SECTION 1. The regular International Convention shall be the supreme authority in the International Union. The regular International Convention shall be held not less than three (3) years and nine (9) months nor more than four (4) years after the date of the last preceding regular Convention; provided that the date of holding such Convention may be advanced or postponed by not more than six (6) months, upon resolution to that effect adopted by the International Executive Council.

The call for each regular International Convention shall be mailed by the International Secretary- Treasurer to each Local Union at least sixty (60) days prior to the convening of the Convention.

SECTION 2. (a) Each Local Union shall be entitled to the number of delegates to the International Convention as follows: One delegate for the first 300 members or less in the Local Union and one additional delegate for each additional 300 members or majority fraction thereof.

(b) In any Local Union, the Local Executive Board may decide for good cause to send fewer than its full quota of delegates to an International Convention, but such decision must be made and have the approval of the International Administrative Committee not less than fifty days prior to date for convening the Convention.

(c) Each delegate to the International Convention shall have one vote for the first 100 members or less which he/she represents and one additional vote for each additional 100 members or majority fraction thereof, but no delegate shall have more than ten (10) votes.

SECTION 3. Representation shall be based upon the average of the paid and exonerated membership of the Local Union for the last three months calculated and closed the month prior to the issuance of the call for the Convention. Such membership shall be determined from the records of the International Secretary-Treasurer. A Local Union which has been chartered for less than three months preceding the month in which the call for an International Convention is issued shall be entitled to send only fraternal delegates to such International Convention.

SECTION 4. (a) In any Local Union with one Vice President, and such Vice President has succeeded temporarily or permanently to the office of Local President, he/she shall be ex officio a delegate from such Local Union to any Convention held during the period of such succession.

(b) Should a Local Union of less than 300 members decide that it cannot reasonably finance the attendance of its president as its delegate at a Convention, it may, with the approval of the International Administrative Committee, elect by secret ballot, as its alternate delegate, a member of another Local who is otherwise eligible to serve as delegate and who agrees so to serve without cost or expense to the Local which elects him/her as its alternate.

Section 5. Any Local Union which on the seventh day prior to the opening of the Convention is in arrears to the International Union for per capita or assessment shall not be entitled to representation in the Convention unless exonerated for good causes by the International Executive Council.

SECTION 6. Any Local Union becoming delinquent must comply with SECTION 6 of ARTICLE XVII before it will be entitled to representation unless exonerated for good cause by the International Executive Council.

SECTION 7. The eligibility requirements for election as delegate to the Convention shall be the same as the requirements for election to Local Union office, as set forth in SECTION 3 of ARTICLE XV of this Constitution.

SECTION 8. All International Executive Board members who are not elected as delegates shall be ex-officio delegates to the Convention with all the rights and privileges of elected delegates, but without vote in any election of International Officers, or on any matter before the Convention, except that they may vote as members of any Convention Committee on which they serve.

SECTION 9. Except as provided in SECTION 8 of this Article, each Local Union shall pay the reasonable cost of Convention attendance for its President and each other duly elected delegate. In the event of its failure so to do, the International Administrative Committee may hold the Local to be delinquent within the meaning of SECTION 6 of this Article, or take such other action as the Committee considers warranted under all the circumstances. Any action taken by the Committee may be appealed to the International Convention.

SECTION 10. The International Secretary-Treasurer shall furnish each Local Union with credential blanks for delegates and alternates in triplicate, which must be attested as required on the blanks. One duplicate shall be retained by the delegate and the other filed with the Local Union. The original shall be delivered to the Local Financial Secretary-Treasurer and by him/her forwarded to the International Secretary- Treasurer, and no credential shall be accepted by him/ her later than twenty (20) days prior to the date for convening the Convention except with the approval of the International Executive Council. Each credential must be signed by the Local President and Financial Secretary-Treasurer and must bear the Seal of the Local Union.

SECTION 11. A Local Union which is entitled to more than one (1) convention delegate may provide in its by-laws that, in addition to the Local President, one or more other officers be convention delegates, ex-officio. Any such by-law provision, however, shall be applicable only to officers elected by secret ballot vote of the membership subsequent to its adoption and approval by the International Administrative Committee. Convention delegates, other than exofficio delegates, shall be elected by secret ballot after the members of the Local Union have had a reasonable opportunity to nominate candidates. No less than fifteen (15) days prior to such election, notice of the election shall be mailed to each member of the Local Union at his/her last known home address. Delegates elected in violation of these requirements shall not be seated at the Convention.

SECTION 12. When any delegate’s credentials are to be contested, notice of such contest shall be sent to the International Secretary-Treasurer not later than fifteen (15) days prior to the date of convening the International Convention. Any delegates whose credentials are contested may be unseated at any time during the International Convention. Nothing herein shall preclude the Convention from rejecting, on its own motion, and for good cause, the credentials of any delegate.

SECTION 13. All resolutions to be considered by the International Convention shall be sent to the International Secretary-Treasurer and be in his/her hands not later than three (3) weeks prior to the convening of the Convention. Resolutions from Local Unions, or a member or members of a Local Union to be considered by the Convention, shall require approval by the Executive Board or by the membership of the Local Union before delivery to the International Secretary-Treasurer. The International Secretary- Treasurer shall submit all resolutions to the chairman of the appropriate committee.

SECTION 14. A Convention shall have the power, either on its own initiative or on the request of any member, to reinstate to good standing membership any member or former member who has been suspended, expelled, or otherwise disciplined. Unless a Convention directs otherwise, such authority shall also be vested in the International Executive Council.

SECTION 15. On questions coming before the International Convention a roll-call vote shall be taken upon a request of thirty (30) per cent of the delegates. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have a roll of accredited delegates prepared and make such other arrangements as will expedite and facilitate the calling of the roll.

SECTION 16. Upon the request of at least one-third of the Local Unions representing at least thirty-five (35) percent of the membership, for a Special Convention, a referendum shall be held and in the event that a Special Convention is voted for by a majority of the members of the International Union in good standing, the International Executive Council shall, within ninety (90) days of the conclusion of said referendum, issue a Call for such Special Convention fixing the place and the time. The date shall be not later than ninety (90) days from the date of the Call.

SECTION 17. The specific purpose of such Special Convention as requested shall be set forth on the referendum ballot and in the Call.

SECTION 18. Whenever in the opinion of the International Executive Council an emergency exists which necessitates the calling of a Special Convention, the International Executive Council may call such a Convention by giving at least ninety (90) days’ notice to all Local Unions.

SECTION 19. No business other than that specified in the Call shall be transacted at a Special Convention.

SECTION 20. A majority of the delegates seated shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION 21. Prior to the opening of any Convention, the International President shall appoint a Credentials Committee from among the members of the International Executive Board, and he/she shall appoint from the credentials of the delegates presented a Committee on Rules and the several other committees necessary to successfully promote and execute the efficient operation of the Convention. He/ she shall have the power to convene any of such committees in advance of the Convention when, in his/ her judgment, the work of the Convention would be thereby expedited. The Convention shall not be constituted for business until the Credentials Committee shall have examined and reported on the credentials of all delegates present at the scheduled time of opening. Appeals from decisions of the Credentials Committee may be made to the Convention.

SECTION 22. An alternate delegate shall have neither voice nor vote unless formally accredited and seated by the Credentials Committee as the replacement for a regular delegate.