The IBEW Constitution was amended at the St. Louis Convention of 1991 to provide that any member holding good standing immediately prior to the first of the month in which the member enters the military service for the first time or is recalled to such military service, under the laws of the United States or Canada, shall be issued an Active Military Card by the Financial Secretary of the Local Union on application by such member. (The member must pay dues up to and including the month when he or she enters active military service). Issuance of the Active Military Card does not require a vote of the membership.
All members who are on a Participating Withdrawal Card when they enter military service shall be covered in the same manner, except that the Active Military Card shall be issued by the International Secretary upon application by the member.
The Active Military Card is a three (3) part form. One part is to be retained by the member; one part is for the local union; and the other portion of the card must be forwarded to the International Secretary by the Financial Secretary of the Local Union with the next per capita report.
The Military Service Card can be issued to either “A” or “BA” members, depending on the type of membership which was held by the member during the month prior to that in which he or she entered military service.
In the case of an “A” member, their continuous good standing, pension and death benefits of “A” membership will be protected throughout the time the member is in the service; and for both “A” and “BA” members, their eligibility to run for local union office, or as delegates to the IBEW Convention will not be affected by their period in the military service.
Within sixty (60) days after separation from military service, the member must deposit the Active Military Card in the Local Union that issued the card and resume the payment of dues and per capita tax. (The dues are payable for the month following that in which the member was separated from active military service.) Article XII, Section 10 of the IBEW Constitution governs the use and limitations of the Military Service Card. Any member who fails to deposit such card and resume payment of local union dues and per capita tax within the time specified above shall no longer be entitled to the privileges set forth in this section.
Any member holding an Active Military Card who remains in the military service or re-enters the service without being required to do so, is not entitled to retain Active Military Card status, nor shall the member be issued a new Active Military Card, nor shall such member be issued a new one in such circumstances; provided, however, that a member serving or re-enlisting in the National Guard or in the Military Reserves may retain the Military Service Card benefit whenever called to active duty. Forty-eight months normally is the maximum period of time which will be afforded to any member of the IBEW under the Active Military Card. That is, any member who continues to remain in the military service after having been covered for four full years, may only retain active membership in the IBEW by tendering dues to either the local or by obtaining a Participating Withdrawal Card from the former local union and paying dues directly to the International Office.
When a local union provides local benefits, it shall determine whether any member who has been issued an Active Military Card shall continue to be covered by such Local Union benefits. However, the IBEW shall in no manner be held responsible for the payment or nonpayment of local benefits.
The local union will not be required to forward any dues payments on behalf of those members who have Active Military Cards. All payments on their behalf will be entered by the International Office each time that a per capita report is processed.
Local 3 Requirements
All inquiries pertaining to Military Service Cards require a written letter of request to the Financial Secretary office located at 158-11 Harry Van Arsdale Jr. Ave., Flushing, NY 11365. Included in the letter of request for the issuance or re-deposit of a Military Service Card, should be name, card number and date in which you will be either entering military service or re-depositing of Military Service Card.
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