United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
Ritual


19..


Opening the Meeting

The hour of meeting having arrived and a quorum being present, the President shall take the chair and give ONE RAP with the gavel, upon which all officers and members will be seated, and a general silence shall be observed.
PRESIDENT:
Brothers (Sisters). we are about to open the meeting of Local Union No. … of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America, for the purpose of considering such measures as will tend to perpetuate our organization, spread its principles, elevate our trade, and advance our interests individually and collectively. All who are not members of this Order will please retire.
If any of the officers are absent, the President will make such pro tem appointment as may be necessary.
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will communicate to me the Password, after which you will examine all present and report any person who cannot give you the same.
After completing the examination, the Conductor will report as follows:
COND UCTOR:
Brother (Sister) President, I have examined the brothers (sisters) present, and find all qualified to remain, except brothers (sisters) who are not in possession of the current Password.
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) conductor you will see that the Flag is in the proper place and the members will rise and repeat with me the Pledge of Allegiance. ‘I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’
Note - Members of the United Brotherhood in the Dominion of Canada should change the above Pledge.
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Warden, guard well the entrance to our Union, and admit no one without the Password, and allow none to retire without permission of the Vice-President. I now declare this meeting open for the transaction of such business as may legally come before it.
 

Initiation Ceremony

Candidates elected to membership and awaiting initiation shall remain in the ante-room. At the appointed time for initiation the President shall RAP ONCE with his (her) gavel and announce .
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will retire and ascertain if there be any applicants in waiting. Should there be any, you will escort them to the President.
Conductor retires and presents the applicants.
PRESIDENT to Applicants:
In this Brotherhood it is necessary that the members should see you personally before a ballot can be taken on your application. You will now return with the Conductor to the ante-room to await the pleasure of the Local Union.
PRESIDENT to Members:
Does any one present know of any just reason why the applicant should not become a member of the United Brotherhood? If so, let it be known or hereafter keep silent.
Ballot is then taken.
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Recording Secretary, has Mr. (Mrs., Miss) … been duly elected to become a member of this Local Union?
RECORDING SECRETARY:
Brother President, he (she) has (has not) been duly elected to become a member of this Local Union.
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Financial Secretary, has Mr. (Mrs., Miss) … fully complied with the constitution and laws of the United Brotherhood?
FINANCIAL SECRETARY:
Brother (Sister) President, Mr. (Mrs., Miss) … has (or has not, as the case may be).
In case he (she) has not:
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Financial Secretary, you will retire to the ante-room and collect the balance of initiation fees and dues.
Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will retire and present the candidates for initiation.
NOTE: Conductor ascertains from Financial Secretary if same has been done and approaches the inner door, giving ONE RAP, and reports to the warden.
WARDEN:
Brother (Sister) President, I announce the Conductor with candidate for initiation.
PRESIDENT:
Admit them.
NOTE: The President gives THREE RAPS and the members rise; Conductor escorts the candidates to altar, if there be one, if not, to the President’s station.
CONDUCTOR:
Mr. (Mrs., Miss) President, permit me to introduce a candidate worthy to join our Union.
The President will then address the candidate as follows:
PRESIDENT to Candidate:
In this Brotherhood you will be required to take upon yourself an obligation that you are not now, and never will, so long as you remain a member, become a member of any revolutionary organization, or give aid, comfort or support to any such organization. To do so is to forfeit your membership in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. I assure you that this obligation will in no way conflict with your religious belief, political opinions, or domestic duties. However, it is my duty to inform you that the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America does NOT RECOGNIZE the Communist Party as a political organization. With this assurance, are you willing to take the obligation?
Candidate:
….
NOTE: If answered in the affirmative, the President will then proceed to this center of this room and face his candidate.
PRESIDENT to Candidate:
Please take your right hand and repeat after me the following obligation: You will use your name where I use mine:
 

Obligation

I, …, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of these members here assembled do solemnly and sincerely promise on my sacred honor that I will never reveal by word or deed any of the business of this United Brotherhood unless legally authorized to do so. I promise to abide by the Constitution and Laws and the will of the majority, observe the local trade rules of this Order and that I will use every honorable means to procure employment for brother (sister) members. I agree that I will ask for the Union Label and purchase union-made goods and employ only union labor when same can be had. And I further agree that if at any time it should be discovered that I have made any misstatements as to my qualifications for membership I shall be forever debarred from membership and donations in this order. I pledge myself to be obedient to authority orderly in the meetings respectful in words and actions and charitable in judgment of my brother (sister) members. To all of this I promise and pledge my most sacred word and honor to observe and keep and the same to bind me as long as I remain a member of this Brotherhood. And I further affirm and declare that I am not now affiliated with and never will join or give aid comfort or support to any Revolutionary Organization or to any organization that tries to disrupt or cause dissension in any Local Union, District Council, State or Provincial Council or the International Body of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
PRESIDENT to Newly Initiated Members:
You have now been admitted into the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and you are entitled to all the rights. benefits and privileges as a member thereof, as specified in the General Constitution, and having assumed the duties and honors of a member of the United Brotherhood, we extend to you the hand of fellowship and instruct you how to enter the meetings of the Local Union, and intrust you with the quarterly password, to which you are now entitled. To gain admission to the meetings of the Union, you must knock twice on the inside door and communicate to the warden the quarterly password.
Here the President gives each new member the Password. After that the President will return to his (her) chair, give one distinct rap, when the members take their seats.
He (she) will address the Conductor.
PRESIDENT:
Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will now lead the newly initiated Brother (Sister) to the Financial Secretary’s desk, where he (she) will hand in his (her) name and address, and comply with all other requirements of the Constitution and Laws. He (she) will then obtain his (her) card of membership.
NOTE: The Financial Secretary in this meantime should have the card of membership prepared, to avoid delay. After complying with this, the Conductor will escort the new member to his (her) seat

 

Closing the Meeting

When the Order of Business has been finished, the President will arise and address the Union as follows:
PRESIDENT:
There being no further business before the Union, we will proceed to close.
The President will give three raps, and the members will all rise to their feet. He will then say:
PRESIDENT:
Brothers (Sisters): You will all bear well in mind your obligation. Help one another, strive to strengthen our organization, and be careful not to divulge the private business of this union. And now, by virtue of my office, I declare this meeting duly adjourned, unless specifically called, until next … evening, … o’clock, when I hope to see you all present.


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