RCN bye-laws

Like any organisation, the Royal College of Nursing must operate within and be bound by a set of rules. The RCN' s rules are appropriate for its status as a trade union, and written in language which, for legal purposes, is minutely precise. The rules are listed out in full below, with explanatory text in bullet points. The text in bullet points is not meaningful in a legal sense - its purpose is for clarification.

Membership of the International Council of Nurses

1. The Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom (hereinafter referred to as "the College") being the body in membership of the International Council of Nurses representing the United Kingdom shall continue in membership of that organisation unless the Council of the College (hereinafter referred to as "the Council") with the approval of the College in General Meeting shall otherwise determine.

The RCN belongs to the International Council of Nurses. Its membership of the ICN will continue until the Council of the RCN decides otherwise.

Membership

2. The Council shall maintain the Roll of Members and the Roll of Student Members referred to in Article V of the Charter and may order if it thinks fit the removal from the said Rolls of the name of any Member or Student Member whose subscription is in arrears for not less than three months. The Council may also order the removal from the said Rolls of the name of any Member or Student Member who in the opinion of the Council has been guilty of conduct unfitting in a Member or Student Member of the College, provided that no Member's or Student Member's name shall be removed from the said Rolls for this reason unless that Member or Student Member shall have been given a reasonable opportunity of being heard by the Council or a Committee thereof in his or her own defence. The Council may also in its discretion restore the name of any person so removed if that person has complied with such conditions or requirements as may be laid down by the Council for the restoration of the name of such person to the relevant Roll.

The RCN keeps a register of all members' names. The Council of the RCN can remove names of members who fall into arrears with subscription payments. A member' s name can also be removed from the register if he or she has behaved inappropriately - but only if that member has been given the opportunity to defend himself/herself in front of the Council. The Council can, at its discretion, reinstate names to the register.

3. The Council may as a condition of admission to Membership of the College require the payment of an entrance fee not exceeding ten pounds.

The RCN is allowed to ask for a joining fee of £10 or less.

4. The Council may admit to Membership of the College any person or class of persons whom it shall think fit without payment of any entrance fee or on payment of a reduced entrance fee and may fix varying rates of subscription for any person or class of persons as it shall deem necessary or desirable. Any person being a Life Member of the College shall retain all the rights and privileges of Membership for life but no further person shall be admitted to Life Membership of the College.

The RCN is allowed to levy different subscription rates for individuals or groups. Life Membership of the RCN is now closed, but existing Life Members will continue to receive the benefits of that status.

5. Save as provided in the Charter or in these Bye-Laws, no fee or other contribution shall be demanded from any person as a condition of that person's becoming or continuing a Member of the College.

Members can only be asked to pay fees or subscriptions outlined in these bye-laws.

6. The rights and privileges of every Member shall be personal and not transferable or transmissible.

Like a bus pass or season ticket, membership of the RCN is not transferable. The benefits of membership can only be enjoyed by the person who has qualified for it and paid for it.

7a) A person qualified for Membership of the College in accordance with Article Va of the Charter may be admitted to Membership and placed on the Roll of Members by paying such entrance fee and such annual subscription or instalment thereof as the Council, shall subject to the provisions of these Bye-Laws and of Article Vd of the Charter, determine.

A person who is qualified to become a member of the RCN may become a member only when they have paid their entrance and subscription fees.

b) A person qualified for Associate Membership of the College in accordance with Article Ve of the Charter may be admitted to Associate Membership and placed on that part of the Roll of Members reserved for Associate Members on payment of such annual subscription or instalment thereof as the Council shall subject to the provisions of these Bye-Laws and of Article Vd of the Charter, determine.

A person who is qualified to become an associate member of the RCN may become an associate member only when they have paid their entrance and subscription fees.

c) A person qualified for Student Membership of the College in accordance with Article Vf of the Charter may be admitted to Student Membership of the College and placed on the Roll of Student Members on payment of such annual subscription or instalment thereof as the Council shall, subject to the provisions of these Bye-Laws and Article Vd of the Charter, determine.

Provided always that the Council may in its discretion decline to admit any person to Membership, Associate Membership or Student Membership of the College but in doing so shall state its reasons in writing and shall return any entrance fee or subscription paid by any such person.

Provided further that a Student Member of the College shall have all the rights as regard voting in ballots and at meetings of the College accorded to Members of the College but no Student Member of the College shall have the right to be nominated for election to the Council or to vote in the election of Members to the Council (other than in the election of President and Deputy President) except to fill the Student Member places on the Council. Subject as aforesaid, in these Bye-Laws the word "Member" or "Members" in relation to Members of the College shall mean and include a Student Member or Student Members of the College unless the context otherwise requires.

A person who is qualified to become an student member of the RCN may become an student member only when they have paid their entrance and subscription fees.
The RCN may refuse applications from potential members, associate or student members, but must explain in writing its reasons for doing so and return any fees or subscriptions paid.
Student members have the same right to vote in ballots and meetings as other members, but do not have the right to be nominated for election to the Council, or to vote in election of members of the Council (other than President and Deputy President and to fill Student Member places on the Council).
Throughout these bye-laws, the word 'member' includes student members, unless otherwise stated.