Category: Cleveland Citizen

There is still time to get your four-some registered for the 2024 IUEC Local 17 Golf Outing held on July 20 at Bunker Hill Golf Course, 3060 Pearl Road, Medina.The cost is $150 per golfer for 18 holes of golf, dinner, carts and prizes.  Registration and lunch is at 1pm with a 2pm shotgun start.  If you are interested in only dinner, the cost is $40 if paid before July 13 and $45 after.  

There is a link on the Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org as well as a QR code for the registration site.  For more information contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

Fall semester for apprentices begins the week of August 5 with mandatory orientation.  There will be one RC100 class, and two classes each of RC200, RC300 and RC400 for the 48 apprentices advancing in the program.  That 48 includes three apprentices that are Exam eligible and exiting the program and five probationaries entering.

Good luck to Mike Miller, Jr, Matt Ramser and Aaron Sipos on qualifying for the Mechanic’s Exam.  This is the only unbiased evaluation of your knowledge as an elevator constructor you will have in your career.  

There were 175 applicants eligible for the interview portion of the Local 17 Apprentice List.  Thank you to Brothers Tom Goggin, Bill Lynsky, Tim Narowitz and Jerry Reitz for their work during the interview process  

The first group from the new list is already working in the field and waiting on starting their probationary units.

For those who have had a change in familial status (marriage, divorce, added a child, etc), contact John at the hall to fill out the paperwork for the Benefits Office to properly cover your family.  Members who do not report these changes may be responsible for charges incurred by and for those who are not properly documented as being covered.

The weekly income rate for temporary disability has increased to $715 per week.  Call John if you may qualify for this benefit.

The IUEC Pension Department has increased the rate for all six pension tiers by $3 per credit year.  Retirees also received an increase in their credit year rates.

Work in the area remains strong with Schindler and Kone holding their ground, TKElevator ramping up their jobs and Otis gaining some new work.  

As of this writing there is one mechanic on the bench.

The 2024 Retiree’s Dinner was held at Harry’s Steak House in Independence May 17.  The evening was filled with cold beer, good food and great conversation and a lot of stories.  The best way to hear those stories is to be a part of the event.  For those of you who missed it, you can go to the IUEC Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org for a gallery of photos from the dinner. 

The Local 17 Golf Outing will be held at Bunker Hill Golf Course, 3060 Pearl Road, Medina on July 20.  The cost is $150 per golfer for 18 holes of golf, dinner, carts and prizes.  Registration and lunch is at 1pm with a 2pm shotgun start.  If you are interested in only dinner, the cost is $40 if paid before July 13 and $45 after.  There is a link on the Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org as well as a QR code for the registration site.  For more information contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

All Local 17 apprentices passed their spring semester and will advance to their next semester class.  Congratulations to those apprentices who will be sitting for their Mechanics Exam and good luck to the current probationaries joining the NEIEP program in the fall.  Both groups are preparing for the most interesting journey in the trades.

The interview process for the New Hire list started June 3 and wrapped up June 7.  All applicants should have received a letter notifying them of their slot on the list.  Good luck to all those waiting their chance at entering the best trade in the trades.

Local 17 has 190 full members and 17 probationaries on the roll for a total of 207 members.  There are currently 15 transient working in the jurisdiction.  

A reminder that it is the policy of Local 17 and the IUEC that hoistway doors are not to be blocked open and left for other trades to do work without an IUEC member present.  If your superintendent intimates otherwise, contact John at the hall.

Apprentice training does not exclusively occur in the classroom.  Every journeyman/apprentice interaction has the opportunity to be a learning experience.  Most times the experience teaches the correct way to do a task or complete a project.  When a difficulty arrises, it is also a teaching opportunity.  This is where the journeyman has a choice:  do they stop and take the time to correct the issue using proper tools, materials and methods or do they garbage it together and move on to the next?  Your apprentice is watching.  Make the right choice.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Brother John Driscoll Jr on the passing of his mother-in-law.

As of this writing there are two mechanics on the bench.

Brothers and Sisters:

IUEC General President Frank Christensen named Local 17 Business Manager John Driscoll Jr to the position of International Vice-President.  Driscoll had previously served the International as a Trustee and stepped down from that position to take the new VP role.  As a vice-president he will be part of the International’s General Executive Board and will remain as the Local’s Business Manager. 

The Local 17 Retiree’s Dinner will be held Friday, May 17, 2024 at Harry’s Steak House, 5664 Brecksville Road, Independence.  The cost is $60 cash at the door for all active members.  Retirees attend free.  The bar opens at 5:30 with dinner served at 6:30.  Reservations must be returned to the hall as soon as possible.

The 2024 Local 17 Golf Outing will be Saturday, July 20 at Bunker Hill Golf Course, 3060 Pearl Road, Medina, OH.  Registration and lunch are at 1 PM with a shotgun start at 2 PM.  A steak dinner and awards are scheduled for 7 PM.  The cost is $150 per golfer.  If you wish to attend only the dinner the cost is $40 if paid by July 13 and $45 after July 13.  To sign up, look for a link in the announcement on the Local website, iueclocal17.org or contact John at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

According to NEIEP Area Coordinator Jordan Miller, Local 17 filled the 350 available slots for its apprenticeship application in 24 hours from opening up the opportunity.  Aptitude testing is scheduled for the week of May 13 and interviews are tentatively scheduled for the first week in June.  Good luck to those looking to join the best trade in the trades.

NEIEP has delivered new tables and chairs to the school.  If you have a group such as a church, school, or other organization that can use our old seating, contact John at the hall.

RC 500 Practical exams are scheduled on the first three successive Thursdays of May (2nd, 9th and 16th).  To those apprentices taking the Practical: be early, be prepared and remember this counts toward your Mechanics Exam.  If you do not show up or are late, you will take a zero on the test.

One of the first skills taught to new apprentices is housekeeping on jobs.  It does not matter whether it is a 40 floor construction job or a two-stop hydraulic repack, the apprentice is the primary person responsible for housekeeping on the job.  The impression left by hand prints on doors or oily foot prints on floors lasts long after the job is done.  Take the time to clean up your job as you go or before you leave to make a good impression on those that follow

Brothers and Sisters:

The apprentice application process for IUEC Local 17 is currently open.  Those interested in applying to the Local need to be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or equivalent.  The applications are being taken by the National Elevator Industry Educational Program through their website neiep.org.  Applications opened April 1 and will continue until 350 slots are filled.  Good luck to all those applying to the best Local in the best trade in the trades.

The Local 17 Retiree’s Dinner will be held Friday, May 17, 2024 at Harry’s Steak House, 5664 Brecksville Road, Independence.  The bar opens at 5:30 with dinner served at 6:30.  Reservations must be returned to the hall as soon as possible.

Photos of IUEC Local 17 at the 2024 Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade are available on the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org.

It is the responsibility of the apprentices to keep the classroom space clean.

Those members who did not turn in vacation time or did not take all of their time will be receiving an invitation to attend a future Executive Board meeting.  This will give them the opportunity to provide proof of their compliance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement and the Constitution and By-Laws of the Local.  

For those members who were fined for non-attendance at the Special Called Meetings in November, December and January and have proper reason for their absence, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

For apprentices who are put out as temporary mechanics, the process is spelled out in the CBA under Article X, paragraph 4.  The company and Business Manager must agree to allow the member to be advanced as a temporary mechanic and the ™ must call the hall to confirm they have been cleared and when they are returned to apprentice status.  

IUEC General President Frank Christensen recently sent a letter to all Locals regarding separate lifeline anchor points.  The Local offices of Otis, Schindler and TKElevator are in agreement with the letter and are currently working towards compliance.  If you have any questions regarding lifelines and anchor points on a job, send photos to the hall.

Below this article is a list of IUEC Local 17 signatory companies.  If you see a company working at a job and have a question as to whether they are an International signatory working in the area, contact John at the hall at the number above.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Honorary Retired Brother Jim Ogg who passed away February 16.

As of this writing there is one probationary apprentice on the bench.

Brothers and Sisters:

At the January meeting Sister Andrea Rodriguez reported on the Women Building Nations Conference held December 1st through the 3rd in Washington, DC.  This was her fourth time attending the conference as a member of IUEC Local 17 along with a total of 159 elevator constructors and allies.  

International General President Frank Christensen attended the conference as well as offered tours of the International headquarters in Columbia, MD.  Each signatory company sent representatives to the conference and NEIEP, the training wing of the IUEC, sent nine members.

The breakout groups covered issues such as the challenges of child care for women in the trades as well as construction schedules and their affect on home life.  “There is a strong, supportive network of sisters in the trades willing to help each other no matter what the issue.”

Brother Bill Lynsky attended as well and said that the experience was “inspirational the way the sisters in the trades have each others back.”  He continued “unions (in general) need to be better collectively in supporting women in the trades.”

There are 48 apprentices in six classes in the NEIEP program for the Spring ’24 semester.  Brother Jerry Reitz is teaching two classes of RC500 and Tim Narowitz has two classes of RC100.  Brothers Tom Goggin and Don Knapik are teaching single classes of RC200.  Classes continue until the last week in May.

Retired Brother John Taylor has agreed to teach two continuing education classes.  The first offering is the valve simulator class and the second revolves around the hydraulic controller lab.  As of now no dates have been set.  If you are interested in either or both of these offerings, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

Local 17 members are reminded to check their paychecks for accuracy and report any problems to the hall.

The Local adopted a bylaw authorizing a Safety Liaison on jobs with five or more constructors to report to the Business Manager and foreman on jobsite safety issues.  the Liaison is appointed by the Business Manager.

IUEC Local 17 will be opening its books for apprentice applications starting midnight April 1, 2024.  There will be a link to the NEIEP portal to the application on the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org, at that time.  Applicants are reminded to be vigilant when applying and to look for a confirmation email from NEIEP that they are, in deed, on the list to enter the process.  If there are any questions or concerns, contact John at the hall.

Congratulations to Brothers John Finucan and Mike Hogan who take over respectively as Trustee and Warden.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Honored Retiree Jim Dacey

As of this writing there is one mechanic on the bench.

Brothers and Sisters:

IUEC Local 17 held the Annual Children’s Christmas Party on December 9th at the hall.  The event was a success and a photo gallery of the day is available on the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org.

Local 17 will be holding an apprentice orientation meeting at 5 pm on January 17, 2024 at the school located at 5195 Engle Road, Brookpark.  All apprentices must attend this orientation meeting.  NEIEP  Area Coordinator Jordan Miller will be in town to answer any questions about the program.  The regular class schedule begins Monday, January 22nd and is scheduled to conclude the week of May 20, 2024.

All apprentices should have received a letter informing them of which class they are enrolled in for the semester.  If you have any questions, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr. at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

Payroll is once again an issue. Four apprentices were affected at the beginning of December when they did not receive their six month increase.  An extra four where slated later that month for an increase and John was assured they were in the payroll system to receive that increase as scheduled.  

400 Schindler modernization employees across the country have issues with their checks from Thanksgiving week with 30 of those from Cleveland.  If you have an issue with your check, contact John at the hall at the above contact information.

All 2023 vacation time taken by Local 17 members must be into the hall no later than January 31, 2024.  This is in accordance with Article X, Section 21 of the Local 17 by-laws.  All members with five years or more must account for their 160 hours of vacation and those with less than five years must take 120 hours of vacation.  This was insisted upon by the signatories and agreed to with the IUEC International in the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Honorary retiree Carl Mueller who passed away November 24.

As of this writing there is one mechanic on the bench and 20 transients working in the jurisdiction.

Brothers and Sisters:

The IUEC Local 17 Children’s Christmas Party was held December 9th at the hall located at 3250 Euclid Ave.  The Brothers and Sisters along with their children and grandchildren all had a great time as they were entertained by a magician and a visit from Santa.  For photos of the day, visit the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org.

Apprentice class finals are scheduled for the week of December 11.  Class will be out for about a month and then restart the week of January 15, 2024 with an orientation class.  RC classes for those apprentices remaining in the program are yet to be determined.

Currently, there are 55 apprentices working in the Local.  Of those 45 will be in the NEIEP program after this semester.  Five of the current apprentices in the program will be test eligible after the Fall semester and five others will be still working on their six-month New Hire units.  

Rick Myers will be once again running the Mechanics Review class for those preparing for the test.  Currently he is expecting to start the class the same week as the 2024 Spring semester.

There are two mechanics that must complete their Continuing Education units prior to January 1, 2024 to be eligible for their New Year raise.  Any mechanic who is interested in the NEIEP continuing eduction options can list the website at neiep.org, log in and signup for a class offering.  NEIEP will also pay the mechanic for eight hours at their Local rate.  This is a great opportunity to see what NEIEP has to offer as well as expand your knowledge in the trade.

Schindler still has the majority of the work in the Local but, the other signatories are holding their own and booking more work.  IUEC Local 17 currently has a total of 213 members (mechanics, assistant mechanics, apprentices and probationaries) working and twenty transients for a total of 233 constructors working in the jurisdiction.  This is the highest number in almost 15 years.

If you had a change in your family status (married, divorced, new child, etc.) take a few minutes to contact Business Manger John Driscoll Jr at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17 with any questions as how to update your information.  

It is also important to call the hall when changing jobs or starting jobs that will last three days or more.  This is a Local and International by-law.

The January Special Called meeting for the installation of officers is a mandatory meeting.  If you do not attend you will be fined by the Executive Board. 

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the families of Honored Retirees Jim Batteiger, Todd Keating and Wilbur Wilhelm.

As of this writing there are two mechanics on the bench.

Brothers and Sisters:

The 2023 IUEC Local 17 Children’s Christmas Party will be held Saturday, December 9 at 1 pm at the Laborers 310 Hall located at 3250 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland.   The party will be highlighted by a magic show and visit from Santa bearing gifts for those 12 and under.  Members must respond no later than DECEMBER 1 to Entertainment Chairman Todd Kemp with the name and age of the children to receive gifts.

On November 5, 2023, IUEC Local 17 celebrated the 120th anniversary of its founding.  The Local was established to “encourage a higher standard of skill among its members, cultivate a feeling of friendship among the craft, obtain and maintain a fair standard wage, assist each other in securing employment, protect the jurisdiction of the craft, engage in cultural, civic, legislative, fraternal, educational, charitable, welfare, social and other activities which further the interests, directly or indirectly, of the organization and its membership.”   

In commemoration, over the course of the next year, the Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org, will feature galleries of photos taken over the course of its history.  The first gallery is a reimagining of the advertisement in the International book from the most recent convention.  If any member, past or present, has photos they would like to share they can be emailed to webadmin@iueclocal17.org.  The photos can be from union events, parties, work sites or anything that speaks to the founding objectives of the Local.

For those apprentices who are missing a class, the first makeup is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, November 9.  If you are in need of attending, you will be contacted by Business Manager John Driscoll Jr.  If you have any questions or concerns about attendance, he can be contacted at 216-391-8088 or emailed at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

John will be contacting those apprentices who missed taking the RC500 Practical due to Covid. The test will be administered November 14-16.

Those mechanics who passed their Exam after July 9, 2022 must take the continuing education courses offered on the NEIEP website in order to get their January 1 pay increase.  All mechanics are eligible to take CE courses and are paid eight hours by NEIEP for their time.  For more information go to the NEIEP website, neiep.org, and cursor to the Continuing Education tab on the right side of the home page.

The Local 17 By-Law Committee is in the process of creating a safety liaison for jobs with five or more constructors.  Since there is no provision for a steward, the liaison would be a primary contact of a large job and report to the Business Manager to resolve safety related issues on large job sites and speak about those issues at the quarterly safety meetings with the signatory companies.

As of this writing there are two mechanics on the bench.

Brothers and Sisters:

All apprentices currently enrolled in the NEIEP program must accumulate 72 hours of classroom time each semester.  For those missing a class there will be a makeup scheduled in November.  You will be contacted by Business Manager John Driscoll Jr if you are required to attend this session.  If you have any questions or concerns you can contact John at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

For those apprentices that missed the RC500 Practical, Brother Tim Narowitz will be teaching a refresher course on the tasks involved in the exam.  The Practical will most likely be held near the end of October and those requiring it will be notified by John.

Apprentice pay raises were effective as of the first pay cycle after September 1.  You must have two completed semesters of school in the past year to be eligible for the raise.  If there are any questions or concerns, contact John at the hall.

The November 10th Special Called meeting has been moved to November 17th to accommodate the observance of Veterans Day.  The November 17 and December 8, 2023 and January 12, 2024 meetings are Special Called Meetings for the nomination, election and installation of officers.  All members are required to attend.  Those not attending without a valid excuse will be fined by the Executive Board. 

Companies are moving to replace gas and diesel powered vehicles with electric vehicles and the IUEC has reached a Memorandum of Agreement with Schindler on the charger installation, use and reimbursement for those vehicles.  As of now this MOA only applies to Schindler and its organized employees.  There is an expectation that the move to electric vehicles will accelerate over the coming years and this MOA may be a template for what to expect going forward.  If you are approached by your company to accept an electric vehicle, contact John at the hall.

Those who install and maintain traction jobs with non-circular elastomeric coated suspension members (belts) need to pay special attention to the letter sent out by John from International General President Frank Christensen on belt monitoring and inspection.  If there is a question about the integrity of the belt, then the mechanic is instructed to lock out the car until the belts can be changed.  This is in response to two instances where belt failure resulted in injury and property damage.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the families of Brother Scott Daugherty on the passing of his mother Margaret on August 28, retired Brother Corey Sanchez on the passing of his daughter Katie on August 26 and the Hess family on the passing of their mother and grandmother Lois on September 2.

As of this writing there are one mechanic and one assistant mechanic on the bench. 

Brothers and Sisters:

As this is being written, the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades are preparing for the 2023 edition of the Labor Day Softball Tournament at Parma’s James Day (Nike) Park on Pleasant Valley Road.  IUEC Local 17’s softballs are looking forward to going deeper into the tournament this year than their four games from the 2022 effort.  Visit the Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org, for photos and results from the campaign.

With NEIEP apprentice school in full swing, apprentices are reminded that it is their responsibility to keep their OJT up to date.  It is also the apprentice job to keep up with assignments, homework and come to class prepared.  Jerry Reitz is teaching RC600  and Tim Narowitz is instructing RC100.

As the seasons change, it is a good time to get your house in order.  One thing to keep your eye on is the beneficiaries for your various insurance policies.  Local 17 offers a policy for all its members.  If you have had a life event (marriage, birth, death, or divorce) contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr to check on the beneficiaries for your Local policy at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.  He can also give guidance on checking on any policy or benefit packages through the International and how to change them, if needed.

When changing jobs or starting jobs that will last for three days or more, Local and International policy requires reporting those changes to the hall.  This particularly applies to all modernization and construction jobs.  

The November, December and January meetings are mandatory meetings for the nomination, election and installation of officers.  Those not attending without a valid reason will be fined by the executive board.  Due to the November meeting falling on November 11, Veterans Day, the meeting date will be changed.  Watch this space for the rescheduled date.

The signatory companies to Local 17 are listed below on the Signatories page of this website.  If anyone knows of a company operating in northern Ohio that is not an out of town signatory or listed elsewhere on the site, please contact the hall with all pertinent information.