Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association
Ritual
Applicants for membership who have complied with all requirements of this
Constitution and whose applications have been accepted shall be obligated by the
president or presiding officer of the local union either at local union meeting
or meeting of the local union executive board. Applicants for membership
awaiting initiation shall remain in the ante-room. At the appointed time for
initiation, the president or presiding officer shall rap once with his gavel and
shall announce: Applicants for membership who have complied with all
requirements of our Constitution are awaiting for initiation.
1938
The president or presiding officer will then instruct the conductor to escort
the applicants to the rostrum and shall instruct all members to rise and remain
standing during the initiation ceremonies.
The president or presiding officer shall then address the applicants for
membership as follows: Your official form of application for
membership in this local union chartered by and affiliated with the Sheet Metal
Workers’ International Association with the signature of yourself and vouchers
properly affixed thereto has been accepted by this local union, with the
distinct understanding that the answers submitted by you over your signature to
questions contained in official form of application are true and accurate in
every respect. In accordance with the requirements of our laws and conditions
specified on official form of application signed and filed by you and accepted
by this local union, you have already been furnished with a copy of the
Constitution and Ritual of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association
with instructions to read same so that you might become familiar with all
provisions and requirements thereof before taking the obligation of membership.
If you have complied with said requirements we will then proceed to administer
to you verbally the obligation of membership after which you will be required to
sign this same obligation as a matter of record, your signature thereto to be
certified by myself as presiding officer and by the financial secretary of this
local union as attesting witnesses. You will kindly repeat the following
obligation of membership, mentioning your name where I mention mine.
I, …, hereby certify that I have been furnished with a copy of the
Constitution and Ritual of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association,
that I have read same and that I am familiar with and willingly subscribe to all
of the provisions and requirements thereof, and in consideration of the
acceptance of my application and being obligated as a member thereof, I hereby
agree to remain loyal and true to the principles and policies and to be governed
by the Constitution and Ritual of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International
Association in any and all matters now or hereafter included therein. I further
agree to be governed by such local rules and regulations as may be now effective
or which may be hereafter adopted and made operative by chartered and affiliated
local unions which do not conflict with the Constitution and Ritual of the Sheet
Metal Workers’ International Association.
After the obligation of membership has thus been administered orally to the
applicant, the
president shall rap twice with his gavel and request all members to be
seated. The applicant shall then affix his signature to the obligation of
membership and the presiding officer and financial secretary shall affix their
signatures thereto as attesting witnesses, after which the president or
presiding officer shall address the applicant as follows: I now
declare you duly obligated and a member of this local union chartered by and
affiliated with the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association. You are
already familiar with your duties, obligations, rights and privileges specified
in our Constitution and Ritual. You will therefore be governed accordingly. I
now desire to give you the following instructions:
Your official due receipt recording actual payment of dues in advance in
accordance with our Constitution will establish your identity to the conductor
prior to the opening of meetings. Should you desire to gain admission to the
hall after the meeting has started, you will give three raps on the door,
present your official due receipt to the warden and if you are in good standing
he will admit you. Should you be without official due receipt, the warden will
report your-name and membership number to the financial secretary and if you are
in good standing and entitled to admission, he will so inform the president who
shall instruct the warden to admit you. On entering the meeting, salute the
president and be seated. Should you desire to retire while the meeting is in
session, rise and ask permission of the president and if granted, salute him and
then retire. The usual voting sign is made by the elevation of the right hand,
and is used in voting in favor of or against all questions.
The president or presiding officer shall then introduce the newly obligated
member and declare a short recess to provide opportunity for proper introduction
and greeting, after which the president or presiding officer will rap once with
his gavel for order, when the members will be seated, and the newly obligated
member escorted to the financial secretary’s
desk to receive instructions regarding his financial obligations.