This Platform is intended as a basis on which to build and it is anticipated that as goals are realized and as new problems arise, that it will be changed to fit the needs of the membership of District 142.

1.    Adequate pay for the skills involved.

2.    Weekly pay periods.

3.    Abolishing of personnel records.

4.    Shorten hours of labor to thirty (30) hours per week.

5.    Extra pay for night work based on percent of pay and not a flat rate which tends to lose effect in a changing economy.
In order to make for a unified effort to correct any and all irregular conditions that may now be or hereafter arise, we, the various lodges holding charter with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers have, according to the IAM Constitution, joined together in the forming of a District Lodge, and are to be governed
by these bylaws.


Section 1.    This body shall be known as Air Transport and Aerospace District Lodge#142oftheInternationalAssociationofMachinistsandAerospaceWorkers. Itshall be maintained for the purpose of facilitating the work of the organization of all affiliated personnel of employers, whose employees may become affiliated with this District for the perfection of the organization when complete and by which work may be better handled for the interest of those employed in our branch of the craft, and the keeping of each other informed on all parts of the system in that which we are interested.

Section 2.    This District shall work in harmony with all other Districts of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers associate and share in common the benefits derived from the organization and brotherly affiliation.

Section 3.    This District is the highest tribunal of the IAM within its limits and under the general laws of the Order, subordinate to the Grand Lodge, and no local lodge shall make laws in conflict with the laws of the District.
Section 1.    The main office and/or the minor offices of the District shall be established by the District Executive Board.

Section 2.    Full-time representatives of District #142 may reside at their respective home points while on full-time status. In keeping with Article IX, Section 2, they shall not be eligible for daily per diem while at their home or domicile.
Section 1.    The District shall meet biennially in convention. Convention dates shall be established by the District Executive Board. The District Executive Board shall meet one day in advance of the convention.

Section 2.    Special sessions will be held at such time and place as shall be called by the majority of the Executive Board, President/Directing General Chairman or by a majority of the lodges affiliated with the District.

Section 3.    The conventions of this District shall be composed of the District Executive Board members and delegates properly elected and authorized by their local lodges.

Section 4.    All members of the District Executive Board shall attend District #142 conventionsasrequiredinSection1. Whenactingintheirofficialcapacity,theyshallhave voice but no vote.

Section 5.    A quorum shall consist of a majority number of authorized delegates representing a majority number of local lodges affiliated with this District.

Section 6.    It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to notify all lodges within the District to hold election of delegates and alternates at least one hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the convention. The names of delegates and alternates shall be forwarded to the Secretary-Treasurer at least sixty (60) days prior to the convention.

Section 7.    No local lodge will be entitled to representation in any convention of District Lodge #142, unless it is in good standing and free from delinquency of any nature to District #142 three (3) months prior to the convention.

Section8.    The President/Directing General Chairperson shall appoint a Convention Bylaws Committee to consist of not less than five (5) members from among the convention delegates. The Convention Bylaws Committee shall originate and establish their own rules consistent with the IAM Constitution and District bylaws for the execution of their duties. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. At a date not later than thirty (30) days prior to convention date, all local lodges so desiring may submit to the Secretary-Treasurer's office proposals for such changes or additions to the District bylaws as a majority of the membership of the lodge so submitting deems necessary. All such proposals shall designate articles and sections to be changed and must bear the seal of the local lodge. Proposals postmarked after date established above will not be considered. The Secretary-Treasurer's office shall submit such proposals to the Convention Bylaws Committee,who shall screen them in preparation  for their submission to the convention. All proposals so submitted and so screened shall be presented to the convention as provided in the IAM Constitution, subject to acceptance or rejection. The Convention Bylaws Committee members shall receive salary for actual lost time from work and expenses in accordance with Article IX, Section 2, while performing their duties prior to convention.

Section 9.

Biennial Convention of District #142

The hours of session shall be as follows: 9:00 a.m. until 12 noon, 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

At each session, the President/Directing General Chairperson shall appoint a Conductor, who shall protect the door, admitting only qualified delegates and visitors. He will introduce all visitors to the Chair.

In addressing the convention, no delegate will speak without being recognized by the Chairperson. Each delegate will be confined to five (5) minutes per subject and will state his name and lodge number before proceeding. No delegate will speak more than once on each or any one (1) subject until all other delegates desiring to speak have been heard. (This not to apply to Committee Chairpersons reporting).

No question shall be directed to or at a delegate except through the Chair.

There shall be no use of profane language during the session, nor shall there be any personal criticism extended.

When once granted the floor, a delegate will be permitted same without interference except at the call of Point of Order.

The District Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for recording the proceedings of the Convention. This recording shall be reduced to type and a copy shall be provided to each local lodge.

Roll call of delegates will be held at the beginning of each session. Tardiness will be noted on the roll call which will be copied and supplied to each affiliated lodge, as will the minutes of the sessions be supplied.

These rules shall govern, except that in situations not herein mentioned, Robert's Rules of Order shall be used and the decision of the Chair, unless successfully contested, shall be final. The Chair shall not entertain any motion to adjourn the convention until all delegates seated have had the opportunity to bring on the convention floor all items of Good and Welfare that their local lodges have instructed them to discuss.


Section 10.    The President/Directing General Chairperson, with the approval of the Executive Board, will select the site of the next Convention.

Section 1.    Delegates shall be elected by a majority vote of their respective membership employed at the point represented by the delegates, provided, however, that no lodge shall be allowed to dictate the election of a delegate using the votes of members who are not working under the jurisdiction of the District to accomplish same.

Section 2.    Delegates must be members in good standing in the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for not less than one (1) year, continuous good standing in their respective lodges. Delegates must also meet the requirements of the local lodge bylaws before being accepted as a delegate to the District #142 convention.

Section 3.    A delegate from a newly affiliated lodge must be in good standing from the time he was elected by his lodge. Any delegate whose lodge is three (3) months or more in arrears shall not be entitled to a seat in the District Convention.

Section 4.    Twenty-five cents (254) of the District per capita tax shall be set aside in a special fund to be used for the purpose of helping to defray Convention expenses. After the fund has accumulated the sum of $50,000.00, no further monies will be allocated to the fund until the fund has been depleted to the minimum of $20,000.00.

Section 1.    Each local lodge shall be entitled to one (1) delegate for the first one hundred (100) members or fraction thereof, and one (1) additional delegate for each one hundred (100) members or major fraction thereof, but no local lodge will be entitled to more than ten (10) delegates. Each lodge shall be entitled to one (1) vote for the first one hundred (100) members or fraction thereof, and one (1) additional vote for each additional one hundred (100) members or major fraction thereof up to one thousand (1,000) members, and will be entitled to one (1) additional vote for each five hundred (500) members or major fraction thereof in excess of one thousand (1,000).

Section 2.    Elected delegates attending the District Convention may cast the entire votes of their local lodge.

Section 3.    Members referred to in this Article shall be determined by the number of members the local lodge pays District #142 per capita tax for during the month of January in the year the convention is scheduled to be held.
Section 1.    All grievances arising in this District, which cannot be settled by the local Shop Committee after careful consideration, will be referred to the President/Directing General Chairperson.

Section 2.    All grievances must be reduced to writing when presented to the President/Directing General Chairperson, and must be acted upon without unnecessary delay.

Section 3.    All grievances referred to the President/Directing General Chairperson shall be presented over the signature of the local lodge officers with the seal of the lodge attached, or by the duly authorized local union representative. All grievances shall be accompanied by the proper District #142 grievance investigation forms as supplied by the District under the heading of District #142 "G" forms.
Section 1.    The President/Directing General Chairperson, the Vice Presidents, the two (2) Trustees and the Secretary-Treasurer shall compose the Officers of the District Executive Board. The General Chairpersons shall serve on the Executive Board. The President/Directing General Chairperson shall be the Chairperson of the Executive Board.
        
          (a)    Vice-Presidents from each of the following carriers. One (1) Vice-President shall be from Southwest,                        Continental, British Airways, and Foreign Flags.

For the election of these Vice-Presidents, the Vice-President from Southwest must be a member from Southwest, the Vice-President from Continental must be a member from Continental, the Vice-President from British Airways must be a member from British Airways, and the Vice-President Foreign Flags must be a member from a Foreign Flag carrier.

Section 2.    Candidates for District office and members of the Executive Board shall have been members of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers for not less than one (1) year prior to the time of nomination and, in addition, must have attended at least fifty percent (50%) of the regular meetings of their respective local lodges during the 12-month period ending the date of the close of nominations.

The requirement for meeting attendance shall not apply to those members who are employed at points where a local lodge is not maintained, or to those whose work makes it impossible to comply with the fifty percent requirement, or to those who, because of prolonged illness or disability, may be prevented from meeting the fifty percent (50%) requirement.

Section 3.    In the first week of November of the year prior to election year, the Secretary-Treasurer shall issue a circular to all local lodges calling for endorsement of nominees for the offices of President/Directing General Chairperson, Secretary-Treasurer, Trustees, Vice Presidents and for the positions of all General Chairpersons as their terms expire.    The circular shall be accompanied by proper blanks for the return of endorsement by local lodges.

After receipt of said circular and at the first meeting in the month of February, of which meeting notice shall be served upon the membership by mail, local lodges shall have the right to nominate a single candidate for each office or position in the circular issued by the Secretary-Treasurer.    When more than a single nomination is made, those members in attendance shall, by a plurality vote, designate the lodge's choice of candidate(s).

Immediately after the nominations, but not more than five (5) days after, the Recording Secretaries of the local lodges shall forward to the District Secretary-Treasurer, by registered or certified mail, a correct list of all endorsements upon the blanks or forms provided therefor by the Secretary-Treasurer.

All endorsements for nominations, in order to be tabulated, must be on file in the District Secretary-Treasurer's office not later than March 10. The District Secretary-Treasurer shall immediately tabulate the nomination returns and furnish each local and nominee a copy.

The District Secretary-Treasurer shall immediately, upon tabulating the endorsements, notify all nominees receiving endorsements for any office of their nomination by registered mail. The nominees must notify the Secretary-Treasurer by registered mail of their acceptance or rejection. Such notice must be received by the Secretary-Treasurer's office not later than midnight on the second Friday of April. The two (2) nominees with the highest number of endorsements accepting nomination shall appear on the final ballot.
position.

No nominee shall be a candidate for more than one (1) office or position

In the event there is only one (1) nominee for any of the respective offices, the nominee will automatically be declared elected.

Section 4.    From the endorsements received from local lodges, there shall be selected for each elective position the two (2) candidates receiving the highest number of endorsements, and the two (2) so selected shall constitute the candidates for the final ballot. In the event more than one (1) candidate is to be elected within a given office or position, the maximum candidates to appear on the ballot shall be equal to the number of offices or positions involved multiplied by two (2).

Section 5.    After the foregoing provisions have been complied with, the District Secretary-Treasurer shall, not later than May 1, prepare the ballot and have duplicated thereon the names of all eligible candidates, together with the number of the lodge of which they are respective members, said names to be arranged in order according to the number of endorsements received by each candidate for the office stated. However ,the number of local lodge endorsements, other than the candidate's own lodge, shall not appear on the ballot.

All ballots shall bear the seal of the District Lodge and be so arranged that a voter may, with ease, designate his choice by marking a cross (X) opposite the names of those for whom he wishes to record his vote.

Ballots shall be perforated so that the name, address, lodge and card number of each member voting may be detached. The District Secretary-Treasurer shall supply all lodges; free of charge, with a sufficient number of ballots, and no other ballots are to be used, to enable each good standing member affiliated with this District to cast a ballot.

He shall furnish tally sheets in duplicate upon which shall be tabulated the votes of the members of the lodge. One (1) tally sheet and ballot stubs shall be retained by the Recording Secretary of the local lodge and one (1) tally sheet shall be enclosed with the ballots when forwarding same to the District Secretary-Treasurer.

Section 6.    Election of officers and General Chairpersons of District Lodge #142 shall be held on the first, or only, regular meeting of each local lodge in the month of June in the lodge room where regular lodge meetings are held and upon no other day or place.

Section 7.    Members who reside in outlying districts more than twenty-five (25) miles from the designated balloting place, members who are either confined because of verified illness or on vacation, or on official IAM business approved by the Local Lodge, District Lodge or Grand Lodge, as the case may be, shall be furnished absentee ballots as provided in the IAM Constitution. The execution and return of absentee ballots must conform with the provisions set forth in the IAM Constitution.

Section 8.    At the first meeting in the month of May, each local lodge President shall appoint not less than three (3) Tellers, who shall receive record and count the vote of members of their local lodge.
In case one (1) or more of the said Tellers are unable to act, then the President of the said local lodge shall fill the vacancy by appointment.

Section 9.    Votes shall be received by the Tellers from the opening to the closing of the local lodge at the first, or only, regular meeting in the month of June in the lodge room where regular lodge meetings are held and upon no other day or place.

Provisions must be made to accommodate members who are working nights, and in order that all may have an opportunity to record their vote, the regular Lodge meeting during which the vote is to be taken may be convened as early as 7:00 a.m. All votes shall be deposited in the presence of at least two(2) of theTellers. The Tellers shall require each voter to mark his own ballot.

Section 10.    The Tellers of each local lodge shall, upon the close of the polls, proceed to count the votes cast, tabulating the results in duplicate on the tally sheet furnished by the District Secretary-Treasurer and within seventy-two (72) hours from the close of the polls, forward one (1) copy thereof enclosed together with all of the ballots cast in a sealed envelope or container to the District Secretary-Treasurer by registered mail. The ballots and enclosed tally sheet shall be opened only by the three (3) District Election Tellers to whom the District Secretary-Treasurer shall turn over the ballots. A failure to promptly submit the tally sheet and the ballots may disqualify the local lodge from having their votes tabulated.

Section 11.    The District Secretary-Treasurer shall be custodian of all ballots and tally sheets and he shall, after the District Lodge Election Tellers are duly organized and on their demand, surrender unopened and in their original envelope or package, all ballots and tally sheets. The District Lodge Election Tellers shall meet at the office of the District Secretary-Treasurer in the first week of July and proceed with the count. The District Lodge Election Tellers shall have full charge of the counting of the ballots, and shall have the power to adopt rules to govern their work. After they have counted and tabulated the vote, they shall render a report containing a detailed statement of the votes cast in each lodge for the respective candidates. The District Secretary-Treasurer shall have the report of the Election Tellers duplicated and a copy of same shall be mailed to each local lodge andeachcandidate. The nominee receiving the highest number of votes for the respective office shall be duly declared elected by the District Lodge Election Tellers.

Section 12.    Should a tie vote occur in the vote for any particular office(s) or position(s), a run-off election shall be held for such office(s) or position(s).    A 15-day notice of such run-off election shall be given to each member qualified to vote. Subject to the 15-day notice, such run-off election will be held at the earliest possible, subsequent regular meeting. In the event of a run-off election, the installation of officers elected thereby shall be held at the regular meeting of the lodge immediately following the run-off election.

Section 13.    The candidates declared elected by the District Lodge Tellers will be installed into office to which elected on August 1.

Section 14.    The President/Directing General Chairperson and the Executive Board shall immediately make a temporary appointment to fill any vacancy in a District office. This office shall be filled in the next District election.

Section 15.    (a)    At such time as the number of members in any corporation represented by District #142 reach a justifiable number, General Chairperson position(s) shall be established to represent those members. One (1) General Chairperson shall come from a Latin-American Corporation.

Section 1.    The President/Directing General Chairperson of the District shall attend all meetings of the Executive Board, and shall have the power to call meetings of the Executive Board. Such meetings shall be held at least once every six(6) months and more often as required. He or his designated representative shall investigate any grievance that shall arise and endeavor to adjust same. He shall advise and counsel the membership and use his best efforts to organize the crafts on the system. He shall report monthly to the membership all items of interest relating to his office, and perform all other duties pertaining to this office. He shall represent the District at all meetings called by the Grand Lodge or by the AFL-CIO, which are of interest to the Air Transport Industry. The President-General Chairperson shall visit each lodge or point affiliated with District#142. In addition,he shall be responsible for the negotiations of all agreements. The President-General Chairperson shall have authority to create and appoint such committees as he deems necessary to perform the business of the District. Such committees shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses and compensated for actual time lost from work.

For the faithful performance of his duties, the President/Directing General Chairperson shall receive a salary, effective January 1, 2003 of $9,013.81 per month, less legitimate withholding taxes.

Section2.    The Senior General Chairmen shall perform the duties of President/Directing General Chairman during the President/Directing General Chairman's absence when needed. In the event of termination on the part of the President-General Chairman, the Executive Board will fill the vacancy for the balance of the term. The General Chairmen shall be elected by a referendum vote and their duties shall be as designated by the President-General Chairman.

The General Chairmen will keep the President/Directing General Chairman advised of their whereabouts at all times when on District #142 business and shall, each week, give written resume of their day-to-day activities.

The General Chairmen shall receive a salary, effective January 1, 2003 of $8,756.89 per month, payable one-half (2) on the 15th and one-half (2) on the last day of the month, less legitimate withholding taxes.

Full-time union representatives (PGC, GC & ST) shall be allowed vacation in accordance with the agreement provisions from which their seniority is maintained.

The salaries of the full-time representatives (PGC, GC & ST) shall be increased each successive year as of the 1st of January, 1998, as provided for in Article XI, Section 1, of the Grand Lodge Constitution.

The Executive Board may freeze the salaries of the full-time representatives (PGC, GC, & ST) to protect the treasury of the District, with written notification to the IP and his approval of such action taken.

Section 3.    The President/Directing General Chairman shall attend and will preside over all District Conventions and Executive Board meetings, and will have voice and vote as outlined in the IAM Constitution for Local Lodge President.

Section 4.    The District Trustees shall have charge of all property belonging to the District Lodge, shall take inventory of the District prior to each convention and shall see that all books are properly kept. They shall give a written report at all conventions. When their successors are elected and installed, they shall turn over to them all books, papers, funds and other property of the District Lodge that they may have. The District Trustees shall count all ballots in District Lodge referendums, unless otherwise provided for in these bylaws. In addition, they shall be responsible for the purchase of all office equipment in excess of $250.00, excluding office supplies.

Section 5.    The Secretary-Treasurer shall attend all meetings and conduct correspondence of the District, excepting as otherwise provided for. He shall keep a correct account of the finances of the District and he shall make an itemized monthly report of all receipts and expenditures of the District, such reports to be mailed each month to the Recording Secretary of each local affiliated with District #142 by certificate of mailing. He shall receive all money due to the District and pay all legitimate bills of the District. He shall make a report to the District every month with copies to all affiliated local lodges. At each District Officers' meeting, it will be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to submit a report of the standing of all affiliated lodges.

All checks drawn by the Secretary-Treasurer shall be countersigned by the President/Directing General Chairperson of District #142, and shall bear the seal of the

District. In the event of unavailability of the Secretary-Treasurer, due to extended absences or vacation, the President/Directing General Chairperson shall appoint a Secretary-Treasurer pro tem. (All such officers and appointees being subject to the bonding provisions herein).

For the faithful performance of his duties, he shall receive a salary, effective January 1, 2003 of $8,486.19 per month, payable one-half on the 1st and 15th of the month, less legitimate withholding taxes.

All officers, employees, or other individuals in this District Lodge who are responsible for, or handle funds of or for the Lodge, shall be bonded in accordance with the IAM Constitution and the IAM Policy relating thereto.

Section 6.    Any member performing the duties of acting full-time representative shall be compensated at the current rate for the position.
Any full-time office or position can be reduced to a part time status by Executive Board action, subject to the approval of the International President.

In taking such action, seniority shall prevail in the office or position affected. It is understood that the Executive Board may consider any individual's request for voluntary reduction without regard to seniority.

The Executive Board shall establish the salary for that office or position, subject to the approval of the International President.

          (a)    The Officers and General Chairpersons of the District shall be elected to four (4) year terms. The President/Directing General Chairperson, Vice President Southwest, Vice President Continental, Vice President British Airways, and the twelve (12) Assistant General Chairpersons now filling terms which expire in 2006 shall stand election in 2006. The Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President Foreign Flags, and the six (6) Assistant General Chairpersons now filling terms which expire in 2004 shall stand election in 2004. Effective with the scheduled election in 2004, one (1) Trustee shall be elected and effective with the scheduled election in 2006, one (1) Trustee shall be elected.

Section 7.    All officers and/or full-time representatives performing work for District Lodge #142 will not suffer loss of benefits which would have been enjoyed by them while working for their respective Carrier that can be reasonably maintained.

Section 1.    It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to act on all matters of emergency in accordance with the IAM Constitution between District meetings. It shall meet one (1) day in advance of the convention.

Union members of System Board of Adjustment shall be appointed by the District President/Directing General Chairperson pending approval by District Officers at the first District Officers' meeting after the appointment.

Section 2.    Executive Board members and other members properly directed to perform services for the District shall receive a salary for actual time lost from regular work. In cases where the services are needed on their day off, they shall be paid eight (8) hours pay per day at the straight time rate. Transportation, hotel expenses and other legitimate expenses will be paid while away from home. Full-time District #142 representatives and officers shall be paid out of town per diem and expenses in accordance with Grand Lodge Policy.

Section 3.    All full-time District #142 representatives shall submit complete and accurate expense and travel reports to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer on a monthly basis.

Section 4.    The Director of Communications shall be appointed on or before January 1, 2000 by the President/Directing General Chairperson with the approval of the District Executive Board. The duties of the Director of Communications shall include dissemination information to the membership and interfacing with the news media with the approval of the President/Directing General Chairperson.

Section 1.    The Secretary-Treasurer of District #142 will have all accounts of the District audited prior to convention, and a report of the audit will be submitted to the District Executive Board and convention.

Section2.    There shall be a District Safety Committee appointed by the President/Directing General Chairperson. The duties of this committee shall consist of coordinating District #142's safety standards and policies throughout the system.
Meetings of this committee will be held at times designated by the President/Directing General Chairperson.

Section 3.    There shall be a District Scholarship Committee appointed by the President/Directing General Chairperson. This Committee will be responsible for the application of the Scholarship Award Program.

Section4.    District 142 will establish a Human Rights Committee. The Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee will attend all meetings of the District 142 Executive Board.


Section 1.    Current per capita tax - $13.77. Effective January 1, 1984, this District shall be maintained by a per capita tax equal to seventy (70) percent of the Grand Lodge per capita tax, per month, per member, and in addition each lodge affiliated with the District shall pay a per capita tax of fifteen dollars ($15.00) to the District Secretary-Treasurer for each initiation fee and reinstatement fee. Such increase shall in no case be retroactive.

The District per capita tax shall be adjusted each January 1, thereafter. Effective April 1, 1981, an additional five cents ($.05) per month, per member, shall be added to the current per capita tax to be used to fund the District #142 Scholarship Program.

All per capita tax shall be paid according to the amount of per capita tax paid each month to the Grand Lodge by members of District #142.

All per capita tax shall be sent to the District Secretary-Treasurer on or before the tenth (10th) of each month.

         (a)    District Lodge 142 will act in compliance with the January 1, 2005 Constitution mandate. To comply the District Lodge will incur additional expense. To offset this outlay the District will charge a per member non-revenue fee. The fee will be fifty cents ($.50) per member. This fee will not result in a dues increase for District 142.

Section 2.    Each local lodge affiliated with District #142 shall submit full payment of per capita tax to the District Secretary-Treasurer at the close of each month in compliance with the IAM Constitution.

Section 3.    Any proposed change of the District per capita taxes shall be in the form of an amendment to these bylaws and shall be made in compliance with Article XII.

Section 1.    These laws may be amended or changed by proposals submitted to a District Convention. When approved by the convention and ratified by a majority of all votes cast by the members of the affiliated lodges and approved by the Grand Lodge, the amendment or change shall become effective the first of the month following final approval. The District Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the Recording Secretary of each local lodge immediately by registered mail, return receipt requested, of any changes in these bylaws made, approved, or disapproved by the Grand Lodge.

Section 2.    Between conventions, any local lodge affiliated with this District may propose amendments or changes to these bylaws by submitting same in writing to the District Secretary-Treasurer. The local lodge shall send a copy of proposedamendments or changes to other local lodges at the same time they are sent to the District Secretary-Treasurer, as any changes are to be endorsed by two (2) other local lodges. The District Secretary-Treasurer shall start immediate action in submitting this change to the membership upon receipt of the second endorsement, and when ratified by a majority of all votes cast by the membership of the affiliated lodges and approved by the Grand Lodge, the amendments or changes shall become effective on the first of the month following final approval.

Section 3.    Prior to voting on contracts and District referendums, ballots shall be made available to the membership after reasonable opportunity for explanation and the procedures for voting shall be as set forth in the IAM Constitution.

Section 4.    Nothing in these bylaws shall be construed or applied in any manner that will conflict with the provisions of the IAM Constitution. All matters arising and not specifically covered in these bylaws shall be governed by the IAM Constitution.

Section 1.    All negotiated contracts shall be submitted to the membership affected for ratification. Each negotiated airline contract shall be forwarded, with all changes plainly marked, to each subject local in sufficient numbers for each local lodge officer (working under the contract affected), Grievance Committee member and local contact for a minimum of five (5) days study prior to the balloting for ratification. This 5-day minimum notice will not apply when the membership is out on strike, but would be acted on as quickly as possible. All locals shall receive a minimum of five (5) days notice of a meeting to be called for the purpose of ratifying a contract. Voting shall be conducted by secret ballot. In addition, the President/Directing General Chairperson and/or his designated representative shall be present at each ratification meeting to explain and advise the membership of the Negotiating Committee's recommendation to accept or reject before the polls are open for voting. Immediately following the vote, the local lodge tellers will tally the vote and forward tally and votes to the District.

Approved for and in behalf of International President