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Installation of officers

The election committee makes its general report to the membership. The membership votes to accept it. (If there is no formal protest pending, the membership has no choice but to accept it.)

When do the newly elected officers take office?

“Those elected shall be installed in office immediately upon the [local union’s] acceptance of the election committee’s general report on the election.” (International Constitution, Appendix D, Section 2, sub-section J)

Some local union constitutions have provisions that would seem to provide for a delay of anywhere from a few days to a couple of months between completion of the election and the installation of the new officers. No such provision is valid. Those elected must be installed immediately.

The outgoing officers are obligated to turn over to their successors “all books, papers and other property” of the union, and they remain under bond until they have done so.

Who installs the new officers? Anybody that has a book handy. They have, in fact, been the officers of the local from the moment the election committee’s report was accepted and are legally bound by the “Obligation of an Officer” found in Appendix B of the International Constitution, whether or not they have raised their hands and recited the words.

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