Category: Cleveland Citizen

Brothers and Sisters:

On Friday, May 20, IUEC Local 17 honored its retirees at the annual Retiree’s Dinner at Harry’s Steak House in Independence.  The last dinner was held in 2019.  A large part of the evening was spent catching up on awards for service pins and Gold Cards awarded since the last dinner.  For photos of the event, go to the Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org.

The golf outing originally scheduled for June 11 has been cancelled.  Refunds of greens fees paid are being sent out.  If you have not received your refund, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

At the time of printing, there are 32 apprentices in the NEIEP program with two in their final semester.  Six apprentices are finishing their new hire course.  The apprentices will be split between RC200 and RC700 for the fall semester starting the second week of August.

On the second week of May, the Local 17 JATC was in Providence, Rhode Island at the new NEIEP headquarters for training.  NEIEP is the organization responsible for apprentice and continuing education for the IUEC.  They also administer the mechanics Exam which raises apprentices to journeyman status.

Some of the conversation centered around the interview process and changes which help younger applicants score better.

NEIEP is in the middle of a total rewrite of the curriculum.  Each RC unit takes approximately two years of effort by a team from across the country.  The largest part of the effort is to determine the extent of the rewrite, whether a simple update is needed or the entire RC needs to be redone.  Photos and graphics illustrating the concepts covered in the courses are the single hardest elements to source as many of the conventions, especially in electrical units, have changed from the source text.     

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to Brothers Mike Hogan and retiree Mike Moennich whose mother-in-law Madonna McTaggart passed away May 2.  Also to Business Manager John Driscoll Jr whose father-in-law passed away May 1.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

Business Manager John Driscoll Jr and Brothers Bill Lynsky, Tim Narowitz and John Patton attended the IUEC contract ratification vote the last week of March. The new five-year deal gives percentage raises in pay and benefits through the term and, more importantly to the Labor Committee, a new Article 28 codifying safety in the contract.

According to General President Frank Christensen, the Committee walked out of the negotiations when NEBA, the organization representing the major elevator contractors, balked at including the provision in the contract. NEBA ultimately accepted the new Article into the contract.

Congratulations to Brothers Morgan Armstrong, Dan Koprowski and Jon McCuan for passing the Mechanics Exam. This is the only time in your career you will have an unbiased evaluation of your knowledge of the trade. There are currently three apprentices eligible for the exam.

The IUEC Local 17 Golf Outing will be held June 11th at Hickory Nut Golf Course, 23601 Royalton Rd, Columbia Station. The format is a four-man scramble with friends and family welcome. Tee times start at 10 am. Cost is $100 per person with food, beverages and prizes provided. To secure your foursome send a check made payable to Entertainment Chairman Brian Chambers to the hall at 3250 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, OH 44115. You can also pay through Brian’s PayPal account at brianchambers.cle@gmail.com.

On Friday, May 20 Local 17 will be honoring its retired members at Harry’s Steak House, 5664 Brecksville Road, Independence.  Drinks at 5:30 pm with dinner at 6:30 pm.  The cost is $50 at the door for active members with retirees attending for free.  Please get your reply into the hall no latter than May 10. 

CMHA awarded the modernization job at Apthorp Towers to non-signatory Findlay based Davis-Newcomer Elevator. Davis previously was awarded a job at an LMHA in Lorain just prior to the pandemic. Because of Covid lockdowns, the Volunteer Organizing Committee was not able to make a showing for that job. Look for an email from John on a VOC meeting.

If you hear of a building where a non-signatory is working, call John at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org. A list of signatory companies is at the end of this article and listed on the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org.

The vacation reporting requirement waived under the Memorandum of Understanding by the E-Board during the pandemic is now back in effect. Don’t forget to take and report all your vacation time to the hall in a timely manner.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Honored Brother Dan Wulff who passed away April 6.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

On April 1, the IUEC formalized its new five-year agreement with the National Elevator Bargaining Association (NEBA) who represents signatory contractors.  The current contract runs through July 8, 2022 after which the new agreement takes force.

Final Interviews for the IUEC Local 17 new hire list were completed March 24 and all applicants have all been notified of their slot on the list.

Six of our current apprentices have completed their program and Mechanics Review  course and are eligible for the Mechanics Exam.  Their eligibility runs through June 6.  The test is administered by Prometrics for the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP).  There is currently one apprentice in his final semester.

The Fall semester will see 25 apprentices enrolled in either RC200 or RC700.

Schindler currently has the majority of the work in Local 17.  KONE has picked up work and started the new Ahuja job.  TK is holding steady while Otis laid off a mechanic.

The Local Executive Board has sent letters to those who did not report vacation hours for 2021.  The Board waived the reporting obligation for 2020 due to the pandemic and many of its members working reduced hours but not for 2021.  If you have received a letter to report your hours to the Executive Board, a print out of your vacation hours needs to be obtained from your company and submitted to the Board.  

On Friday, May 20 Local 17 will be honoring its retired members at Harry’s Steak House, 5664 Brecksville Road, Independence.  Drinks at 5:30 pm with dinner at 6:30 pm.  The cost is $50 at the door for active members with retirees attending for free.  Please get your reply into Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall no latter than May 10.  You can call John at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

The Brothers and Sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to the families of Brothers Thomas Reitz who passed away January 15 and retired Brothers Don Tretera who passed away January 19, Jim Agnew who passed away January 21 and Jim Steyer who passed away February 21.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

The February 11 union meeting was held upstairs in the office with the officers in attendance due to a power outage which blanketed the immediate area.  The meeting was illuminated by members flashlights.  At the meeting Sister Andrea Rodriguez was sworn in as Warden for IUEC Local 17.  Sister Rodriguez is the first female officer of Local 17.  

The Local’s Apprenticeship Applications closed January 31 with 302 applicants for the list.  Those who have not previously taken the EIAT exam were invited to take the test the second week of February with those passing the test with at least 70 percent invited for the oral interview with the Local JATC the week of March 21.  Good luck to all those wishing to join the best Local in the best trade in the trades.

As everyone knows, Gable Elevator was bought out by Three-Phase Elevator.  When Gable became a signatory in 2017, part of the agreement allowed their employees portability between Cleveland (Local 17), Akron (Local 45) and Columbus (Local 37) until the end of this contract with all the field personnel initiated into Akron’s Local.  

Portability allows the signatory to have any of their employees work in any of the agreed Locals.  With the close of the contract in July comes the end of the portability agreement.  

There was some controversy as to whether any Gable/Three-Phase employees have been transferred out of Local 45 to Cleveland or Columbus.  As of this writing, no members have been transferred out of Akron.  

The signatories to IUEC Local 17 are listed below.  If you see a company not listed working in the area, call Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.net.

Local 17 is planning on marching in the 2022 St. Patrick’s Day Parade pending the parade taking place.  The parade steps off at noon from East 18th on Superior while units muster along Superior during the morning.  This is a great opportunity to meet other members and their families as well as partake in true Cleveland tradition. 

The Brothers and Sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to the families of Brother Tom Reitz who passed away January 15, Honored Retiree Don Tretera who passed away January 19 and Honored Retiree Jim Agnew who passed away January 21.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

The application process for the IUEC Local 17 Apprenticeship Program closed at midnight January 31.  As of the publication date, everyone who completed the application process will have received notice of when to appear for the aptitude test later this month and then in March the oral interview in front of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee.  Good luck to all those who applied to be a part of the best local in the best trade in the trades.

There are currently ten mechanics taking the starter class being taught by John Taylor.  If there is enough interest, John will roll into the AC motor class following the starter class.  The starter class runs for five weeks and the AC motor class for four.  

If you are interested in any continuing educational opportunities, log into the NEIEP website at neiep.org to access any of the virtual classes offered.  If there is a particular class you would be interested in seeing offered in person, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

Just a reminder that if you are to be on a job lasting more than two days, had a child, change in dependents or marital status notify John at the hall.

With the omicron variant of Covid increasing potential infections, the Executive Board may cancel in-person member meetings at the hall in favor of returning to the officer meetings held during the height of the pandemic.  Watch your email inbox and the Local website, iueclocal17.org, for updates.

The Entertainment Committee reported that the Retiree’s Dinner is tentatively scheduled for May 20th.  This may change depending on the Covid situation leading up to the date.  Again, watch your email and the Local website for updates.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

The Ohio Elevator Licensing Bill was scheduled for a mid-January hearing in front of the General Government Budget Committee.  The Bill, once passed by the legislature and signed by the governor, sets up licensing requirements for everyone working on elevators and escalators similar to existing requirements for other trades and professions regulated by the state.

This is the final year of the contract between the IUEC and NEBA signatory companies.  It is expected contract talks will begin in February on a new five-year deal.  Even though   

work in Cleveland has been exceptionally good with all companies sharing in the wealth, that does not mean that this is the same situation in all parts of the International.    

As with previous contracts, being prepared as an individual for any possibility enhances your chances of staying afloat in the event of a work stoppage.  Looking at where you spend your money (dining out, subscription services you no longer use, tool shopping, etc) can give you a better picture of your overall finances than most other indicators.  It’s a new year, evaluate wisely.

Schindler remains the company with the most work locally and has been awarded the Sherwin Williams corporate headquarters job to go up on Public Square.  Otis, Kone, and Gable/Three Phase have a lot of work scheduled for the first quarter of 2022.  TK Elevators is keeping several modernization teams working into the new year.

As this issue reaches your mailbox, the application process for the apprenticeship program will be closed out.  All applicants should receive a notice of dates and times for taking the written exam as well as their interview with the JATC. Tentative dates for the aptitude test are February 14-18 and the interviews March 21-25.  Good luck to all our future Brothers and Sisters.

All of the new apprentices (those who have entered the trade in the last year and have not been enrolled in a class) should have received a laptop from NEIEP for use during their classes.  All students can download the material from the NEIEP website onto a personal laptop to use as a backup.

John Taylor will be teaching the AC motors class and the motor and starter class.  If you are interested in this continuing education opportunity, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

Covid-19 has kept it’s hold on the world into the new year with the Omicron variant appearing around Thanksgiving 2021.  This has been an almost two year long exhausting battle with a microscopic enemy that has caused division among communities, isolated billions and sowed confusion as different organizations gave conflicting information as to the best course of action.  At this point the only people alive who have not been exposed in some way to one of the variants are those situated in similar circumstance to the cast and crew of TV’s “Alone” or “Mountain Men.”

What happens in two years time when we are talking about the Omega variant?  What will be considered “fully vaccinated?”  How many boosters are enough or too many?  What about masking and distancing?  Are they to be considered the new normal?  The science around this has advanced as quick as the virus along with the paranoia of every person on the planet having to become a virologist.  

When facing the total destruction of England by the advancing Nazis during the Blitz, Sir Winston Churchill spoke regularly to the citizens of his battered island nation with many quotable moments.  One that resonates in this time is his assurance that the best the way for England, and the world, to survive is to “keep calm and carry on.”

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

Until next month…

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

All apprentices need to be in attendance on Wednesday, January 19 at 5 pm at the school on Engle Road for the semester orientation with new Area Coordinator Jordan Miller. Tim Narowitz will be teaching RC 300 on Wednesday and Jerry Reitz will be teaching RC 100 on Monday and Tuesday. The first half of the alphabet will be in Monday’s class and the second half on Tuesday.

Apprentices who have not yet received a computer from NEIEP need to contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org. The laptops are the apprentices to use during their schooling and their responsibility in the event of damage or loss.

IUEC Local 17 opened its recruitment from January 1 through January 31, 2022 at 23:59 hours. All interested applicants must apply through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program website, neiep.org, go to the bottom of the home page and click on the appropriate links to begin the process. Tentative dates for the aptitude test are February 14-18 and interviews with the JATC on March 21-25. Good luck to all our future Constructor Brothers and Sisters.

John Taylor will be teaching the AC motor class as well as the motor/starter class. If you have ever had questions about AC motors, starters or soft starts, this is the class to take. Interested members can contact John at the hall at the contact information above.

Work in Cleveland for Local 17 has been very strong with all companies reporting a backlog of work. Otis, Kone and Gable/Three Phase have a lot of work starting in the first quarter of 2022 and TK is keeping several modernization teams working. Schindler has been awarded the Sherwin Williams corporate headquarters building set to go up on Public Square.

The International will begin negotiations on our new five-year contract with the NEBA signatory companies in February. Although wages are always a sticking point, the major issues identified at the convention in September centered around working conditions, safety and jurisdictional protection. With this in mind, it is a good time for all members to reevaluate their personal financial situation in the unlikely event of a work stoppage.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

There are 33 apprentices currently enrolled in the program with six in their final semester. Spring semester will consist of RC100 and RC400.

All apprentices are reminded to post their JATC hours once a week to avoid an appearance in front of the board.

The first of two apprentice makeup classes is scheduled for Tuesday, November 9th from 5 to 9 at the school on Engle Road. A second makeup class will be scheduled later in the semester for those requiring an additional class.

Apprentice pay raises went into effect in September. Several signatories have had problems in issuing correct paychecks to apprentices. If you have ongoing issues, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org. Also, if problems continue, John said he will instruct members to go to the shop and wait for their checks.

Congratulations to Brothers Brandyn Alley, James Hirz and Deven Shields on passing their Mechanics Exam. Remember that this is the only unbiased evaluation of your knowledge as an elevator constructor you will have.

The November 12, December 10, 2021 and January 14, 2022 are special called mandatory meetings for the nomination, election and installation of officers. Those not in attendance will be fined in accordance with the Local by-laws.

At the October meeting, John reported that 20 resolutions regarding safety issues were passed at the 32nd General Convention held in Las Vegas, Nevada the last week of September. Of those 20, seven are applicable to the International Constitution and By-laws and went into effect on November 1, thirty days after the convention. The remaining 13 are items which need to be negotiated into the contract.

IUEC Local 17 currently has a strong work situation with all companies reporting a healthy backlog of work. Columbus (Local 37) reported that companies working in its territory have a two-year backlog of work and the Local just put on 15 probationaries.

The Brothers and Sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to retired Brother Dennis Dixon and his family on the loss of his wife and mother-in-law to complications of Covid-19.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

The Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund (EIWPF) has developed a website, elevatorinfo.org, to inform non-signatory elevator technicians, company owners and customers that are not happy with non-signatory contractors about the benefits of union employment and services.  Work Preservation is a cooperative effort of the International and signatory companies to promote work place safety and support the efforts of the International organizers.

On the home page of this site is a link to the alphabetical list of Local 17 signatory companies.  If you notice a company not listed working in the area, please call Business Manager John Driscoll, Jr at 431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.  

Remember to report all job changes and jobs lasting three days or longer to the hall.    Also, if you have had a life change such as a marriage, divorce, birth or death, be sure to call the hall with the information.

Several Brothers have been out of work due to Covid exposure and three have been hospitalized because of infection.  As companies and customers have been rolling out vaccination requirements for employees and contractors, it is increasingly important to be aware of and in compliance with those requirements.  With that in mind, masks and hand sanitizer have become default additions to the standard issue personal protection equipment (PPE).  Please keep an adequate supply available for you and your co-workers.

Congratulations to Brother Jason Tischler on passing the Mechanics Exam.  As if this writing there are three additional apprentices waiting to take the exam.  Remember that this is the only unbiased evaluation of your knowledge as an elevator mechanic you will ever have in your career.  

The November 12 and December 10, 2021 and January 14, 2022 are mandatory special called meetings for the nomination, election and installation of officers.  Those not in attendance are subject to fines in accordance with the Local By-Laws.

The Brothers and Sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to the families of retired Brother John Sopochak who passed away in September and retired Brother Dave Zepeda whose wife passed away in July.

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

Brothers and Sisters:

As the International revs up its preparations for the 32nd Convention being held in Las Vegas, Nevada at the end of the month, I want to share something I wrote on behalf of IUEC Local 17.

In March of this year, the Local voted to buy two advertisements in the convention book: one a congratulatory ad and the other a two-page spread of photos along with a short history of the Local. As your correspondent, I was tasked with preparing both of these pieces for the book. After going through my own personal archive spanning my time as correspondent to the journal and the photo albums prepared by former correspondent Eddie Ference and others, I selected 108 possible images for inclusion.

Some images, such as those of Brothers that left us far too soon, were of paramount importance for inclusion. Others represented touchstone points in our history which, when looked at individually, transcend time and speak to not only our past but, our present and future.

On September 26 the advertisements as well as the photos I selected for inclusion will be posted on the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org, for all to view. The text below is the history of the Local I wrote for the two-page spread.

Don Knapik
Correspondent

A Very Short Overview of Local 17 for the 32nd IUEC Convention

IUEC Local 17 was chartered November 5, 1903 with the objectives of “encouraging a high standard of skill among its members, cultivating a feeling of of friendship among the craft, obtaining and maintaining a fair wage, assisting each other in securing employment, protecting our jurisdiction and engaging in activities which further our interests.”

Local 17’s territory covers Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties and the Local’s members are routinely found working in other jurisdictions. This is especially true as most of the Local’s signatory companies have regional or area operations which overlap other jurisdictions, especially Akron (Local 45).

The close relationship between Cleveland and Akron was highlighted by the three-year long organizing campaign for Gable Elevator of Twinsburg. Since Gable was headquartered in Akron’s territory but, also worked in Cleveland this created a special need for cooperation between the Locals. The Cleveland Volunteer Organizing Committee (VOC) took the lead in the effort and with the aid of Organizer Jim Lowery, the cooperation of Business Managers Tim Moennich of Cleveland and Dave Morrow of Akron, Gable became a signatory three years to the month from the first hand billing. After the campaign, the program pioneered by Local 17 was submitted to the International and now forms the basis for VOCs and organizing efforts across the union.

Local 17 has also made a special effort along with the International in recognizing the importance of mental health awareness and suicide prevention among its members and their families. The International has highlighted the need for awareness in the 2019 and 2020 October issues of the Elevator Constructor where services for those in crisis and their families are discussed in an open forum. The Local also financially supports several local charities, chief among them the Holy Family Cancer Home in Parma.

As with any human endeavor, there is a desire for togetherness and the Local holds several gatherings and dinners every year. The retirees are honored early on at the Retiree’s Dinner, followed by a golf outing, participation in the Cleveland trades softball tournament and the annual Children’s Christmas Party.

Throughout the years, Local 17 has strove to live up to the challenge laid down in its charter. With each succeeding generation of constructors building upon the foundation of those who came before, our predecessors efforts are never in vane. We as a Local and an International only have the view to see farther because we stand on the shoulders of these giants.

This is Cleveland. This is Local 17.