In companies employing fewer than fifty employees, trade unions which are not representative in the company and which form a trade union section may appoint, for the duration of their mandate, a member of the staff delegation to the social and economic committee as a representative of the trade union section. By agreement, this representative mandate may give entitlement to a credit for hours worked. The time available to the member of the staff delegation to the social and economic committee for the exercise of his mandate may be used under the same conditions for the exercise of his duties as representative of the trade union section.