Article VI

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CONVENTION DELEGATES, ALTERNATE DELEGATES, AND INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS

1.         Eligibility to Run

            (a)        To be eligible to run for any Convention delegate, alternate delegate, or International Officer position, one must:

(1)       Be a member in continuous good standing of the Local Union, with one's dues paid to the Local Union for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months prior to the month of nomination for said position with no interruptions in active membership due to suspensions, expulsions, withdrawals, transfers or failure to pay fines or assessments;

(2)       Be employed at the craft within the jurisdiction of the Local Union for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months prior to the month of nomination; and

(3)       Be eligible to hold office if elected.

            (b)        Candidates for regional Vice President must meet the above requirements and be a member in continuous good standing of a Local Union within the jurisdiction of the regional area for which the Vice President position is sought.

2.         Modifications of Eligibility Requirements

            The requirements of Section 1 may be met in the following manner:

            (a)        The continuous good standing requirement may be met by compliance with the withdrawal or transfer card provisions of the International Constitution and the Local Union Bylaws.

            (b)        The active employment at the craft requirement may be excused by unemployment if, for the period of unemployment, the member was actively seeking and available for employment in the craft and not working outside the craft during such period of unemployment, or by active pursuit of an unresolved grievance or other legal action challenging suspension or discharge.

            (c)        The requirements of working in the jurisdiction may be excused or modified in the case of seasonal workers within the seasonal food industry.

            (d)        The requirements of continuous good standing and working in the jurisdiction may be excused or modified in the case of any officer, employee or member on leave of absence granted with the approval of the Local Union Executive Board on a nondiscriminatory basis.

            (e)        In any newly chartered Local Union that has been in existence for less than twenty-four (24) months, the member must be in continuous good standing over that period and must have worked under the Local Union's jurisdiction for at least half the period of time since the Local Union was chartered.

            (f)        In a newly chartered Local Union that resulted from a split-off or merger, the member must belong to the new Local Union, must have worked in the jurisdiction for a total period of two years, and must be in continuous good standing for a period of twenty-four (24) consecutive months prior to the month of nomination, based on a cumulative total of months in the original and the new Local Union.

            (g)        In the case of a member who has been involuntarily transferred from one Local Union to another, such member must have worked at the craft under the jurisdiction of the original Local Union and must have been so employed and in continuous good standing on a cumulative basis in both Local Unions for a total of twenty-four (24) consecutive months prior to the month of nomination.

            (h)        All officers and full-time employees of the International Union and of any affiliate (excepting licensed professional personnel employed as such) shall be considered as meeting the requirement of working at the craft within the jurisdiction for the purpose of retaining active membership and of being ruled eligible for election to office.  However, officers who are not full-time employees of an affiliate and who are not otherwise employed at the craft shall not be considered to satisfy the working at the craft requirement by virtue of being an officer for longer than the term of office being served at the time fulltime employment at the craft has been terminated.

            (i)         In the case of a trusteed Local Union, the General Executive Board or the Election Supervisor, with the right of appeal to the Election Appeals Master, may, upon good cause shown, waive any or all of the eligibility requirements.

3.         Meeting Attendance Requirements

            Neither the International nor the Local Union may enforce any meeting attendance requirement as a condition for establishing one's eligibility to run for any Convention delegate, alternate delegate, or International Officer position.

4.         Review of Eligibility

            (a)        It is strongly recommended that each candidate for any Convention delegate, alternate delegate or International Officer position request that the Election Supervisor verify his/her eligibility for the position in question sufficiently in advance of nomination so as to permit verification prior to the date of nomination.  Such request shall be made to the Election Supervisor and shall not be sent to the Union.  The Election Supervisor shall issue a report on eligibility, in writing, within five (5) days of such request.

            (b)        It is strongly recommended that each member who intends to nominate or second the nomination of a candidate for any delegate or alternate delegate position follow the procedures outlined in Subsection (a) above.  Any such request shall be made and treated pursuant to the procedures in Subsection (a).