Grand Lodge Convention Nominations
Nominees Update
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Nominees Update 〰️
The Nominees for a Delegate Position are as follows:
Alan Kaliff
Aaron Ashley
Brett Martin
Christian Sanchez
Daniel Bryant
David “Rocket” Gutierrez
Derrick Hernandez
Gerald “Jerry” Guerena
James Bennett
Mohammad “Moe” Sharifi
Patrick Osborne
Tamsen Jenkins
Timothy “Tim” Simon
Westley Brundige
Voting
Our Local Lodge will open the polls providing the opportunity for members of all shifts to vote on May 1st, 2024 to coincide with our member’s meeting.
Polls shall open at 7:00 AM and run till 5:00 PM
You will Vote for 6 Delegates.
Greeting Brothers and Sisters,
This year the Grand Lodge Convention will be held from September 1st through 6th in New York City, New York.
Per the Constitution of our Union, Article II. Sec. 3,
At a meeting of our Local Lodge in April of a convention year, the nomination of delegates and alternate delegates shall be held by all Local Lodges.
At a meeting of our Local Lodge in May of a convention year, an election of delegates and alternate delegates by secret ballot shall be held by all Local Lodges.
We will be holding nominations at both our Day Shift and Swing Shift meetings next month in April. If you wish to run for a Delegate position, be sure to attend a meeting.
Members elected will become representatives of our membership and will be responsible for up front expenses for airfare and hotel accommodations.
Representatives will be reimbursed for their expenses as well as lost wages for attending the Convention. Expenses for attending the Convention are expected to cost anywhere from $3,000 - $5,000 per member attending, including lost wages.
What is the Grand Lodge Convention?
In the simplest terms, the purpose of the Grand Lodge Convention is to change the IAM Constitution and to set Policy within the IAM.
Our Union is built on a foundation of layers. At our lowest level, we have every one of us as members of our Union. We all are Members of a Local Lodge. From there, we move up to a District Lodge where they oversee several Locals within a given area. After that, we move to a Territory. We are a part of the Western Territories and just like a District, a Territory oversees all the Districts and Locals that fall within their area. Lastly, we finally have the Grand Lodge which we often refer to as, The International.
Now that we have an understanding of how the foundation is built, we can make it easier to understand what the Grand Lodge Convention is.
Similarly to how every month we, as a Local, hold a Local Lodge Members Meeting, the Grand Lodge needs to hold a meeting as well. This is defined within the IAM Constitution to hold a Convention (Meeting) every 4 years first set forth back in 2000. This convention is where members from every Local within our Union have the right and the opportunity to send delegates to represent their membership in attendance for this convention and to do the business of the Grand Lodge.
This is where we are now. It is time again for the Grand Lodge to hold a Convention (Meeting) in which we have the opportunity to send delegates to this convention to represent us in voting on changes within our Union on the highest level.
The Order of Business will be conducted as follows:
Address by International President
Reading of Convention Call
Reading of Convention Code of Conduct.
Appointment of Rules Committee
Report of Credentials Committee
Report of Rules Committee
Appointing of Other Convention Committees
Reports of Committees
New Business
Closing Address of International President
Representation and Voting
Our Local Lodge is entitled to be represented by 1 delegate at said convention. In addition, having a membership of more than 200 we are entitled to an additional delegate for each additional 200 members. Such delegates must be elected by a majority vote.
1-200 = 1 Delegate
200-400 = 2 Delegates
400-600 = 3 Delegates
600-800 = 4 Delegates
800-1000 = 5 Delegates
1000-1200 = 6 Delegates
1200-1400 = 7 Delegates
1400-1600 = 8 Delegates
Etc…
Each Local Lodge represented in convention by a delegate is entitled to 1 vote, and all Local Lodges having a membership of more than 100 are entitled to 1 additional vote for each additional 100 members.
The number of votes each Local Lodge is entitled to shall be computed upon the number of members of such Local Lodge at the close of July of the convention year.
The delegation of any Local Lodge may by unanimous consent vote as a unit, or the vote to which said lodge is entitled may be divided equally among its delegates, and in case an equal division is impossible the fractional number of votes left after the division shall be cast by the first delegate elected by said lodge.
Qualifications for Delegates
Delegates to Grand Lodge Conventions must have been in continuous “good standing” in our Local Lodge from which they hold credentials for at least 1 year prior to their nomination.
The term “good standing” is used with reference to a member in our Constitution shall mean any person who has fulfilled the requirements for membership as prescribed within our Constitution and who has not voluntarily withdrawn therefrom, become ineligible for continued membership, or has been suspended or expelled as provided in our Constitution or in the bylaws of subordinate lodges approved as required under this Constitution.
Members who fail to pay their dues, assessments, or other fees within the periods required by our Constitution or the bylaws of the Local Lodge or District Lodge will be subject to automatic cancellation Nomination.
Members who are not in good standing are not entitled to any voice, vote, or participation in any of the affairs of the Grand Lodge or any of its subordinate bodies except as otherwise permitted under our Constitution.
Absentee Ballot
Specific information as to who is entitled to receive an absentee ballot are members who meet at least one of the following.
Members who reside in outlying areas more than 25 miles from the designated balloting place.
Members who are at work during the times of the local lodge balloting.
Members who are either confined because of illness or injury.
Members on leave qualifying under U.S. and Canadian family leave laws.
Working members on vacation.
Retirees more than 25 miles away from their residence on election day.
Members on official I.A.M. business approved by the Local Lodge, District Lodge, or Grand Lodge.
Members on an employer travel assignment.
Members on reserve military leave.
Members who meet at least one of those conditions shall be entitled to receive absentee ballots.
Any member entitled to receive an absentee ballot shall make a written request, via application, to the Recording Secretary of the Local Lodge by delivering in person or mailing such request to be received by the Recording Secretary not later than 15 days before the election.
Within 5 business days after receipt of any such request, or receipt of printed ballots, whichever is later, the Recording Secretary shall mail the ballot if the records of the Local Lodge indicate that the applicant is eligible to vote in the election.
Members found not eligible to vote by absentee ballot will be notified within 5 business days of receipt of their application.
Members voting by absentee ballot shall execute and mail their ballots in accordance with the following procedure.
After marking an (X) opposite the names of the candidates for whom they wish to vote, and after filling in the information required on the detachable portion of the ballot form, the members shall thereupon detach such portion of the ballot and then fold and place the upper ballot portion in a plain envelope without affixing any signature, number, or other means of identification thereon.
After being securely sealed, this plain envelope shall then be placed, together with the detachable stub bearing the name of the member, address, lodge number, and card number, in an outer envelope bearing the word “Ballot” on its face.
After being securely sealed, this envelope shall be returned by official government mail to the Recording Secretary of the absentee member’s Local Lodge so that it will be received by or before the closing time of the polls specified in the notice of election.
The Recording Secretary shall turn over to the inspectors of election all such absentee ballots unopened.
Upon the closing of the polls, all votes will be counted. The secretary of each Local Lodge shall immediately thereafter forward a report of the election to the General Secretary Treasurer, giving the names, card numbers, and residence addresses of all delegates and alternate delegates.
