LEARNING OUTCOME 1

CONCEPTS AND PROCESS INVOLVED IN PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES

Democracy Processes in Coops: Meetings and Assemblies

2nd Coop Principle: Democratic Member Control Cooperatives are democratic organizations that are controlled by their members who actively participate in setting their policies and making decisions. Men and women as serving elected representative, directors or officers are accountable to membership. In primary cooperatives, members have equal voting rights of one member, one vote. Cooperative at other levels is organized in the same democratic manner. 1. These coop principles introduce to practice freedom of coop members upon different areas.

2.

Focusing on meetings and assemblies, members are given privilege to exercise their right upon;

1.

Choosing a leader

Every member who are a regular member and/or at a good standing is entitle to vote and to be voted upon, provided that every member can only represent one vote.

2.

Expressing their opinion

On a coop meeting, members have the right to express their whereabouts on a certain issue. They can raise their question, violent reaction, suggestion which can be either objective or subjective.

3.

Having inspection (regarding the book of accounts) which is supported by the law, RA 9520 article 52.

At this point a member can have ready and accessible documents which can be inspected during reasonable office hours such as: (a) code, (b) regulation, (c) articles of cooperation, (d) list of members, (e) minutes of meetings, (f)share books, (g)financial statements and (h) other documents. SOURCES: 1. R.A. 9520 Philippine Cooperative Code (2008)

What is parliamentary procedure?

According to Roberts Rules of Order, parliamentaryprocedure is based on theconsideration of the rights: of the majority, of the minority(especially a large minoritygreater than one-third), of individual members, of absentee members, of all of these groups taken together."The application of parliamentary law is the bestmethod yet devised to enableassemblies of any size, withdue regard for everymembers opinion, to arrive atthe general will on themaximum number of questions of varyingcomplexity in a minimumamount of time and under allkinds of internal climateranging from total harmony tohardened or impassioneddivision of opinion." Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised [RONR (10th ed.), Introduction, p. xlviii] Parliamentaryprocedure refers to the laws which govern the way parliamentary affairs are conducted in a parliamentary democracy. The manner in which Bills are discussed and introduced in parliament and the manner in which representatives conduct themselves comes under parliamentaryprocedure. Generally accepted rules, precedents, and practices used in the governance of deliberative assemblies. They are intended to maintain decorum, ascertain the will of the majority, preserve the rights of the minority, and facilitate the orderly transaction of business. Rules of parliamentary procedure originated in Britain in the 16th and 17th centuries and were subsequently adopted by legislatures around the world. Robert's Rules of Order, codified in 1876 by U.S. Gen. Henry M. Robert (18371923) and regularly refined and enlarged, is the standard set of rules used by legislatures in the U.S. Who uses parliamentary procedure? Parliamentary procedure is used by all types of decision-making bodies on a daily basis: school boards, homeowners' associations, city councils, and non-profit boards of directors, for example. Parliamentary procedure also defines what duties people typically have when they are elected the president, secretary, or treasurer of an organization. How to Conduct a Meeting Using Proper Parliamentary Procedure?

Fundamentally, parliamentary procedure defines how groups of people, no matter how formal or informal, can most effectively meet and make decisions in a fair, consistent mannerand make good use of everyone's time. Even a basic background in parliamentary principles can help you and your organization hold more efficient meetings. Procure or create a manual to develop a working format for proper parliamentary procedure. Nearly every formal body has different rules and regulations,

but most tend to derive from Robert's Rules of Order. You can get a copy of this book at your local book store.

Create an agenda. If there is no agenda, it becomes quite difficult to conduct your meeting, and it won't be long before the meeting becomes uncontrollable. An agenda will safeguard you against this. Make sure that your agenda includes a proper placement and time for all items of business to be discussed, and ensure that at the minimum you include a time for reading of the minutes, officer/board member reports, old business, new business, and announcements. Depending on the organization, the person usually responsible for creating an agenda would be the President/Chair, Vice President, Secretary or a specific committee. Devise a "minutes" document. The minutes will contain a brief, but comprehensive review of the immediate previous meeting. This is exceptionally important because without the minutes, people can and will forget what happened at the previous meeting, especially if there is a long period of time that elapsed between the two meetings. Human memory is never perfect. The task of taking the minutes usually devolves upon the Secretary of the organization, but this is not always the rule. Appoint a member to be a parliamentarian, if the chair is not one already. A parliamentarian is a person who is very knowledgeable about your procedures - so make sure that person has a copy of the manual you are using. There will be a time in which questions of procedure will arise, and a parliamentarian will be able to render a solution quickly and effectively if the chair is unable to do so. Make sure that members understand the parliamentary procedure. If everyone that regularly participates or votes on issues does not understand your group's policies, you will find that conducting your meeting will be impossible.

SOURCES: 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. http://www.robertsrules.org/ http://www.scribd.com/doc/37596397/Parliamentary-Procedure http://www.ask.com/web?q=What+Is+the+Definition+of+Parliamentary+Procedu re%3f&o=2565&l=dir&qsrc=3053&rq=on http://www.answers.com/topic/parliamentary-procedure-1 http://www.wikihow.com/Conduct-a-Meeting-Using-Proper-ParliamentaryProcedure

ROBERTS RULE OF ORDER

The term parliamentary law came from the English Parliament where it meant "the rules for carrying on the business of the Parliament." These rules evolved through a continuing process of development and precedent, similar to that of common law. They were brought to America with the early settlers who used them in their own legislative assemblies, and they further evolved. General parliamentary law or common parliamentary law of today has developed out of this legislative tradition. Parliamentary law is used in deliberative assemblies, a term first used by Edmund Burke to refer to the English Parliament. It means a "group of persons meeting to make group decisions, to discuss and to determine a common course of action." Under parliamentary law, a deliberative assembly can adopt any written rules of procedure. It can also add to or deviate from its own rules of procedure. Rules of order refers to a set of written parliamentary rules adopted by the assembly to conduct its business. These can be an existing set of rules especially composed by the assembly. Parliamentary procedure refers to the parliamentary law that a deliberative assembly follows, plus whatever additional rules of order the assembly may adopt for itself. The origin of the English parliament is in the village assemblies of the Anglo-Saxon tribes that migrated to the British Isles in the fifth century A.D. In those days, freemen came together in a village-moot to make bye-lawsfor their village and to administer justice. Other larger deliberative assemblies of the day were the hundred-moot, a kind of district court of appeal, and the folk-moot, a still higher authority for arbitrating disputes. In Anglo-Saxon times, the folk-moot became the Shire-moot, later called the Shire-court. After the Norman Conquest in 1066, the French administration developed a Great Council made up of feudal barons who advised the king. These were not truly democratic organizations because they were under the thumb of a king and a feudal system, but they formed the beginnings of a democratic parliament. In the thirteenth century, the Great Council gradually evolved into the beginnings of the parliament that is known today. The barons who attended the king began to discuss with each other the state of the realm and theking's business. The parliament then began to include representatives of the shires and the boroughs (similar to counties and towns). These representatives were called the commons. Before

long, they were in attendance at every parliament. Parliament was then separated into the House of Commons and the House of Lords. During the next two centuries, procedures in the Parliament developed slowly and eventually were written down and published as part of a larger work by Sir Thomas Smyth in the sixteenth century. The first book about parliamentary procedures was Lex Parliamentaria by G. Petyt; it was a pocket manual prepared for members of parliament. This book enumerated some of the most fundamental principles of parliamentary procedure, such as: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Take up business one subject at a time. Alternate between opposite points of view in debate. Require the chair to call for the negative vote. Keep personal attacks out of the debate. Debate only the merits of the question under discussion. Divide a question into two or more questions if appropriate.

Parliamentary procedure came to America in the seventeenth century when Virginia's House of Burgesses was founded in 1619. Other colonies founded governing assemblies based on their experiences in the old European countries from which they came. Eventually, their experiences led to the framing of state constitutions and state legislatures, which have their own rules of order. In the eighteenth century, the restrictive policies of the British Empire caused American colonists to consider common resistance to the British colonial government. When the First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in 1774, its members already had enough parliamentary procedural experience to conduct business expeditiously. The Second Continental Congress framed the Declaration of Independence and declared war on the British colonial government. Existing state constitutions provided the material from which the Constitutional Convention of 1787 framed the U.S. Constitution. Through all of this turmoil, parliamentary procedures and rules were used to expedite business and to help resolve deep disagreements among the delegates. Out of this experience came the U.S. Constitution, which has been used as a model for other independent national constitutions worldwide. The usefulness of parliamentary procedure cannot be overemphasized in such a process because it enables many different representatives of widely varying points of view to come to a common agreement in the very difficult circumstances of a political revolution. The first book about parliamentary procedure in America was Thomas Jefferson's Manual of Parliamentary Practice, published in 1801. Jefferson was serving as

Vice President and Presiding Officer of the Senate. He observed that the Senate did not have a codified set of rules of order but rather allowed the presiding officer a wide discretionary power to make up rules as he went along. Jefferson saw that this power could easily be abused in the future, so he developed a set of parliamentary rules based on English works and documents regarding the procedures of the British Parliament. The Senate, state legislatures, other groups, and the House of Representatives adopted Jefferson's manual. (The House later developed its own unique set of procedural rules.) The next book about parliamentary procedure was Cushing's Manual, which was a set of rules for voluntary organizations whose needs differed from legislative bodies. The meetings of small organizations were shorter, their delegates unpaid, and their business less voluminous, so a different set of rules was needed to accommodate such organizations. Cushing's Manual basically said that each organization should follow fundamental parliamentary law as outlined in the manual but should adopt its own rules of order appropriate to itself. While this idea was good in theory, it didn't have the practical effect of significantly helping new voluntary organizations. Many of them did not have the time, the expertise, or the will to develop their own set of parliamentary rules. Thus, there was still parliamentary confusion in organizations when Henry Robert arrived on the scene in the 1860s. SOURCES: 1. Roberts Rule of Order by Henry Robert

LEARNING OUTCOME 2
APPLICATION OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURES IN CONDUCTING MEETINGS

CLASSIFICATION OF MOTIONS
For convenience motions may be classified as follows: 1. Main or Principal Motions 2. 3. 4. Subsidiary Motions Incidental Motions Privileged Motions

A Main or Principal Motion is a motion made to bring before the assembly, for its consideration, any particular subject. It takes precedence of nothing -that is, it cannot be made when any other question is before the assembly; and it yields to all Privileged, Incidental, and Subsidiary Motions that is, any of these motions can be made while a main motion is pending. Main motions are debatable, and subject to amendment, and can have any subsidiary motions applied to them. When a main motion is laid on the table, or postponed to a certain time, it carries with it all pending subsidiary motions. If a main motion is referred to a committee it carries with it only the pending amendments. As a general rule, they require for their adoption only a majority vote -- that is, a majority of the votes cast; but amendments to constitutions, by-laws, and rules of order already adopted, all of which are main motions, require a two-thirds vote for their adoption, unless the by-laws, etc., specify a different vote for their amendment; and the motion to rescind action previously taken requires a twothirds vote, or a vote of a majority of the entire membership, unless previous notice of the motion has been given.

Main motions may be subdivided into Original Main Motions and Incidental Main Motions. Original Main Motions are those which bring before the assembly some new subject, generally in the form of a resolution, upon which action by the assembly is desired. Incidental Main Motions are those main motions that are incidental to, or relate to, the business of the assembly, or its past or future action, as, a committee's report on a resolution referred to it. A motion to accept or adopt the report of a standing committee upon a subject not referred to it is an original main motion, but a motion to adopt a report on a subject referred to a committee is an incidental main motion. The introduction

of an original main motion can be prevented by sustaining by a two-thirds vote an objection to its consideration, made just after the main motion is stated and before it is discussed. An objection to its consideration cannot be applied to an incidental main motion, but a two-thirds vote can immediately suppress it by ordering the previous question. This is the only difference between the two classes of main motions. The following list contains some of the most common.

Incidental Main Motions

Accept or Adopt a Report upon a subject referred to a committee Adjourn at, or to, a future time

54 17

Adjourn, if qualified in any way, or to adjourn when the effect is to dissolve the 17 assembly with no provision for its reconvening Appoint the Time and Place for the next meeting, if introduced when no business is 16 pending Amend the Constitution, By-laws, Standing Rules, or Resolutions, etc., already 68 adopted Ratify or Confirm action taken Rescind or Repeal action taken 39 37

All of these motions are essentially main motions, and are treated as such, though they may appear otherwise.

Though a question of privilege is of high rank so far as interrupting a pending question is concerned, yet when the question has interrupted business and is pending, it is treated as a main motion so far as having incidental and subsidiary motions applied to it. So an order of the day, even though a special order, after it has been taken up is treated in the same way, as is also a question that has been reconsidered.

No motion is in order that conflicts with the constitution, by-laws, or standing rules or resolutions of the assembly, and if such a motion is adopted it is null and void. Before introducing such a motion it is necessary to amend the constitution or by-laws, or amend or rescind the conflicting standing rule or resolution. So, too, a motion is not in order that conflicts with a resolution previously adopted by the assembly at the same session, or that has been introduced and has not been finally disposed of. If it is not too late the proper course is to reconsider the vote on the motion previously adopted, and then amend it so as to express the desired idea. If it cannot be reconsidered, then by a two-thirds vote the old resolution may be rescinded when the new one can be introduced, or by giving notice it may be rescinded by a majority vote at the next meeting. In ordinary societies, where the quorum is a small percentage of the membership, and the meetings are as frequent as quarterly, no resolution that conflicts with one adopted at a previous session should be entertained until the old one has been rescinded, which requires a two-thirds vote unless proper notice has been given.

Subsidiary Motions are such as are applied to other motions for the purpose of most appropriately disposing of them. By means of them the original motion may be modified, or action postponed, or it may be referred to a committee to investigate and report, etc. They may be applied to any main motion, and when made they supersede the main motion and must be decided before the main motion can be acted upon. None of them, except the motion to amend and those that close or limit or extend the limits of debate, can be applied to a subsidiary, incidental (except an appeal in certain cases), or privileged motion. Subsidiary motions, except to lay on the table, the previous question, and postpone indefinitely, may be amended. The motions affecting the limits of debate may be applied to any debatable question regardless of its privilege, and require a two-thirds vote for their adoption. All those of lower rank than those affecting the limits of debate are debatable, the rest are not. The motion to amend anything that has already been adopted, as by-laws or minutes, is not a subsidiary motion but is a ain motion and can be laid on the table or have applied to it any other subsidiary motion without affecting the bylaws or minutes, because the latter are not pending.

In the following list the subsidiary motions are arranged in the order of their precedence, the first one having the highest rank. When one of them is the immediately pending question every motion above it is in order, and every one below it is out of order. They are as follows:

Subsidiary Motions

Lay on the Table The Previous Question Limit or Extend Limits of Debate

28 29 30

Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain 31 Time Commit or Refer, or Recommit Amend Postpone Indefinitely 32 33 34

Incidental Motions are such as arise out of another question which is pending, and therefore take precedence of and must be decided before the question out of which they rise; or, they are incidental to a question that has just been pending and should be decided before any other business is taken up. They yield to privileged motions, and generally to the motion to lay on the table. They are undebatable, except an appeal under certain circumstances. They cannot be amended except where they relate to the division of a question, or to the method of considering a question, or to methods of voting, or to the time when nominations or the polls shall be closed. No subsidiary motion, except to amend, can be applied to any of them except a debatable appeal. Whenever it is stated that all incidental motions take precedence of a certain motion, the incidental motions referred to are only those that are legitimately incidental at the time they are made. Thus, incidental motions take precedence of subsidiary motions, but the incidental motion to object to the consideration of a question cannot be made while a subsidiary motion is pending, as the objection is only legitimate against an original main motion just after it is stated, before it has been debated or there has been any subsidiary motion stated. The following list comprises most of those that may arise:

Incidental Motions Questions of Order and Appeal Suspension of the Rules Objection to the Consideration of a Question Division of a Question, and Consideration by Paragraph or Seriatim 21 22 23 24

Division of the Assembly, and Motions relating to Methods of Voting, or to 25 Closing or to Reopening the Polls Motions relating to Methods of Making, or to Closing or to Reopening 26 Nominations Requests growing out of Business Pending or that has just been pending; as, a 27 Parliamentary Inquiry, a Request for Information, for Leave to Withdraw a Motion, to Read Papers, to be Excused from a Duty, or for any other Privilege

Privileged Motions are such as, while not relating to the pending question, are of so great importance as to require them to take precedence of all other questions, and, on account of this privilege, they are undebatable. They cannot have any subsidiary motion applied to them, except the motions to fix the time to which to adjourn, and to take a recess, which may be amended. But after the assembly has actually taken up the orders of the day or a question of privilege, debate and amendment are permitted and the subsidiary motions may be applied the same as on any main motion. These motions are as follows, being arranged in order of precedence:

Privileged Motions

Fix the Time to which to Adjourn (if made while another question is 16 pending) Adjourn (if unqualified and if it has not the effect to dissolve the 17 assembly) Take a Recess (if made when another question is pending) Raise a Question of Privilege Call for Orders of the Day 18 19 20

Some Main and Unclassified Motions Two main motions (to rescind and to ratify) and several motions which cannot conveniently be classified as either Main, Subsidiary, Incidental, or Privileged, and which are in common use, are hereafter explained and their privileges and effects given. They are as follows:

Take from the Table Reconsider Rescind Renewal of a Motion Ratify Dilatory, Absurd, or Frivolous Motions Call of the House

35 36 37 38 39 40 41

ORDER OF PRECEDENCE OF MOTIONS

Editor's note: This is a modified version of the original, to adapt it to the needs of an online document. The ordinary motions rank as follows, the lowest in rank

being at the bottom and the highest at the top of the list. When any one of them is immediately pending the motions above it in the list are in order, and those below are out of order.

1 X X X X X

2 X X X X X -

3 a b c -

4 X X X X X X

5 X X -

Motion Fix the Time to which Adjourn. Adjourn. Take a Recess. Raise a Question of Privilege. Call for the Orders of the Day. Lay on the Table. Previous Question. Limit or Extend Limits of Debate. Postpone a Certain Time. Commit or Refer. Amend. Postpone Indefinitely. A Main Motion.

Columns: 1 Debatable 2 - Usually Privileged 3 - Not always privileged:

a - Privileged only when made while another question is pending, and in an assembly that has made no provision for another meeting on the same or the next day. b - Loses its privileged character and is a main motion if in any way qualified, or if its effect, if adopted, is to dissolve the assembly without any provision for its meeting again. c - Privileged only when made while other business is pending.

4 - Can be amended 5 - Require a 2/3 vote for their adoption; the others require only a majority

RULES RELATING TO MOTIONS

TABLE OF RULES RELATING TO MOTIONS

Answering 300 Questions in Parliamentary Practice

[Editor's note: This is a modified version of the original, to adapt it to the needs of an online document.]

Explanation of the Table

The rules at the head of the 8 columns apply to all original main motions, and to all other cases except where a star (*) or a figure indicates that the motion is an exception to these rules. The star shows that the exact opposite of the rule at the head of the column applies to the motion, and a figure refers to a note which explains the extent of the exception. For example, "Lay on the Table"; the Table shows that 28 of the Manual treats of this motion; that it is "undebatable" and "cannot be amended"; that "no subsidiary motion can be applied" to it; and that it "cannot be reconsidered"; -- the fact that the 4 other columns have no stars or figures shows that the rules at the head of these columns apply to this motion, to Lay on the Table, the same as to original main motions.

Columns:

- Section number 1 - Debatable

2 - Debate Confined to Pending Questions 3 - Can be Amended 4 - Subsidiary Motions can be Applied 5 - Can be Reconsidered 6 - Requires only a Majority Vote 7 - Must be Seconded 8 - Out of Order when Another has Floor N - Note below

Motion

17 54 67 67 33 33 68 67 21 21 33 32 30 25 24 16 57 28 21 11 26 26 26 23

* 4 4 * * * * 11 * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * *

* 2 2 8 * * 2 * * * 2 2

5 6 * * 12

* * 10 * *

* * * 10 *

1 3 7 9 1 -

Adjourn (when privileged) Adopt (Accept or Agree to) a Report Adopt Constitutions, By-laws, Rules of Order Adopt Standing Rules Amend Amend an Amendment Amend Constitutions, By-laws, Rules of Order Amend Standing Rules Appeal, relating to Indecorum, etc. Appeal, all other cases Blanks, Filling Commit or Refer, or Recommit Debate, to Close, Limit, or Extend Division of the Assembly Division of the Question Fix the Time to which to Adjourn Informal Consideration of a Question Lay on the Table Leave to Continue Speaking after Indecorum Main Motion or Question Nominations, to Make Nominations, to Close Nominations, to Reopen Objection to Consideration of a Question

21 20 20 20 27 31 34 29 19 19 27 18 36 37 33 22 35 22 25 27

* * * * * * 11 4 * * * * *

* 17 * -

* * * * * * * * * * * *

* * * * * * * * * *

* * * 13 15 * * * 2 * * * 2

* * 18 * * -

* * * * *

* * * * * -

14 1 16 -

Order, Questions of Order, to Make a Special Orders of the Day, to Call for Order of the Day, when pending Parliamentary Inquiry Postpone Definitely, or to a Certain Time Postpone Indefinitely Previous Question Privilege, to Raise Questions of Privilege, Questions of, when pending Reading Papers Recess, to Take a (when privileged) Reconsider Rescind or Repeal Substitute (same as Amend) Suspend the Rules Take from the Table Take up a Question out of its Proper Order Voting, Motions relating to Withdraw a Motion, Leave to

NOTES TO TABLE 1. To Fix the Time to which to Adjourn is privileged only when made while another question is pending, and in an assembly that has made no provision for another meeting on the same or the next day. To Adjourn loses its privileged character and is a main motion if in any way qualified, or if its effect, if adopted, is to dissolve the assembly without any provision for its meeting again. To Take a Recess is privileged only when made while other business is pending. 2. An affirmative vote on this motion cannot be reconsidered.

3. An Amendment may be made (a) by inserting (or adding) words or paragraphs; (b) by striking out words or paragraphs; (c) by striking out certain words and inserting others; or (d) by substituting one or more paragraphs for others, or an entire resolution for another, on the same subject. 4. Undebatable when the motion to be amended or reconsidered is undebatable. 5. Constitutions, By-Laws, and Rules of Order before adoption are in every respect main motions and may be amended by majority vote. After adoption they require previous notice and 2/3 vote for amendment. 6. Standing Rules may be amended at any time by a majority vote if previous notice has been given, or by a 2/3 vote without notice. 7. An Appeal is undebatable only when made while an undebatable question is pending, or when relating to indecorum, or to transgressions of the rules of speaking, or to the priority of business. When debatable, only one speech from each member is permitted. On a tie vote the decision of the chair is sustained. 8. Cannot be reconsidered after the committee has taken up the subject, but by 2/3 vote the committee at any time may be discharged from further consideration of the question. 9. These motions may be moved whenever the immediately pending question is debatable, and they apply only to it, unless otherwise specified. 10. If resolutions or propositions relate to different subjects which are independent of each other, they must be divided on the request of a single member, which can be made when another has the floor. If they relate to the same subject and yet each part can stand alone, they may be divided only on a regular motion and vote. 11. Undebatable if made when another question is before the assembly. 12. The objection can be made only when the question is first introduced, before debate. A 2/3 vote must be opposed to the consideration in order to sustain the objection. 13. A negative vote on this motion cannot be reconsidered. 14. The Previous Question may be moved whenever the immediately pending question is debatable or amendable. The questions upon which it is moved should be specified; if not specified, it applies only to the immediately pending question. If adopted it cuts off debate and at once brings the assembly to a vote on the immediately pending question and such others as are specified in the motion. 15. Cannot be reconsidered after a vote has been taken under it. 16. The motion to reconsider can be made while any other question is before the assembly, and even while another has the floor, or after it has been voted to adjourn, provided the assembly has not been declared adjourned. It can be moved only on the day, or the day after, the vote which it is proposed to reconsider was taken, and by one who voted with the prevailing side. Its consideration cannot interrupt business unless the motion to be reconsidered takes precedence of the immediately pending question. Its rank is the same as that of the motion to be reconsidered, except that it takes precedence of a general order, or of a motion of equal rank with the motion to be reconsidered, provided their consideration has not actually begun.

17. Opens to debate main question when latter is debatable. 18. Rescind is under the same rules as to amend something already adopted. See notes 2, 5, and 6, above. ADDITIONAL RULES Incidental Motions. Motions that are incidental to pending motions take precedence of them and must be acted upon first. No privileged of subsidiary motion can be laid on the table, postponed definitely or indefinitely, or committed. When the main question is laid on the table, etc., all adhering subsidiaries go with it. EXPLANATION OF THE TABLE OF RULES RELATING TO MOTIONS Every one expecting to take an active part in meetings of a deliberative assembly should become sufficiently familiar with the Order of Precedence of Motions and the Table of Rules, to be able to refer to them quickly. This familiarity can only be acquired by actual practice in referring to these tables and finding the rulings on the various points covered by them in regard to various motions. These six pages contain an epitome of parliamentary law. The Order of Precedence of motions should be committed to memory, as it contains all of the privileged and subsidiary motions, 12 in number, arranged in their order of rank, and shows in regard to each motion whether it can be debated or amended, and what vote it requires, and under what circumstances it can be made. In the Table of Rules the headings to the 8 columns are rules or principles which are applicable to all original main motions, and should be memorized. They are as follows: (1) Original Main Motions are debatable; (2) debate must be confined to the immediately pending question; (3) they can be amended; (4) all subsidiary motions can be applied to them; (5) they can be reconsidered; (6) they require only a majority vote for their adoption; (7) they must be seconded; and (8) they are not in order when another has the floor. Whenever any of the 44 motions in the Table differs from a main motion in regard to any of these rules, the exception is indicated by a star (*) or a figure in the proper column opposite that motion. A star shows that the exact opposite of the rule at the head of the column applies to the motion. A figure refers to a note which explains the extent of the exception. A blank shows that the rule at the head of the column applies, and therefore that the motion is in this respect exactly like a main motion. Some of the motions are followed by figures not in the columns: these figures refer to notes giving useful information in regard to these motions. The Table of Rules is constructed upon the theory that it is best to learn the general principles of

parliamentary law as applied to original main motions, and then to note in what respects each other motion is an exception to these general rules. Thus, the motion to postpone definitely, or to a certain time, has no stars or figures opposite it, and therefore it is subject to all of the above 8 rules the same as any main motion: to postpone indefinitely has two stars and the number 13 opposite to it, showing that the rules. At the head of these three columns do not apply to this motion. The first star shows that debate is not confined to the motion to postpone indefinitely, but that the main motion is also open to debate; the second star shows that the motion to postpone indefinitely cannot be amended; and the number 13 refers to a note which shows that a negative vote on this motion cannot be reconsidered. As has previously been stated, a star shows that the motion, instead of being subject to the rule at the head of the column, is subject to a rule exactly the reverse. Stars in the various columns, therefore, mean that the motions are subject to the following rules: (1) undebatable; (2) opens main question to debate; (3) cannot be amended; (4) no subsidiary motion can be applied; (5) cannot be reconsidered; (6) requires a two-thirds vote; (7) does not require to be seconded; and (8) in order when another has the floor.

ORDER OF BUSINESS
It is customary for every society having a permanent existence to adopt an order of business for its meetings. When no rule has been adopted, the following is the order:

(1) Reading the Minutes of the previous meeting [and their approval]. (2) Reports of Boards and Standing Committees. (3) Reports of Special (Select) Committees. (4) Special Orders. (5) Unfinished Business and General Orders (6) New Business.

The minutes are read only once a day at the beginning of the day's business. The second item includes the reports of all Boards of Managers, Trustees, etc., as well as reports of such officers as are required to make them. The fifth item includes, first, the business pending and undisposed of at the previous adjournment; and then the general orders that were on the calendar for the previous meeting and were not disposed of; and finally, matters postponed to this meeting that have not been disposed of.

The secretary should always have at every meeting a memorandum of the order of business for the use of the presiding officer, showing everything that is to come before the meeting. The chairman, as soon as one thing is disposed of, should announce the next business in order. When reports are in order he should call for the different reports in their order, and when unfinished business is in order he should announce the different questions in their proper order, as stated above, and thus always keep the control of the business.

If it is desired to transact business out of its order, it is necessary to suspend the rules, which can be done by a two-thirds vote but, as each resolution or report comes up, a majority can at once lay it on the table, and thus reach any question which it desires first to dispose of. It is improper to lay on the table or to postpone a class of questions like reports of committees, or in fact anything but the question before the assembly.

SOURCE: http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?a=22969&c=29020

LEARNING OUTCOME 3
ORGANIZE PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS

HANDLING PRODUCTIVE MEETINGS AND ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF OFFICERS

MEETING PROCEDURE 1. OPENING

From this outline you will gain an overall understanding of what happens during a business session or meeting. The general rules for all meetings are the same so when you go to a p&c meeting or business or union meeting you will have an idea of what is happening and what stage you are at during that meeting. 2. THE MEETING

The basis of meeting procedure is to allow us to conduct a meeting with some control and some order so everyone has a chance to express their opinion. It is important that majority rules and that the minority are heard. The purpose is to facilitate action not to obstruct it. We are trying to achieve something with this meeting - decisions are to be made. We need to ensure in meetings that people are called to action and their names are taken in the minutes so they do act. 3. THE AGENDA

The agenda is required to keep meeting on track and to indicate to members (Beforehand) issues that will be raised (e.g. topics, motions, voting) 4. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors shall have the following functions and responsibilities: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Provide the general policy direction; Formulate the strategic development plan; Determine and prescribe the organizational and operational structure; Review the Annual Plan and Budget and recommendation for approval of the General/Representative Assembly Establish policies and procedures for the effective operation and insure proper implementation of such; Evaluate the capability and qualification and recommend to the General/Representative Assembly the engagement of the services of an External Auditor; 7. 8. 9. 10. Appoint the members of the Mediation/Conciliation and Ethics Committees and other Officers as specified in the Code and cooperative By-laws; Decide election related cases involving the Election Committees or its members; Act on the recommendation of the Ethics Committee on cases involving violations of code of Governance and Ethical Standards; and Perform such other functions as may be prescribed in the By-laws or authorized by the General/Representative Assembly. 11. THE SECRETARY

The Secretary Shall: 1. 2. 3. 4. Keep the updated and complete registry of all members; Record, prepare and maintain records of all minutes of meetings of the Board of Directors and the General/Representative Assembly; Ensure the necessary Board of Directors actions and decisions are transmitted to the management for compliance and implementation; Issue and certify the list of members who are in good standing and entitled to vote as determined by the Board of Directors;

5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Prepare and issue Share Certificate; Serve notice of all meetings called and certify the presence of quorum of all the meetings of the board of Directors and the General/Representative Assembly; Keep the copy of Treasurers report and other reports; Keep and maintain the Share and Transfer Book; Serve as custodian of the cooperative seal; and Perform such other functions as may be prescribed in the By-Laws or authorized by the General/Representative Assembly.

11.

THE MINUTES

Important that accurate minutes be kept - legal signed document Follows same outline as agenda Proof of decisions from previous meetings Lists actions to be taken and by whom Can ask that your vote be recorded in the minutes 12. THE MEETING

It is now time to conduct the business meeting as per the agenda. The business chairman will be in charge and will be looking to you to move and Second motions throughout the meeting quickly. Therefore when chairman requests a mover or a seconder don't be afraid to quickly say "i so move" followed by your name so the secretary can hear and take note without raising his head.

If you disagree with chairman's ruling - challenge by saying "point of order Mr. Chairman". Always address the chairman when speaking to the meeting or to the motion. 13. MEETING COMMENTS / ASIDES / TO DO

Chairman indicates that voting will be by way of a raised hand When chairman asks for leave he/she is asking for unanimous approval If one person objects then chairman must stand 14. MOTIONS (GENERAL BUSINESS)

Start the motion with "that ......." Motions should be worded so as not to imply prejudice e.g. "that we drink champagne because of popular demand" loads the motion with. A preconceived idea that should come out during the debate a motion needs to be worded to require a yes or no answer (i.e. for or against). Only mover of original motion has 2 chances to speak - speak to the motion and right of reply During right of reply no new material can be introduced seconder can reserve right to speak later during the debate e.g. if vote may be. Close seconder may speak later to reinforce the mover's arguments after mover and seconder have spoken chairman calls for speaker against.

Then for speakers for and against alternatively chairman needs to be alert and keep track of order of speakers, whether same ground is being spoken and should a time limit be enforced. If no speakers against then motion can be voted on prior to voting secretary asked to read the motion so everyone knows what. They are voting on lots of gamesmanship and strategy in meetings. If you want to get a motion passed 1. 2. Dont give up. Work on it and fellow members then try again.

Importance of a seconder. 1. 2. 3. You don't have to agree with a motion to second it. 1. 1. 1. 2. AMENDMENTS To get motion on table. Gets topic aired and dealt with and discussed. If motion not seconded the chairman does not have to accept the motion.

Amendments can be moved to add more information, clarify intent or delete words or phrases in the original motion. An amendment cannot change the intent of the original motion.

Mover and seconder can only speak once when amendment is moved. Discussion takes same format as for the motion - alternate between speakers for and against. During debate on an amendment the original motion is placed in abeyance only discussion on the amendment can be raised until the amendment is either won or lost. Only deal with one motion or amendment at a time. If amendment is carried then original motion is amended and discussion takes place on the amended motion (for and against). When discussion has been exhausted the amended motion is put to the vote. Mover of original motion still has right of reply. If amendment is lost discussion returns to original motion as it was stated by the mover.

MINUTES OF MEETINGS AND CODE OF ETHICS