Brothers and sisters:
Happy New Year! On behalf the officers and members of Local 17, I pray that 2014 will be a year of blessings and prosperity for everyone in the International family.
Now… here’s what’s going on.
Instructor John Taylor is deep into his motor-generator class. This is an advanced version of the class we took through NEIEP as helpers/apprentices that goes much deeper into the relationship these two vital devices have in making an elevator operate safely.
The application process for the new hire list has been completed by the JATC and everyone who applied should have been notified by now of their position on the list. Best of luck to all those who had family and friends seeking employment in the trade.
The Elevator Contractors of America (ECA) signed a safety agreement with the IUEC that is the same as the Schindler agreement reached a couple of months ago. This draws the independent companies in line with the current safety trend. How long before Otis, Kone and Thyssen follow suit?
The big news at the November meeting was IUEC organizer Jim Lowery speaking to the body on the local’s efforts to organize Gable Elevator. He stressed that although our last effort to sign Gable to the IUEC met with a firm rebuke from their accountant, there were other avenues available to organize the company. To that end a Volunteer Organizing Committee (VOC) was formed in late November and is in the early organizational stages.
Lowery also touched on the joint efforts of Local 17’s Tim Moennich and Local 45 (Akron) Business Agent Dave Morrow to interest local signatories in the Industry Advancement Program (IAP) at a meeting held at Canton Elevator in Canton, Ohio. The IAP is a fund offered through the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF) that pays a signatory company a fee to help offset the difference between what an unorganized company can charge versus a signatory company. That fee is based on the type of unit (hydraulic, traction or handicapped lift) and is for a fixed period of time. There is also a program offered on the installation of home lifts, a market that is virtually non-existent for majors.
If you are interested in being a part of the effort to bring Gable and other unorganized companies into the IUEC fold, please contact Business Agent Tim Moennich at 216-431-8088 or TMoennich@iueclocal17.org.
Where are they working?
Mark Byram and Ryan Todd at the Casino installing two escalators for Schindler,
Joe Broz, Jr. and Dave Adrian installing roller guides at the V.A. Hospital for Thyssen,
Matt Pinchot and Al Ward doing a three car mod at Metro for Otis,
Jerry Szemerkovsky and Craig Nolty at Camp Bedford installing an elevator for Otis,
Ken Bowles and Lucas Jenke doing a mod at Helen S. Brown for Otis,
Don Knapik and Tim Gibbons doing full loads at East Ohio Gas for Schindler,
Jason Faber and Joe Gouker doing a door mod at Double Tree for Thyssen,
Don Kaiser and Eric Crossgrove cabling and doing full load tests at University Hospital,
John Goggin and Mike Hogan doing escalator clean downs at the airport for Schindler,
Matt Weingart and Taurus Ogletree installing a three stop elevator at Miles Point for Schindler,
John Patton and Tom Gombar at St. Vincent doing a jack job for Kone.
The brothers and sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Brother Richard Sotelo, Local 21 (Dallas/Ft. Worth), who was killed at an after-hours callback.
As of this writing there are 18 mechanics and three apprentices out of work.
Until next month,
Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety,
Don
DKnapik@windstream.net
International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 17 