Union Memberships

1) Regular Membership in this Union is defined as membership open to any person represented or sought to be represented by this Union for purposes of collective bargaining with his/her Employer, or any person performing work for this International Union or a subordinate body as an employee or elected or appointed officer or representative. Such persons accepted into this Union shall be Regular Members.

2) No person, otherwise eligible, shall be barred from membership because of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, physical disability or political beliefs.

3) Any person within the jurisdiction of the Union shall be eligible for membership.
No one shall be admitted as a member if he or she is employed in a capacity inconsistent with Union objectives, or has interests which would be detrimental to the Union, is morally unfit, or is affiliated with any group or organization determined by the International Executive Board to have interests adverse to those of this Union. Such eligibility and qualifications shall be determined by the International President, subject to appeal by the applicant to the Executive Board.

4) Members shall pay monthly dues in advance or, where applicable, by payroll deduction and shall pay initiation fees and all assessments. A member in good standing shall be one not in arrears in dues, initiation fees, or assessments more than thirty (30) days and who has not otherwise lost good standing by conduct prohibited by this Constitution. Any member in arrears shall be suspended from all privileges of membership. Any waiver of dues, initiation fees or assessments must be approved in writing by the International President.

Any member who works 24 hours in any given month after the 30th day of employment is responsible for full dues for that month

Members working under "open shop" agreements who cancel their Union membership shall be treated as new members upon reapplication for membership and shall be required to tender initiation fees, periodic dues, and assessments as required to be a member in good standing.

A member suspended for non-payment of dues, initiation fees, or assessments shall be permitted to be reinstated by paying one full quarter dues in arrears and the current quarter dues at the time of reinstatement plus any initiation fees and assessments past due. In the event that the suspended member is employed by a Company using the payroll deduction system, he or she may be reinstated by paying one full quarter dues in arrears plus any initiation fees and assessments past due and signing a payroll deduction card.

5) Upon acceptance to membership and receipt at the offices of the Union of the required initiation fee, dues, and assessments, if any, each new member shall receive an official membership card. The Union Constitution and the current copy of the applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement will be available upon request at the offices of the Union.

6) Membership is direct with the International Union and assignment, if necessary, to districts or locals will be determined by the International President. Subsequent transfers, if necessary, will be handled by and through the office of the International President.

7) Any member leaving the jurisdiction of the Union shall be given an Honorary Withdrawal Card upon request, provided the member has paid all dues and obligations up to the date of withdrawal, and has surrendered his or her membership card. No withdrawal card except that furnished by the International shall be used

Once issued, the withdrawal card shall be valid for a period of one(1) year from the date of issuance. If the withdrawal card is not redeposited with the Union within one (1) year from the date of issuance, the card shall be deemed expired. Each individual with an expired withdrawal card who seeks to rejoin the Union or work for an employer covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the Union shall be required to pay the full amount of the then required initiation fee of the Union. 

Each member in good standing, upon retiring from an Employer under collective bargaining agreement with this Union, shall upon application to the International, be presented with a standard form Honorary Life Membership card.

8) Any member expelled from membership in accordance with Article XIII of the Constitution shall be re-admitted to membership only after approval by majority vote of the International Executive Board.

9) Except in the case of newly-chartered local unions, no member shall be eligible to hold any elected local office until he/she has been a member in good standing for six (6) months.

1) Associate Membership in this Union shall be defined as membership open to any person who is interested in advancing the cause of organized labor and this Union and in attaining Regular Membership in this Union but who, solely because of circumstances surrounding his/her employment, is not yet eligible for membership as a " Regular Member" of a bargaining unit represented by the Union for purposes of collective bargaining. Associate Members are those members on whose behalf the Union has been neither certified nor recognized as collective bargaining representative, and on whose behalf the Union therefore has no right or obligation to represent for purposes of collective bargaining but who nonetheless seek and are eligible for certain benefits, rights and privileges resulting from membership in this Union.

2) Associate Members are entitled to seek to be elected a Convention delegate and to have a voice and vote in the internal affairs of the Union in the same manner as are all other members of the Union. Associate Members may seek and hold positions as provided in Article 10 of this Constitution.

3) No person, otherwise eligible, shall be barred from Associate Membership because of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, religion, physical disability or political beliefs.