment.
5. Both the complainant(s) and the respondent(s) may designate an advocate for support and to make representations to the VHC.
6. The VHC will make recommendations to resolve the complaint to the SOC.
7. The SOC will determine the appropriate remedies or sanctions, including a verbal or written reprimand, an immediate suspension from participation in Congress, prohibition of participation in future PSI activities, and other measures.
8. Depending on the gravity of the complaint and the parties' attitudes, the SOC may facilitate proportionate remedial education and prevention measures.
9. In the case of unacceptable conduct by a Palexpo employee, a contracted supplier or service provider, the PSI Secretariat will assist the SOC to pursue appropriate remedies.
10. If appropriate, alleged criminal acts may be referred to the proper authorities. 
11. Complainants and witnesses will be protected from retaliation.
12. The resolution determined by the SOC is considered binding and final.

Background

The PSI Constitution (Annex 4: Resolutions) states that all motions submitted by affiliated organisations must be received by the General Secretary seven months before the beginning of Congress. Amendments must be received four months before Congress. Secretariat then sends these resolutions and amendments to all affiliates two months prior to Congress to allow affiliates enough time to consider them. Executive Board (EB) is not bound by these deadlines and can follow a timeframe of its choice for core resolutions.

The PSI Constitution (Annex 4: Resolutions) states that emergency motions may be submitted on matters on which developments have arisen after the deadline for submitting proposals for resolutions. Such motions/ resolutions shall be admitted for discussion and vote only if one Regional Executive Committee or more than half of delegates are in favour of their admission.

During Congress, the Standing Orders Committee is responsible for dealing with such Emergency Resolutions. The current Standing Orders state:

• No additional motions, resolutions, amendments, or any other business shall be added to the agenda or admitted during Congress, with the exception of emergency resolutions, which shall be confined to matters on which new developments have arisen after the closing date for the receipt of resolutions, in accordance with Constitution Annex 4: Resolutions (f).
• Such resolutions shall, in the first instance, be referred to the SOC, which will produce a report to Congress that includes recommendations as to whether the resolution is in order, how the resolution shall be debated, and any related matters that the SOC sees fit.

In producing its report SOC will recommend to Congress whether emergency resolutions should be included in the agenda for debate by Congress.

Guidelines to Affiliates

To assist affiliates in considering whether to submit emergency resolutions, SOC issues the following advice:

• No additional motions, resolutions, amendments or any other business shall be added to the agenda or admitted during Congress.
• The only exception is emergency resolutions, which shall be confined to matters on which new developments have arisen after the constitutional closing dates.
• Such resolutions shall, in the first instance, be referred to the SOC.
• Such resolutions shall only be admitted for discussion and vote if one Regional Executive Committee or more than half of delegates are in favour of their admission.
• In considering emergency resolutions SOC will consider all relevant circumstances including, but not limited to, the impact on the Congress agenda, the amount of business that remains, the possibility to instead refer the resolution to EB, and other relevant factors.
• SOC will not entertain resolutions that could have been submitted on time but have artificially been connected to a new development for the purpose of submission as an emergency resolution.
• SOC will take a poor view of emergency resolutions that cover areas of PSI activity and policy already covered by the Programme of Action (PoA) and previous affiliate resolutions and/ or do not bring significant new perspectives to Congress.
• If other business is more pressing, then SOC may recommend against emergency resolutions even if they meet the criteria.
• SOC shall take a firm position in implementing these rules.

Affiliates are advised that speaking times are outlined in the Standing Orders. These speaking times are provisional and may be revised by the Standing Orders Committee (SOC) prior to, or during, Congress to facilitate the conduct of Congress. Changes to speaking times will be advised as soon as possible. The Chair of any session may also change the speaking times during the session to facilitate the orderly conduct of the session.

To speak during a debate, delegates and observers must submit a speakers form to the speakers’ table (that will be at the front of the hall). Speakers’ forms will be available at the speakers’ table. Speakers’ forms must be provided to the speakers’ table prior to the lunch break for those requesting to speak in the afternoon sessions, and prior to the end of the day for those requesting to speak in the following morning sessions.

Speakers are advised that the Chair, in consultation with the speakers’ table, will order the speakers in the debate. Delegates and observers are not guaranteed to be able to speak if time, or other considerations, do not allow.

In general, when ordering speakers, the Chair will follow the order of debate as outlined in the Order of Business and the Standing Orders, and take the following into account:

• correct provision of details on the speakers form;
• gender balance;
• regional balance;
• young workers participation;
• number of previous speakers from the affiliate or country;
• general principles of inclusion and any other relevant factors.

Please note that speakers who wish to speak in a language other than that provided for by the Congress interpreters may approach the speakers’ table to discuss arrangements, and generally will be able to do so if they provide an English written copy of their comments (which will be read by the interpreters) prior to the commencement of the session in which they wish to speak.

Updated 21 July 2023

(Affiliates are advised that SOC and EB will meet in the days prior to Congress and may make final revisions to these Standing Orders, for example to the speaking times)

1. CONGRESS COMPOSITION AND DUTIES

1.1 Congress shall be composed of:

• Delegates with the right to vote representing affiliated unions with paid-up membership in accordance with Constitution Article 6.5 and 6.6. The entitlement to the number of delegates and the voting strength shall be calculated on their averaged paid-up membership over the years since the previous Congress or since their affiliation to PSI (for unions who have affiliated since the last Congress).
• PSI President and General Secretary.
• EPSU President and General Secretary.
• Observers from affiliated unions in accordance with Constitution Annex 4, Participation at Congress (b) and (c); and from non-affiliated organisations at the invitation of the Executive Board.

1.2 The following individuals shall be able to participate in Congress:

• Invited guests who may address Congress at the invitation of the President.
• Secretariat of the Congress, including interpreters and other personnel necessary for the conduct of Congress business.
• Individuals invited to participate only in specified sessions of the Congress agenda.

1.3 The PSI President chairs Congress and shall be assisted by one or more Vice-Chairs, to be elected at the opening of Congress, who shall deputise for the President at their discretion and during the election of the President.

1.4 The General Secretary of PSI shall be the Secretary General of Congress and shall appoint members of the Secretariat and other persons as are necessary for the conduct of Congress.

1.5 Where a delegate has the right to speak, they may allocate that right to an accredited observer from the same delegation, with the consent of the Head of the Delegation.

2. CONGRESS AGENDA

2.1 The Executive Board shall appoint a Standing Orders Committee (SOC) which shall consist of one member from each of the official language groups and one from each of the regions of Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Arab countries and the Inter-Americas; one representative of the Women’s Committee and one Young Workers’ representative. The General Secretary shall appoint the Secretary of the Committee. Congress shall be invited to ratify the composition of the Committee.

The Committee shall examine and report to Congress on the validity of all resolutions and amendments to resolutions proposed by affiliated organisations and the Executive Board. It shall prepare composite resolutions or link and associate resolutions, where more than one resolution has been submitted on the same subject, and shall recommend an Order of Business and time limits for speakers.

2.2. Congress shall be invited during the first working session to adopt the final report of the SOC and the definitive agenda and Order of Business.
No additional motions, resolutions, amendments or any other business shall be added to the Agenda or admitted during Congress, with the exception of emergency resolutions, which shall be confined to matters on which new developments have arisen after the closing date for the receipt of resolutions, in accordance with Constitution Annex 4, Resolutions (f). Such resolutions shall, in the first instance, be referred to the SOC, which will produce a report to Congress that includes recommendations as to whether the resolution is in order, how the resolution shall be debated, and any related matters SOC sees fit.

3. CONGRESS VOTING

3.1 The Executive Board shall appoint a Credentials Committee from Congress delegates, which shall consist of one member from each PSI region and the Chairperson. The General Secretary shall appoint the Secretary of the Committee. Congress shall be invited to ratify the composition of the Committee.

The Committee shall examine and report to Congress on the credentials and voting strength of all delegations, based on their averaged paid-up membership for 2018-2023 inclusive (or from the date of their affiliation, for unions which have affiliated since the last Congress). The cut-off date for receipt of payments is 13 August 2023. Subject to Annex 4 Congress Credentials Committee (c), payments made after this date will NOT be taken into account for calculating delegation and voting entitlements.

3.2 Tellers shall be elected by Congress from observers of affiliated organisations to ascertain the number of votes cast, in accordance with the Constitution.

VOTING PROCEDURE

3.3 Only delegates shall have the right to vote.

3.4 In both voting by show of hands, and membership voting, a simple majority of votes cast (i.e. half plus one of the valid votes cast, disregarding abstentions) shall decide the issue, except in the case of constitutional change or dissolution of PSI.

3.5 Show of hands Vote: Voting at Congress shall normally be by a show of hands with the delegates identification card (or any electronic means).

3.6 Membership Vote: If any affiliates from at least four different countries request, before voting begins, a membership vote, the Congress Chair shall put the motion for a membership vote to congress by determination by a show of hands. If the motion to conduct a membership vote is carried then a membership vote shall take place at the conclusion of the debate.

3.7 When conducting a membership vote, each Head of Delegation casts all the votes of the organisation, with strength equal to the average paid-up membership of the affiliate over the years since the previous congress or since they affiliated to PSI (for unions who have affiliates since last congress) as per Article 6.5 of the Constitution, and as determined by the credentials committee.

3.8 Secret Ballot: If, before any vote is called, a delegate proposes that a secret ballot be taken and is supported by five delegates from five different countries, the Congress Chair shall put the motion for a secret ballot to Congress for determination by a show of hands. If this motion is carried, a secret ballot shall be held at the conclusion of the debate.

3.9 Constitutional Change: In accordance with Constitution Article 17, all changes to the Constitution shall require a two-thirds majority of the paid-up membership represented at Congress. Membership represented at Congress are those delegations credentialed by the Credentials Committee.

3.10 In accordance with Constitution Article 17.2, the Congress Chair may submit the block of constitutional amendments to a hand vote.

3.11 In accordance with article 17.3 if at least four affiliates from different countries and representing all four PSI regions call for a membership vote on any of the individual proposed amendments, the Congress Chair shall put the motion for such a membership vote to Congress, for determination by a simple majority of a show of hands.

3.12 If this motion is carried, a membership vote shall then be held on the identified individual proposed amendments but the remaining block of amendments, if declared by the Congress Chair to be approved by a two-thirds majority of those affiliates represented at Congress, shall be considered carried by a show of hands.

3.13 Election of President and General Secretary: In accordance with PSI Constitution Articles 6.9, 9.1, and 10.1, the President and General Secretary shall be elected by the Congress. In order to secure a simple majority for the successful candidate, the following procedure shall apply:

• Where more than one nomination has been received for a position, the Secretariat shall provide two ballot forms per election, including a unique ID, voting entitlements and the names of all nominated candidates. These will be issued to heads of delegation, or the appointed proxy of an absent member, to cast its votes on the basis of average paid-up membership since the previous Congress, including Congress year, or since affiliation.
• Each affiliated union shall clearly mark X against the name of the candidate of its choice and shall place its ballot paper in a box provided by the Tellers.
• Any mark, other than a cross next to the name of one candidate, disqualifies the vote. No abstention vote is receivable.
• The ballot papers shall be counted by the Tellers who will communicate the result to the Election Officers and arrange for the ballot papers to be destroyed 48 hours after the end of Congress.
• During the election of the President and General Secretary, the Election Officers shall announce the result of the vote. If no candidate has secured at least half of the votes cast plus one, a second ballot shall be held between the two candidates who received the highest number of votes in the first ballot.
• The candidate who receives at least half of the votes cast plus one on either the first or second ballot shall be declared elected.
• The details of voting by individual unions shall remain secret and shall not be published.
• Votes cast shall only be considered valid by the Tellers if the official voting papers issued by the General Secretary are used, and clearly marked. Tellers shall report on the number of spoiled votes.
• The tellers shall operate under the supervision of the Election Officer(s) for all elections. The Tellers shall operate under the supervision of the Chair of Congress for all other congress business.

4. ADDRESSING CONGRESS

4.1 Requests to speak shall be handed in writing to the Congress Chair (or the Congress Chair’s nominee) indicating the name of the delegate, the organisation and country represented and the subject or agenda item on which the delegate wishes to speak. Speakers’ forms must be provided to the Congress Chair (or the Congress Chair’s nominee) prior to the lunch break for those requesting to speak in the afternoon sessions, and prior to the end of the day for those requesting to speak in the following morning sessions.

4.2 The President and the General Secretary have the right to speak at any time.

4.3 The Congress Chair may fix a time limit on speeches. In the absence of a contrary decision by the Congress Chair, the following time limits will apply:

• 5 minutes - Introduction of a section of the Programme of Action (PoA);
• 3 minutes – Moving a resolution or amendment;
• 3 minutes – Moving or responding to a procedural motion;
• 3 minutes – Right of reply;
• 2 minutes – All other speakers.

4.3.1 Affiliates who have withdrawn resolutions in favour of incorporation into the POA or another resolution, and have been offered the right to speak in support of their changes, will get 3 minutes.

4.3.2 Extensions to speaking times, whilst possible, will not normally be entertained by the Congress Chair.

4.4 Full interpretation at Congress shall be provided in: Arabic, English, Finnish, French, Korean, Portuguese, German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish, and any other language the Executive Board may decide. Delegates who are unable to speak in one of the official languages may speak in their native tongue, provided that interpretation can be provided either by the speaker or the Secretariat.

4.5 Questions of adjournment of discussion, adjournment of session, suspension of Standing Orders, motion to take a vote, appeal to Congress on the ruling of the Congress Chair and motions concerning procedure or Order of Business (other than those covered elsewhere in the Constitution or Standing Orders: for example in Constitution Annex 4 Voting, or Standing Orders 3.3(b) above) may be moved orally by a delegate, but must be seconded by at least four other delegates rising from their seats and shall take precedence over all other business. The Congress Chair may allow the mover to address Congress and one other delegate to speak against the motion and then shall put the motion to a vote.

4.6 When the Congress Chair intends to close the list of speakers, they shall inform the Congress of those delegates who remain on the list to speak. The Congress Chair may, at any time, reduce the speaking time of remaining speakers or propose to Congress that the debate end and the resolution be put to a vote. At the close of discussion, the mover or rapporteur of the subject under discussion shall have the right of reply to the debate, unless there are no speakers in opposition, in which case no right of reply will be given.

4.7 Proposed amendments supported by the mover of the resolution will be debated as part of the resolution. In such cases, unless a speaker opposes, the amendment will be considered incorporated into the resolution and not voted on separately to the resolution. In such cases, the mover of the amendment will have the right to speak in favour of the amendment immediately after the mover of the resolution.

4.8 The Congress Chair shall, subject to the provisions of the Constitution and these Standing Orders, direct the Proceedings of Congress. Their ruling shall be final, unless an appeal is made to Congress and such an appeal is upheld by a two-thirds majority of votes cast.

5. CONGRESS RESOLUTIONS

5.1 Proposed resolutions to Congress will be handled in the following manner:

• Prior to Congress, the Standing Orders Committee (SOC) will have decided on the validity of all proposed Congress resolutions and amendments. These will have been sent to all affiliates two months before Congress.
• The SOC at its last session before Congress (most likely 13th October) will prepare the transmission of the resolutions and amendments to the Executive Board with a recommendation on how Congress should respond to each of these: usually “Accept”, “Reject”, or “Refer to the incoming Executive Board for further discussion”.
• The Executive Board, at its last meeting prior to Congress (14th October), will have been presented with a list of all resolutions and amendments accepted onto the Congress agenda and the respective SOC recommendations. The Executive Board will endorse or amend these recommendations. Any relevant statements/changes relating to specific resolutions/ amendments will be made available to all delegates at registration, if possible, or at the beginning of Congress.
• All motions, resolutions and amendments deemed in order by the SOC or Executive Board, shall be deemed to have been duly moved and seconded and will therefore not require formal moving and seconding by a delegate.
• The Chair of the Standing Orders Committee will announce to Congress on the morning of the first day, immediately after the election of the Committee, that the SOC will hold hearings at a designated time and place, with interpretation.
• Heads of Delegation of any affiliates that had submitted the resolution or amendment and wish to contest a Board recommendation will be able to present their position to the SOC at these hearings, if they have the support of at least one other affiliate.
• At the end of the hearings, the SOC will then prepare its report for Congress and will present for each resolution and amendment, its recommendation on how to respond to submissions from any Heads of Delegations.
  During Congress, the SOC may be commissioned by the President to convene additional sessions.
• The SOC report will constitute a block of recommendations and the Congress Chair may submit the block to a hand vote. If affiliates from at least four different countries call for a separate vote on any of the individual proposed recommendations of the SOC, the Congress Chair shall put the motion to Congress for a separate vote by a show of hands. If this motion is carried, a separate vote shall then be held on the individual proposed recommendation but the remaining block of recommendations, if declared by the Congress Chair to be approved by a majority, shall be considered carried.
• Where both the mover of an amendment to a proposed resolution, and the mover of the proposed resolution subject to amendment, agree that the amendment should be incorporated into the proposed resolution, the SOC may make this recommendation to Congress as part of the block of recommendations.

6. CONFLICTING RESOLUTIONS

6.1 Where two or more proposed resolutions are deemed by the SOC to be mutually incompatible, the SOC will determine that one of the proposed resolutions will be the ‘substantive’ resolution. All other resolutions deemed incompatible with the substantive resolution, will be called ‘alternative resolutions’ and given an order for debate.

6.2 The substantive resolution shall be debated first. When a substantive resolution is carried, all alternative resolutions will be deemed to have automatically lapsed.

6.3 If the substantive resolution is rejected, then the alternative resolution(s) will be debated in the order determined by SOC. If any alternative resolution is carried, then all subsequent alternative resolutions will be deemed to have automatically lapsed.

6.4 The procedure for dealing with conflicting proposed amendments shall be the same as that for dealing with conflicting resolutions as outlined in 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3 above.

6.5 The mover of any alternative resolution or alternative amendment will have the right to speak once in the debate of the substantive resolution/amendment or any other alternative resolutions/ amendments preceding the consideration of that mover’s alternative resolution or amendment. This right is in addition to the mover’s rights associated with the debate of the alternative resolution or amendment.

7. SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS

7.1 The regular Congress rules of order, as outlined in Articles 1 – 6 of these Standing Orders, may be suspended for a specific period of time, by a resolution of Congress, to allow “Congress Workshops”.

7.2 Congress workshop sessions cannot make binding decisions, nor change the PoA, but may suggest priorities and give guidance for its implementation.

7.3 Congress workshops will respect the principles of equal participation and consensus building. Congress workshop sessions may be held in plenary, or smaller groups, to allow for informal discussion by participants on how to implement the Programme of Action (PoA) and strengthen its delivery across PSI’s regions.

7.4 On the request of the SOC or the Congress Chair, Congress may agree workshop sessions on issues other than the PoA, in order to facilitate interaction between the Congress delegates and participants.

7.5 Workshop sessions will be open to all Congress delegates, observers, guests and PSI staff; and others as agreed by Congress. All participants will have equal voice and place in the workshops; there shall be no hierarchy of participation.

7.6 Workshop session proposals concerning the implementation and the priorities of the PoA, will be reported to the SOC to transmit to Congress or to the incoming Executive Board for further discussion and action.