A more thorough explanation:

Maintenance of Membership

Maintenance of Membership is a type of union agreement that allows current members to renounce their membership only within a specified time period. However, new members must retain their union membership for the duration of the agreement.

For example, let's say a union and an employer have a maintenance of membership agreement that lasts for three years. Current union members can choose to leave the union within the first 30 days of the agreement, but after that, they must remain members for the entire three years. New employees who join the company during the three-year period must become union members and remain members for the duration of the agreement.

Another example could be a maintenance of membership agreement between a union and a government agency. The agreement may state that current union members can only leave the union during a specific time period, such as the month of January. New employees who join the agency during the agreement period must become union members and remain members for the duration of the agreement.

The examples illustrate how maintenance of membership works in practice. Current members have some flexibility to leave the union, but only within a specified time period. New members, on the other hand, must become union members and remain members for the entire duration of the agreement. This type of agreement helps ensure that the union has a stable membership base and can effectively represent its members in negotiations with employers.