United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America
Ritual
Opening the Meeting
19..
The hour of meeting having arrived and a quorum being present, the President
shall take the chair and give ONE RAP with the gavel, upon which all officers
and members will be seated, and a general silence shall be observed.
PRESIDENT: Brothers (Sisters). we are about to open the meeting of
Local Union No. … of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of
America, for the purpose of considering such measures as will tend to perpetuate
our organization, spread its principles, elevate our trade, and advance our
interests individually and collectively. All who are not members of this Order
will please retire.
If any of the officers are absent, the President will make such pro tem
appointment as may be necessary.
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will communicate to me
the Password, after which you will examine all present and report any person who
cannot give you the same.
After completing the examination, the Conductor will report as follows:
COND UCTOR: Brother (Sister) President, I have examined the
brothers (sisters) present, and find all qualified to remain, except brothers
(sisters) who are not in possession of the current Password.
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) conductor you will see that the Flag
is in the proper place and the members will rise and repeat with me the Pledge
of Allegiance. ‘I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of
America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under god,
indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’
Note - Members of the United Brotherhood in the Dominion of Canada should
change the above Pledge.
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Warden, guard well the entrance to our
Union, and admit no one without the Password, and allow none to retire without
permission of the Vice-President. I now declare this meeting open for the
transaction of such business as may legally come before it.
Initiation Ceremony
Candidates elected to membership and awaiting initiation shall remain in the
ante-room. At the appointed time for initiation the President shall RAP ONCE
with his (her) gavel and announce .
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will retire and
ascertain if there be any applicants in waiting. Should there be any, you will
escort them to the President.
Conductor retires and presents the applicants.
PRESIDENT to Applicants: In this Brotherhood it is necessary that
the members should see you personally before a ballot can be taken on your
application. You will now return with the Conductor to the ante-room to await
the pleasure of the Local Union.
PRESIDENT to Members: Does any one present know of any just reason
why the applicant should not become a member of the United Brotherhood? If so,
let it be known or hereafter keep silent.
Ballot is then taken.
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Recording Secretary, has Mr. (Mrs.,
Miss) … been duly elected to become a member of this Local Union?
RECORDING SECRETARY: Brother President, he (she) has (has not)
been duly elected to become a member of this Local Union.
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Financial Secretary, has Mr. (Mrs.,
Miss) … fully complied with the constitution and laws of the United
Brotherhood?
FINANCIAL SECRETARY: Brother (Sister) President, Mr. (Mrs., Miss)
… has (or has not, as the case may be).
In case he (she) has not:
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Financial Secretary, you will retire
to the ante-room and collect the balance of initiation fees and dues.
Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will retire and present the candidates for
initiation.
NOTE: Conductor ascertains from Financial Secretary if same has been done and
approaches the inner door, giving ONE RAP, and reports to the warden.
WARDEN: Brother (Sister) President, I announce the Conductor with
candidate for initiation.
PRESIDENT: Admit them.
NOTE: The President gives THREE RAPS and the members rise; Conductor escorts
the candidates to altar, if there be one, if not, to the President’s station.
CONDUCTOR: Mr. (Mrs., Miss) President, permit me to introduce a
candidate worthy to join our Union.
The President will then address the candidate as follows:
PRESIDENT to Candidate: In this Brotherhood you will be required
to take upon yourself an obligation that you are not now, and never will, so
long as you remain a member, become a member of any revolutionary organization,
or give aid, comfort or support to any such organization. To do so is to forfeit
your membership in the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America.
I assure you that this obligation will in no way conflict with your religious
belief, political opinions, or domestic duties. However, it is my duty to inform
you that the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America does NOT
RECOGNIZE the Communist Party as a political organization. With this assurance,
are you willing to take the obligation?
Candidate: ….
NOTE: If answered in the affirmative, the President will then proceed to this
center of this room and face his candidate.
PRESIDENT to Candidate: Please take your right hand and repeat
after me the following obligation: You will use your name where I use mine:
Obligation
I, …, of my own free will and accord, in the presence of these members here
assembled do solemnly and sincerely promise on my sacred honor that I will never
reveal by word or deed any of the business of this United Brotherhood unless
legally authorized to do so. I promise to abide by the Constitution and Laws and
the will of the majority, observe the local trade rules of this Order and that I
will use every honorable means to procure employment for brother (sister)
members. I agree that I will ask for the Union Label and purchase union-made
goods and employ only union labor when same can be had. And I further agree that
if at any time it should be discovered that I have made any misstatements as to
my qualifications for membership I shall be forever debarred from membership and
donations in this order. I pledge myself to be obedient to authority orderly in
the meetings respectful in words and actions and charitable in judgment of my
brother (sister) members. To all of this I promise and pledge my most sacred
word and honor to observe and keep and the same to bind me as long as I remain a
member of this Brotherhood. And I further affirm and declare that I am not now
affiliated with and never will join or give aid comfort or support to any
Revolutionary Organization or to any organization that tries to disrupt or cause
dissension in any Local Union, District Council, State or Provincial Council or
the International Body of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of
America.
PRESIDENT to Newly Initiated Members: You have now been admitted
into the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America and you are
entitled to all the rights. benefits and privileges as a member thereof, as
specified in the General Constitution, and having assumed the duties and honors
of a member of the United Brotherhood, we extend to you the hand of fellowship
and instruct you how to enter the meetings of the Local Union, and intrust you
with the quarterly password, to which you are now entitled. To gain admission to
the meetings of the Union, you must knock twice on the inside door and
communicate to the warden the quarterly password.
Here the President gives each new member the Password. After that the
President will return to his (her) chair, give one distinct rap, when the
members take their seats.
He (she) will address the Conductor.
PRESIDENT: Brother (Sister) Conductor, you will now lead the newly
initiated Brother (Sister) to the Financial Secretary’s desk, where he (she)
will hand in his (her) name and address, and comply with all other requirements
of the Constitution and Laws. He (she) will then obtain his (her) card of
membership.
NOTE: The Financial Secretary in this meantime should have the card of
membership prepared, to avoid delay. After complying with this, the Conductor
will escort the new member to his (her) seat
Closing the Meeting
When the Order of Business has been finished, the President will arise and
address the Union as follows:
PRESIDENT: There being no further business before the Union, we
will proceed to close.
The President will give three raps, and the members will all rise to their
feet. He will then say:
PRESIDENT: Brothers (Sisters): You will all bear well in mind your
obligation. Help one another, strive to strengthen our organization, and be
careful not to divulge the private business of this union. And now, by virtue of
my office, I declare this meeting duly adjourned, unless specifically called,
until next … evening, … o’clock, when I hope to see you all present.