ARTICLE XXIII.

Standing Rules for Union Meetings 

Rule 1.

The regular order of business may be suspended by a majority vote of the meeting at any time to dispose of anything urgent.

Rule 2.

The Chairperson of the meeting shall enforce these rules and regulations and may direct that members be removed from the meeting for violation of these rules.

Rule 3.

Any talking or other activity which may have the effect of disturbing a member while speaking or disturbing the conduct of the meeting or hindering the transaction of business, shall be deemed a violation of order.

Rule 4.

Attending meetings under the influence of liquor is basis for removal.

Rule 5.        

All business done in the Local Union shall be strictly secret to all outside the Local Union.

Rule 6.

When a member wishes the floor, he/she shall rise and respectfully address the Chair, and if recognized by the Chair, he/she shall state his/her name.

Rule 7.

If two or more members rise to speak, the Chair will decide who is entitled to the floor.

Rule 8.

Every member, while speaking, shall adhere to the question under debate, avoid all personality and indecorous language, as well as any reflection on the Local Union or any member thereof; but all members shall have the right to express their views, arguments and opinions upon candidates and upon any business properly before the meeting.

Rule 9.

No member shall interrupt another while speaking except to a point of order, and he/she shall state definitely the point, and the Chair shall decide the same without debate.

Rule 10.

Any member, while speaking, being called to order by another, at the request of the Chair, shall cease speaking and be seated until the question of order is determined.

Rule 11.

If any member shall feel himself/herself aggrieved by a decision of the Chair, he/she may appeal from the decision to the meeting without debate.

Rule 12.

When an appeal is made from the decision of the Chair, said appeal shall be stated by the Chairperson to the meeting in these words:  "Shall the decision of the Chair be sustained as the decision of this meeting?"  The member will have the right to state the grounds of appeal, and the Chair will give reasons for his/her decisions.  Thereupon the members will proceed to vote on the appeal without further debate, and it shall require a majority vote to sustain such an appeal.

Rule 13.

No member shall speak more than once on the same question until all the members wishing to speak have had an opportunity to do so; nor more than twice without the permission of the Chair; nor more than ten (10) minutes at one (1) time.

Rule 14.

All resolutions and motions, other than the first six in Rule 18, or to accept or adopt the report of a committee, shall be reduced to writing before the President shall state the same to the Local Union.

Rule 15.

In presenting a motion, a brief statement of its object may be made, but not discussion of its merit shall be permitted until the question is stated by the Chair.

Rule 16.

Any member may call for a division on a question when the subject admits thereof.

Rule 17.

All votes other than amendments to the By-Laws or Rules of Order may be reconsidered at the same or next succeeding meeting upon a motion made and seconded by two (2) members who voted in the majority; provided the Local Union agrees thereto, but after a motion to reconsider has been lost, it shall not be renewed.

Rule 18.

Privileged Questions

The following motions shall have precedence in the following order herein arranged. First, to adjourn; second, to close debate; third, to take the previous question; fourth, to lie on the table; fifth, to postpone indefinitely; sixth, to postpone to a definite time; seventh, to refer; eighth, to amend.  The first four shall be decided without debate.

Rule 19.

When a question is postponed indefinitely, it shall not come up again, except upon a majority vote.

Rule 20.

The motion to close debate may be made by two (2) members, and shall be put in this form:  "Shall the debate now close?"  If adopted, the President shall proceed to take the question on the resolutions and amendments thereto, according to priority, without further debate.

Rule 21.

The call for the previous question may be made by six (6) members and shall be put in this form:  "Shall the main question be now put?"  If adopted, the effect shall be to take the question on the original resolution to the exclusion of all debate and all amendments which have not been adopted.

Rule 22.

If amendments are proposed, the question on the amendment shall be put first; if more than one amendment has been offered, the question shall then be put as follows:  (1) amendment to amendment; (2) amendment; and (3) original proposition.

Rule 23.

A motion to adjourn shall always be in order except:  (1) when a member has the floor; and (2) when members are voting.

Rule 24.

A motion to adjourn having been put and lost shall not be in order again, provided there is further business before the Local Union, until fifteen (15) minutes have elapsed.

Rule 25.

Voting

The President, while presiding, shall state every question coming before the Local Union before suffering debate thereon, and immediately before putting it to a vote he/she shall ask, "Is the Local Union ready for the question?"  Should no member rise to speak and the Local Union indicates its readiness, he/she shall rise to put the question.  After he/she has risen, no member shall be permitted to speak upon it.

Rule 26.

When the presiding officer has commenced taking the vote, no further debate or remarks shall be allowed, unless a mistake has been made, in which case the mistake shall be rectified and the presiding officer shall recommence taking the vote.

Rule 27.

Every member present shall vote on all questions before the Local Union unless personally interested.  A motion to excuse a member from voting shall be put without debate.

Rule 28.

When a motion has been declared carried or lost by acclamation, any member, before the Local Union proceeds to other business, may call for a count, but the "yeas" and "nays" cannot be called unless demanded before the President rises to put the question.

Rule 29.

The "yeas" and "nays" may be called for by two (2) members and upon the assent of one-third (1/3) of the members present shall be taken.

Rule 30.

Matters not provided for in this Article shall be governed by the ruling of the Chairperson. 

Rule 31.

All members present at any membership meetings of the Union shall be furnished with an attendance card to be filled out by each member and turned in at the meeting as an indication of attendance at that meeting.  No member will be furnished with more than one attendance card.  Said cards will be turned over to the Business Representative present at such meeting, and an attendance record will be kept by the Local Union office.