[P]You had better read the TWU International Constitution. You pay your dues to this organization and must as a local abide by it, the constitution and its by-laws.[/P][FONT face=Arial-BoldMT size=3]
[P align=left]ARTICLE V.[/P]
[P align=left]Powers and Duties of the International President[/P][/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=3]
[P align=left]SECTION 1. The International President shall be the chief Executive Officer of the[/P]
[P align=left]International Union. He/she shall enforce the Constitution and be responsible for the proper and[/P]
[P align=left]effective direction of the affairs and business of the International Union and shall have the full power[/P]
[P align=left]necessary therefore subject to review by the International Executive Council. He/she shall interpret[/P]
[P align=left]the meaning and application of the provisions of this Constitution. Any such interpretation or[/P]
[P align=left]application may be appealed by any member or by any Local Union adversely affected to the[/P]
[P align=left]International Executive Council, and thereafter, to the Convention. Unless and until any such[/P]
[P align=left]interpretation or application of this Constitution, heretofore or hereafter made by the International[/P]
[P align=left]President, is changed by the Council or by the Convention, the interpretation and application made[/P]
[P align=left]by him/her shall be deemed true and proper and shall be given full force and effect. He/she shall have[/P]
[P align=left]the authority to appoint, direct, suspend or remove such organizers and representatives as he/she may[/P]
[P align=left]deem necessary, and fix their compensation, subject to review by the International Executive Council.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 2. He/she shall attend and preside at all International Conventions and at all[/P]
[P align=left]sessions of the International Executive Council and of the International Executive Board. He/she[/P]
[P align=left]shall call special meetings of the International Executive Board whenever he/she deems necessary or[/P]
[P align=left]when requested in writing by a majority of the members of the Council or of the Board, respectively.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 3. He/she shall have the power, either in person or by a designated[/P]
[P align=left]representative, to inquire into, examine and inspect all books and records of the International Union,[/P]
[P align=left]of its Local Unions, and of any division, department or other body within the International Union,[/P]
[P align=left]including but not limited to the books and records of welfare funds, defense funds, building funds,[/P]
[P align=left]emergency funds, educational funds, mutual benefit funds, political action funds, welfare trusts, credit[/P]
[P align=left]union funds, and all other funds of any sort whatsoever, in the negotiation, control, collection or[/P]
[P align=left]expenditure of which the International Union, or any Local Union, or group of Local Unions or any[/P]
[P align=left]branch or section of a Local Union, participates in any way, or in which any officer or member of the[/P]
[P align=left]Union has any interest or power of decision by virtue of his/her office or his/her membership. The[/P]
[P align=left]fact that such funds may be held in the name of a corporation shall not limit or restrict this power.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 4. In the event the International President shall have reason to believe that any[/P]
[P align=left]Local Union is failing to comply with any provision of the Constitution or conducts its affairs in a[/P]
[P align=left]manner which is detrimental to the interests of the Union, he/she may institute proceedings against[/P]
[P align=left]the Local Union, with due notice of hearing in writing delivered to the Local President and to the[/P]
[P align=left]Local Financial Secretary-Treasurer, specifying the section or sections of the Constitution violated or[/P]
[P align=left]the nature of the conduct, before the International Executive Council, or a subcommittee thereof,[/P]
[P align=left]designated either by the Council or by the International Administrative Committee. Upon the basis[/P]
[P align=left]of the hearing the International Executive Council is authorized to render a decision, dismissing the[/P]
[P align=left]charges, suspending or revoking the charter of any such Local Union, or directing such other action as[/P]
[P align=left]may be necessary to secure compliance with the Constitution, or otherwise to protect and preserve[/P]
[P align=left]the effectiveness and the best interests of the Union. The decision of the International Executive[/P]
[P align=left]Council shall be subject to review by the International Convention.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 5. In the event the International President shall have reason to believe that any[/P]
[P align=left]officer or member is failing to comply with any provision of the Constitution, or conducts[/P]
[P align=left]himself/herself in a manner which is detrimental to the best interest of the Union, or otherwise[/P]
[P align=left]engages in conduct unbecoming a member of the Union, he/she may institute proceedings against[/P]
[P align=left]him/her with due notice of hearing, specifying the section or sections of the Constitution violated or[/P]
[P align=left]the nature of the conduct, before the International Executive Council, or a sub-committee thereof[/P]
[P align=left]designated either by the Council or by the International Administrative Committee. Upon the basis[/P]
[P align=left]of the hearing, the International Executive Council is authorized to render a decision, dismissing the[/P]
[P align=left]charges, suspending, expelling or otherwise penalizing such officer or member, or directing such other[/P]
[P align=left]action as may be necessary to secure compliance with the Constitution or otherwise to protect and[/P]
[P align=left]preserve the effectiveness and best interests of the Union. The decision of the International[/P]
[P align=left]Executive Council shall be subject to review by the International Convention.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 6. Where the International President invokes the provisions of Section 4 or 5 of[/P]
[P align=left]this Article, the President may, if in his/her judgment the circumstances warrant it, suspend any[/P]
[P align=left]officer pending the decision of the International Executive Council, provided that prior to, or[/P]
[P align=left]simultaneously with the notice of suspension, he/she serve a copy of the charges upon which the[/P]
[P align=left]suspension is based on the suspended officer and provided further that the International Executive[/P]
[P align=left]Council or a subcommittee thereof designated by the Council or by the International Administrative[/P]
[P align=left]Committee holds a hearing on the charges within twenty (20) days from the date of the suspension.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 7. The International President shall make full report of the Administration of[/P]
[P align=left]his/her office and the affairs of the International Union to the International Convention. He/she[/P]
[P align=left]shall be ex officio delegate to all conventions of organizations to which the International Union may[/P]
[P align=left]be affiliated.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 8. The International President shall have the power to appoint from among the[/P]
[P align=left]International Vice Presidents an Administrative Assistant and to delegate to him/her such duties and[/P]
[P align=left]powers as the International President may determine; and he/she shall have the power to appoint a[/P]
[P align=left]Director of COPE and define his/her duties.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 9[/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=1]. [/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=3]Should the International President find himself/herself unable by reason of[/P]
[P align=left]health to perform the duties of his/her office, he/she may so certify, whereupon the duties and powers[/P]
[P align=left]of his/her office shall attach to the International Executive Vice President until such time as the[/P]
[P align=left]International President certifies his/her return to duty.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 10. The International President shall perform all such other duties as pertain to[/P]
[P align=left]his/her office. He/she shall receive Seventy-Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($72,500) per[/P]
[P align=left]annum, payable weekly in equal amounts, and when performing duties away from the International[/P]
[P align=left]Office he/she shall receive his/her expenses, which shall be subject to the approval of the[/P]
[P align=left]International Executive Council.[/P]
[P align=left]The salary of the International President shall be adjusted as of the first day of January 1983[/P]
[P align=left]and on the first day of each January by the weighted average percentage increase in wages or salaries[/P]
[P align=left]received by the Union membership during the fiscal year ending on the preceding August 31st in[/P]
[P align=left]bargaining units of Five Hundred (500) or more.[BR][BR][FONT face=Arial-BoldMT size=3][/P]
[P align=left]ARTICLE VIII.[/P]
[P align=left]Duties and Powers of the International Executive Council[/P][/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=3]
[P align=left]SECTION 1. The International Executive Council shall meet not less than four times a year[/P]
[P align=left]at the call of the International President. The International President shall call a meeting of the[/P]
[P align=left]International Executive Council within thirty (30) days of the receipt by him/her of a written request[/P]
[P align=left]for such meeting signed by a majority of the members of the International Executive Council.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 2[/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=1]. [/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=3]When in session, except during an International Convention, the International[/P]
[P align=left]Executive Council shall be the supreme authority in the International Union.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 3. The International Executive Council shall have the power to remove any of[/P]
[P align=left]the officers enumerated in Section 1 of ARTICLE IV who, after due trial upon written charges, of[/P]
[P align=left]which a copy shall be given to the accused at least fifteen (15) days before trial, is found guilty of[/P]
[P align=left]dishonesty, malfeasance or maladministration, and removal is approved in a referendum by a majority[/P]
[P align=left]of the members of the International Union. Any officer so removed shall be ineligible to hold any[/P]
[P align=left]office or appointive position in the International Union or in any Local for a period of three years.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 4. The International Executive Council shall have the power to fill a vacancy in[/P]
[P align=left]the office of International Executive Vice-President by appointing one (1) of the International Vice[/P]
[P align=left]Presidents to be the International Executive Vice President to serve until the next regular[/P]
[P align=left]Convention. The International Executive Council shall have the power to fill a vacancy in any[/P]
[P align=left]International office or position on the International Executive Council, other than the office of[/P]
[P align=left]International Executive Vice-President, by appointing from among its members, an acting holder of[/P]
[P align=left]the vacant office to hold such office until the next regular Convention. An appointment made[/P]
[P align=left]pursuant to this section shall carry with it all the rights, powers, duties and obligations of the office[/P]
[P align=left]and such salary and expenses as pertain thereto.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 5. A quorum of the International Executive Council shall be a majority of the[/P]
[P align=left]members. Questions coming before the Executive Council shall be decided by a majority vote of its[/P]
[P align=left]members present at a quorum, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution. Any member may[/P]
[P align=left]demand a roll-call vote on any question.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 6. The International Executive Council shall maintain in effect an actuarially[/P]
[P align=left]sound pension plan, paid for in full by the International Union, covering the officers and such fulltime[/P]
[P align=left]representatives of the International Union and such other full-time employees of the[/P]
[P align=left]International Union as the International Executive Council shall decide to cover as a group. Any[/P]
[P align=left]member holding an elective position who retires on pension pursuant to such plan, or who elects to[/P]
[P align=left]take severance benefits under such plan, shall be deemed to have vacated his/her position.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 7. The International Executive Council shall consider the adoption of an[/P]
[P align=left]actuarially sound benefit system as a right of membership and may institute same subject to such[/P]
[P align=left]changes as any Convention may make therein.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 8. (a) Should the number of good standing members in any Local Union[/P]
[P align=left]become reduced to the point that, in the opinion of the International Executive Council, the Local[/P]
[P align=left]can no longer properly perform its functions, the International Executive Council may revoke the[/P]
[P align=left]charter of such Local, or require it to merge with another Local, or take such other action as it deems[/P]
[P align=left]advisable.[/P]
[P align=left](B) Where, in the judgment of the International Administrative Committee, merger with[/P]
[P align=left]another Local is impractical, it may with the approval in writing of a majority of the individual[/P]
[P align=left]members of the International Executive Council suspend the charter of the Local and constitute its[/P]
[P align=left]members as a section of the International Union with a status similar to a section of a Local Union.[/P]
[P align=left]The section may be known, solely for purposes of identification, as an administrative Local with the[/P]
[P align=left]former Local number. Its members' dues and initiation fees shall be paid into and commingled with[/P]
[P align=left]the funds of the International Union. The cost and expense of maintaining an administrative Local[/P]
[P align=left]shall be borne by the International Union. An International representative shall be assigned to be[/P]
[P align=left]responsible for the business of an administrative Local, including collective bargaining and grievance[/P]
[P align=left]handling, assisted by a chairman and a recording secretary elected by its members. The International[/P]
[P align=left]Executive Council may, at any time, either reinstate an administrative Local to its previous status as a[/P]
[P align=left]Local Union or transfer its members into another Local, or take such other action as it deems[/P]
[P align=left]advisable. A newly organized group may, under similar circumstances be constituted as an[/P]
[P align=left]administrative Local.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 9. Any Local Union which is dishonest, or culpably negligent or wasteful in its[/P]
[P align=left]supervision, collection, expenditure, or control of any assets or funds shall be subject to the[/P]
[P align=left]revocation of its charter or to such other action by the International Executive Council as the[/P]
[P align=left]Council deems adequate and appropriate under the circumstances. Such conduct on the part of a Local[/P]
[P align=left]Union is also subject to proceedings instituted by the International President pursuant to SECTION 4[/P]
[P align=left]of ARTICLE V.[/P][/FONT][FONT face=Arial-BoldMT size=3]
[P align=left]ARTICLE IX.[/P]
[P align=left]Duties and Powers of the International Administrative Committee[/P][/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=3]
[P align=left]SECTION 1. The International Administrative Committee shall assist the International[/P]
[P align=left]President in carrying out the duties and responsibilities of his/her office and shall perform such other[/P]
[P align=left]duties as may be imposed upon it by this Constitution.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 2. It shall be entrusted with the specific responsibility of determining efficient[/P]
[P align=left]and effective practices and procedures for the proper policing, safeguarding and administration of all[/P]
[P align=left]assets and funds of the International Union, of all Local Unions, and of any and all other bodies[/P]
[P align=left]within or subject to the control of the International Union, or of any Local Union or of any group of[/P]
[P align=left]Local Unions. It shall prescribe proper and efficient methods of bookkeeping, receipt, disbursements,[/P]
[P align=left]accounting and auditing of all such funds and assets. It shall prescribe rules, regulations and procedures[/P]
[P align=left]for the administration and policing of all welfare funds, building funds, emergency funds, mutual[/P]
[P align=left]benefit funds, and all other funds of any sort whatsoever, in the negotiation, control, collection, or[/P]
[P align=left]expenditures of which the International Union, or any Local Union or group of Local Unions,[/P]
[P align=left]participates in any way, or in which any officer or member of the Union has any voice or power of[/P]
[P align=left]decision by virtue of his/her office or his/her membership.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 3. It shall cause the books of the International Secretary-Treasurer to be audited[/P]
[P align=left]by a Certified Public Accountant semi-annually, and shall transmit a copy of the audit to all Local[/P]
[P align=left]Unions on the completion thereof.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 4. Such real property as the International Administrative Committee may[/P]
[P align=left]consider necessary or convenient for the conduct of the business of the Union may be acquired, held,[/P]
[P align=left]leased, mortgaged, or disposed of by action of the Committee and title to such property may be taken[/P]
[P align=left]and held in the names of the International President and International Secretary-Treasurer as Trustees[/P]
[P align=left]for the International Union, or may be taken and held in such other manner as the Committee may[/P]
[P align=left]determine, provided that the interests of the Union are adequately protected.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 5. Whenever the President or the Financial Secretary-Treasurer of a Local Union[/P]
[P align=left]is not a full-time union official and is required by the nature of his/her employment to journey from[/P]
[P align=left]his/her home base, the International Administrative Committee shall have the power to authorize the[/P]
[P align=left]Executive Board of such Local to designate one of the members of the Executive Board as an[/P]
[P align=left]additional authorized signature on checks issued against the accounts of the Local Union, and,[/P]
[P align=left]provided such additional signatory is duly bonded, the signatures of any two, from among the[/P]
[P align=left]President, Financial Secretary-Treasurer and such additional authorized signatory, on such checks shall[/P]
[P align=left]meet the check signatory requirements of this Constitution.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 6. Any action or decision of the International Administrative Committee, and[/P]
[P align=left]any practice or procedure established or prescribed by the International Administrative Committee,[/P]
[P align=left]may be reversed or modified by the International Executive Committee or by the International[/P]
[P align=left]Convention.[/P][/FONT][FONT face=Arial-BoldMT size=3]
[P align=left]ARTICLE X.[/P]
[P align=left]International Executive Board[/P][/FONT][FONT face=TimesNewRomanPSMT size=3]
[P align=left]SECTION 1. The International Executive Board shall meet at least once a year, and at the[/P]
[P align=left]call of the International President. The International President shall be required to call a meeting of[/P]
[P align=left]the International Executive Board within thirty (30) days of receipt by him/her of a written request[/P]
[P align=left]for such meeting signed by a majority of the members of the International Executive Council.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 2. At each meeting of the International Executive Board each International[/P]
[P align=left]officer and International representative shall report to the Board on the performance of his/her duties[/P]
[P align=left]since the last prior meeting of the Board.[/P]
[P align=left]SECTION 3. It shall be the primary concern and function of the International Executive[/P]
[P align=left]Board to consider and adopt such program and policies as in its sound judgment are best designed to[/P]
[P align=left]promote the welfare of the Union and its members.[/P][/FONT][/FONT]