December ’16 Labor-Citizen

Brothers and sisters:

The National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) is responsible for developing and implementing the curriculum, testing and ongoing education needs of the IUEC members covered by the Standard Agreement. The four year or eight semester cost for an apprentice to go through the program and be ready to sit for the Mechanics Exam is $32,775.

NEIEP is requiring that all apprentices sign a scholarship loan agreement which covers $6555 per year of the cost associated with their education. If the apprentice seeks or accepts employment with a non-signatory company doing work covered by the Standard Agreement they will be responsible to repay the loan amount.

NEIEP is also supplying all apprentices with laptops with the curriculum pre-installed. It will be the responsibility of the apprentice to care for the laptop.

Thyssen-Krupp is test piloting a program using the Microsoft HoloLens system to aid field techs in troubleshooting controller related issues. According to the Microsoft website HoloLens is essentially a holographic computer built into a headset that lets you see, hear, and interact with holograms within an environment such as a living room or an office space. According to the International, any field techs involved in the program must restrict their activities to wholly in front of the controller and remove the device before preforming any work. In addition the company must submit the names of jobs and employees it wishes to enroll in the test program.

At the Tri-State meeting in November, the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund reported there were one three deaths in the trade this year. That compares to four in 2011, five in 2012, six in 2013 and five last year. Safety is the most important tool in our box. Use it everyday.

Also at the meeting, locals in Akron, Baltimore and Cincinnati reported they were at full employment. Philadelphia is fighting a non-signatory and decided hire their own organizer in addition to the one International organizer already working with them. Local 5s membership has fallen from 800 in 2008 to 600 today. Indianapolis reported they organized six new members.

As reported here and in the Elevator Constructor, The delegates to the 31st International Convention voted unanimously to increase the per capita paid to the International by the locals to support the organizing efforts around the US and Canada. As part of the Mandatory Meeting for the induction of officers in January, there will also be a Special Called Meeting to vote on a dues increase to cover the per capita asked for by the International.

At the November meeting, International Organizer Jim Lowery talked to the members about the state of organizing around the country as well as updating the members about the efforts to sign Gable Elevator.

On Gable, Lowery reported that the talks to add them as a Local 17 signatory are escalating. “All of the efforts that the VOC (Volunteer Organizing Committee) has put in over the past years is starting to pay off. We are actively talking with the owners and am optimistic about the outcome.” He added that currently Gable has 28 field employees and will be looking to add to that number once they become a signatory.

“Efforts like these are why the International asked for a per capita increase at the convention.” The IUEC is looking to add eight total organizers, six in the US and two in Canada. They also hired a lobbyist to push for an elevator safety bill in the Ohio Statehouse.

The Brothers and sisters of IUEC Local 17 extend their condolences to the families of Brother Joel Reyes who unexpectedly lost his 10 year-old daughter and Brother Ken Eaton who lost his father.
As of this writing there are three mechanics and three apprentices on the bench.