Extraordinary General Meeting - Q and A

These Q and As will be added to in the run-up to the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM). If you would like to ask a question, please email egm2013@rcn.org.uk and we will answer it here or we will respond to you personally.

Alternatively, you can ask a question at the EGM itself but it would be helpful for us to know what it is in advance. Again, please email egm2013@rcn.org.uk but state that you will be asking the question at the meeting.

Why has Council called this meeting?

The RCN has been in discussion for some time with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) about its membership fees and the need for the ICN to be able to meet the global health challenges facing nursing now and in the future.

We believe the current fees model is unsustainable. Fees have been rising because of exchange rate fluctuations and because the ICN calculates fees on the number of nurse members in the representative organisation of each country. This means our fees represent 16 per cent of the overall ICN subscription income, i.e. over half a million pounds annually.

What has the RCN done already?

The RCN has been in discussions with the ICN for over five years.

There have been many meetings, teleconferences, and correspondence with the ICN. We have suggested alternative approaches and offered support to find a way forward. We took part in the ICN’s board meeting in May 2012 and invited David Benton, the ICN’s CEO, to our Council meeting in July 2012. Since then we have participated in a series of monthly teleconferences with key national nurses associations, facilitated by ICN, during which we pushed for proposals that would model exactly what the impact would be financially.

During these communications we have been clear that we are committed to finding a way forward with the ICN and its member associations and remain a member of the ICN.

Has the ICN come up with a solution?

The latest proposals from the ICN put forward a modest reduction in fees over a long period of time, namely that over the next 15 years there would be a move towards no national nursing association paying more than 10 per cent of the ICN’s overall fees income. We do not believe, therefore, that these proposals address our concerns.

Are we still paying our membership fee?

In December 2010 we wrote to the ICN informing them that the RCN would incrementally reduce its annual fees from over £550,000 to £200,000 by 2012. Without taking this step, the RCN would have been expected to pay £597,700 for 2012. At the same time the RCN has continued to be clear that nursing needs a strong international voice that is able to adapt to changing times and that it is committed to working constructively with the ICN and its member associations to find a way forward.

What do other national nursing associations (NNAs) think?

A number of other national nursing associations have also expressed concerns and are seeking reform of the ICN, including the largest member of the ICN, the Japanese Nursing Association. However there is a diverse range of views amongst the ICN’s 135 member associations.

How did Council arrive at the decision to hold an EGM?

Council has discussed this issue on many occasions. At its meeting in January 2013 and March 2013, it was updated on the latest proposals from the ICN. Council does not believe the current proposals will resolve the situation and therefore called this EGM. RCN Council believes that with such large sums of members’ money at stake and questions about the ICN’s effectiveness, members must be given a say in the RCN’s continued membership of the ICN.

What would be the next steps after the EGM?

The ICN has already served a formal warning of suspension on the RCN because we reduced the amount of fees we pay. It is important to note that the RCN has ringfenced and retained the unpaid money and would ensure that outstanding fees to date would be settled if we withdrew.

What is the ICN and how can I find out more about what they do?

The International Council of Nurses was founded in 1899 and currently has 135 national nurses associations in membership. The ICN is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and its aims are to bring nurses together worldwide, advance nurses and nursing worldwide, and influence health policy. Its member associations meet every two years as the Council of National Representatives (CNR), next due to meet in May this year in Melbourne, Australia. Further information about the ICN can be found at its website www.icn.ch

Would the RCN still work on and engage with international issues?

The RCN is committed to working with international partners to influence on behalf of the UK nursing workforce and nursing internationally, while delivering good value for members. The vote at the EGM is about withdrawal from membership of a specific organisation not about withdrawal from international engagement.

What other international organisations does the RCN work with now?

The RCN already works and is a member of many other international organisations including:

Why do we need an EGM?

Provision for the RCN’s membership of the International Council of Nurses is contained in Standing Order 4.1: “The College shall continue in membership of the International Council of Nurses representing the United Kingdom, unless the Council with the approval of the College in General Meeting shall otherwise determine.”

This EGM and vote satisfies the requirements of that Standing Order. If members authorise Council to withdraw from the ICN, the Standing Order itself could be removed at a future annual general meeting (AGM).

What majority does the vote need to be successful?

The vote needs to be passed with a simple majority since, in itself, it does not require a change to the Standing Orders.

Could we rejoin the ICN in future?

Any decision to withdraw from the ICN does not have to be forever. The RCN could in the future, if the ICN changed, apply to rejoin the organisation. In fact, that would support an argument to retain the existing Standing Order since, if the RCN did rejoin, any future decision to leave would have to be voted on again by members.

Who will make sure the vote is carried out fairly?

We have appointed Electoral Reform Services (ERS) to act as independent scrutineers and ensure that the vote is carried out fairly and in accordance with our Standing Orders.

Do I need to pay or register to attend the meeting?

There is no charge to attend the EGM and all members are welcome.

If you are attending RCN Congress, which is taking place at the same time as the EGM, simply show your Congress badge at the door.
If you are just coming to the EGM, please go to the Congress registration desk in the foyer of the Liverpool Arena and Conference Centre and show us your membership card and let us know that you are here for the EGM. We will then issue you with an entry badge for the main auditorium. If you do not have your membership card, please show some form of ID so we can verify your membership before issuing you with a badge.

Who can vote at the meeting?

All members attending the EGM are able to vote. Voting will be by show of hands, in accordance with the Standing Orders.
We know that many of our active members, who are most likely to vote, will already be attending Congress and will be able to attend the EGM. It is also important that members have the opportunity to listen to the discussion at the EGM and take part in the debate to ensure they are as fully informed as possible before they vote.

However, in the event of a poll being called, proxy votes will also be counted. If you cannot attend the meeting and wish to cast a proxy vote, write to EGM Proxy vote, Room 209, RCN HQ, 20 Cavendish Square, London W1G 0RN or email EGM2013@rcn.org.uk. You should include your name and membership number, who you have appointed as your proxy (this must be someone who is present at the meeting)and whether you would wish them to vote “For” or “Against” the resolution on your behalf. Alternatively, you can state that the proxy would make the decision for you - please note that if you have appointed a Council member as your proxy and you ask them to make the decision on your behalf, they will vote “For” the resolution.
 
We must receive your letter or email by 12 noon on Friday 19 April in order for it to be valid.

What are the latest developments?

On 11 April the ICN CEO wrote to the RCN President to state that the RCN has, in accordance with the ICN Constitution, been suspended from ICN as of 7 April. Furthermore the RCN would not be able to attend the ICN meeting in Melbourne in May as a voting member unless we had paid our full fees and our membership was reinstated. Furthermore we were advised that the suspension period is limited for a maximum of two years. After this period, unless full dues have been paid, the RCN membership of ICN would be terminated.

Why is the RCN suspended from the ICN?

Because the RCN had been paying a lower level of fees than that we have been invoiced for (the invoiced fee for 2012 was £597,700).

Have we negotiated on the fees?

Yes. Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive & General Secretary and others met with the ICN Chief Executive on 27 March 2013. At this meeting, the ICN offered to reduce our fees from £624,467 to £520,110.

The RCN Council Executive Team (CET) considered this offer on 9 April. Whilst on the face of it this appears a significant reduction, it is based on a fees model that CET considered to be unsustainable and with significant financial risks and implications for the RCN. CET were also of the view that the model was neither fair nor, in light of changing global events, fit for purpose for the future. The RCN wrote to ICN on 10 April to inform them of this and to set out again the type of fees model (one very similar to that used by the European Federation of Nurses Associations; EFN) that we supported and have been advocating during our discussions with ICN. The RCN made it clear that we were prepared to continue talking to try and find an acceptable solution.