Category: Elevator Constructor

Brothers and Sisters:

At the December special meeting, all officers were elected on a white ballot including Brother Chris Sipos who takes over the Conductor post from Brother Lucas Janke.  An election was held for three delegates to the 2021 International Convention currently scheduled to be hosted in San Diego.  Brothers Bill Lynsky, Tim Narowitz and John Patton will join Business Manager John Driscoll Jr in representing Local 17 at the event. 

All eleven apprentices eligible for the Mechanics Exam passed.  Congratulations to Brian Bond, Matt Carlton, Bob Connelly, Felix DeJesus, Matt Herbold, Dave Horner, Pat Kelly, Andrea Rodriguez, Ernie Rodriguez, John Smith, and Dan Varga.  There are an additional eight apprentices eligible for the exam once they pass their last finals.

There are currently 20 apprentices in the Local 17 NEIEP program.  There will be two classes with those who passed 700 moving into 800 and those from 600 moving into 200.

With the start of the new year, this is a good time to reassess your personal and financial goals.  When doing these assessments do not overlook the beneficiary of your insurance policy through the Local.  This is an important designation in the event of your passing especially if you have not made one, are recently married, divorced or had a child.  You can contact John at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org for further information. 

Where are they working?

Al Ward and Deven Shields doing a mod a the Federal Reserve for Otis,

Craig Nolty and Dan Koprowski at Lubrizol installing a four-stop for Otis,

Jim Thompson and Jack Finucan at the Carlyle in Lakewood doing a mod for Otis,

John Logue and Pat Pollock at Fairview Village apartments doing a mod for Otis,

Matt Pinchot and Andrea Rodriguez at the Federal Reserve doing a mod for Otis,

Ken Bowles and Shane Huff at Chestnut Lake Apartments doing a mod for Otis,

Jerry Szmerekovsy and Pat Kelly at Swagelock in Solon installing two cars for Otis,

Bob Meyer, Dion Yatsko, Matt Ramser and three Houston mechanics installing fourteen cars at Metro Hospital for Schindler,

Felix DeJesus and Jason Mays doing a mod at Terrace Towers for Schindler,

Matt Carlton and Chris Boggess at Metro installing two hydros for Schindler,

Pat McCann and Ric Supinski doing a door mod at UH main campus for Schindler,

Matt Weingart and Lucas Janke doing a mod at UH Bishop for Schindler,

Ryan Todd and Brian Seither doing a four-car mod at Winton Place for Schindler,

Joe Simcic and Jay Schaefer at the GreatLakes Cheese Shop in Hiram installing two cars for Schindler,

Tom Peska and Brian Seither installing a car at NASA for Schindler,

Brendan Hyland and Russell Barrows installing a five-stop at Grosevnor Place in Tremont for Kone,

Todd Ross and Morgan Armstrong installing three cars at Euclid Grand for Kone,

Joe Gauker and James Hirz at the Columbus Airport installing one car for Kone,

Anthony Metcalf and Sean Canning doing a mod at Our House in Westlake for Thyssen,

Bill Dudas and Andrew Daniels doing a mod at CMHA West Boulevard for Thyssen,

Tim Narowitz and Matt Harden doing a one car mod at Bedford Hospital for Thyssen,

Jason Fredrick and Sebastian Ricco doing a mod at Orangewood for Thyssen,

Kevin Thomas and Jason Saunders installing a car at Aqua Marine for Thyssen,

Scott Hicks and Marc Carollo at 310 Lakeside doing a mod for Gable,

Jim Ehrbar and Wing Lui doing a mod at 5565 Erieview for Gable.

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

Until next month…

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

Happy New Year!  Raise your hand if you’re sad to see 2020 go?  I didn’t think so.  Here’s what’s going on in Local 17…

As of this writing work in Cleveland is strong with Schindler holding the lions share of new construction and modernization.  The other majors are holding their own and keeping as many employed as possible.  

Congratulations go out to Brothers Matt Carlton and Felix DeJesus and Sister Andrea Rodriguez for passing their Mechanics Exam.  This is that only unbiased evaluation of your knowledge as an elevator constructor you will every have.  Congratulations on your achievement and good luck to the remaining eight apprentices awaiting the exam.  

The Local 17 School Board has asked NEIEP to extend their apprentice list through September 2021.  The extension request is due to the ongoing pandemic.  During the time this list has been active, 12 new apprentices have started work in Local 17.

The Elevator Licensing Bill is once again making its way through the state legislature and is coming up for a committee vote.  If it passes out of the committee it will have to pass the State House and Senate before going to the Governor for his signature.  The bill would require the licensing of elevator constructors in the State of Ohio in a similar way that other trades are regulated by the state. 

The Children’s Christmas Party normally scheduled for the second Saturday of December was cancelled due to COVID-19.  

As of this writing the United Irish Society of Greater Cleveland, the sponsors of the annual Cleveland St. Patrick’s Day Parade, are planning for the return of the event for 2021.  Local 17 is slated to march if the event is held

It was reported at the November meeting that the Local had as of that time five members off work for COVID or COVID-related exposure.  All members are encouraged to use masking, social distancing and hand washing as preventive measures as well as limiting exposure to others in group gatherings.

At the November nominations meeting, five members were nominated to attend the IUEC International Convention in San Diego this August.  The election will be held at the December meeting but, as of this writing it is questionable whether an in person gathering will be allowed by Laborers 310 whose hall we use for meetings.  All other officers were nominated without opposition except Conductor where Brother Al Jerson stepped aside in favor of Brother Chris Sipos.  

The 2021 wage rate sheets are out and available from Business Manager John Driscoll Jr by contacting him at the hall at 216-431-8088 or emailing him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.  A mechanic will see a $1.76 raise in the check which is a 3.28% increase in our total package.

The Brothers and Sisters of IUEC Local 17 send their condolences to the family of Brother Josh Mitchell who passed away November 13.

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

Until next month…

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

There’s a lot going on so let’s get to it…

For the first time since the announcement of the pandemic by the World Health Organization, Local 17 held a members meeting at the hall October 9.  Seating was spread out in accordance with CDC recommendations and face masks were mandatory.    This was also the first opportunity to swear in probationary apprentices and five new brothers took advantage of it.  Four of them had been previously sworn in at Executive Board meetings.

By the time the reaches your mailbox at the beginning of December the fall semester will be drawing to a close.  All apprentices should be working on the last few units of their modules and preparing for the final exams.  Do not fall behind on this work.  

Advancement in the trade depends on the timely completion of school work.  Given the special nature of the pandemic restrictions, this may be especially hard on those who learn best from in-person or hands-on instruction.  Keep working hard and ask questions of your mechanic and instructors.  There are many in the trade who are more than willing to share their knowledge.

If you are interested in taking a forklift class, NEIEP is willing to pay for online instruction since there are no plans for face-to-face instruction.  For information of how this works, contact Business Manager John Driscoll Jr. at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org or calling the hall at 216-431-8088.

For those taking callbacks at Thyssen, Local 17 has placed Bluestone Apartments, 25450 Euclid Ave on their list of two-man calls. 

The Trustees of the Elevator Constructors 401(k) and annuity plan have extended the COVID-19 distributions through December 15.

The December 13, 2020 and January 8, 2021 meetings are mandatory meetings for the election and installation of officers.  Fines will be levied for non-attendance.

The Children’s Christmas Party has been cancelled due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

Where are they working?

Al Ward and Deven Shields doing a mod at the Federal Reserve for Otis,

Craig Nolty and Dan Koprowski at Astrup installing a four-stop for Otis,

John Logue and Pat Pollock at Fairview Village Apartments doing a mod for Otis,

Matt Pinchot and Andrea Rodriguez at the Federal Reserve doing a mod for Otis,

Bob Meyer, Dion Yatsko, Matt Ramser and three mechanics from Houston installing 14 cars at MetroGeneral Hospital for Schindler,

Shaun Yatsko and Chris Boggess at St. Clair Place doing a mod for Schindler,

Gary Thompson and Jason Mays at Penton Media finishing a 15-car mod for Schindler,

Pat McCann and Ric Supinski doing a door mod at UH Bishop for Schindler,

Ryan Todd And Brian Seither doing a four-car mod at Winton Place for Schindler,

Matt Weingart and Lucas Janke doing a mod at UH Bishop for Schindler,

Joe Simcic and Jay Schaffer at Great Lakes Cheese Shop in Hiram installing two two-stops for Schindler,

Tom Peska and Brian Seither installing one car at NASA for Schindler,

Brendan Hyland and Russell Barrows installing a five-stop at Grosvenor Place in Tremont for Kone,

Drew Williams and Jakob Mullett doing escalator clean downs at Browns Stadium for Kone,

Joe Gauker and James Hirz at the Quarter on Detroit installing two five-stop cars for Kone,

Kevin Thomas and Sebastian Ricco installing one car for Thyssen,

Jim Ehrbar and Wing Lui doing a mod at 5565 Erieview for Gable,

Brian Owens and Herb Fouts at 7007 Pleasant Valley Road installing a four-stop for Schindler.

The Brothers and Sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to the families of Brother Greg Seaman who lost his son Anthony and retired Brother John Lopiccolo, Sr. who passed away.

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

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net  

Brothers and Sisters:

As I write this, the Cleveland Fire Department is extinguishing the hot spots from the fire at the Samson Pavilion of the Heath Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and the Cleveland Clinic left by the conflagration between President Trump and former Vice President Biden.  

The only words I have for what took place on camera are ummm… Wow.  Really?  Wow.

The bright spots took place off stage and behind the scenes.  The protests were peaceful, with only four arrests for minor offenses noted.  The City of Cleveland took the occasion to show the rest of the country how a professional event of this importance is to be staged. From the venue to the support services and the highest level of security yet for an election event this cycle pulled off with pride and to perfection. 

Readers from other cities note that I can be a bit of a “homer” but, I am proud of my home town and the tremendous progress it has made over the years transforming itself from a heavy industrial city to one that boasts three of the best health care systems in the country within its borders:  The Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and MetroHealth.  I have family and friends that work and have been cared for in all three systems and am extremely grateful for the professionalism and cutting edge treatments they offer Northeast Ohio and the rest of the world.

Cleveland has once again set the bar high giving other host cities a standard to attain.  Let’s hope the rest of America takes this cue and holds our leaders to the same standard of excellence.

The fall semester started August 31 and is again online due to the COVID-19 concerns.  NEIEP is offering two instructors locally to assist apprentices with the course work as well as other instructors from around the country available online.  All other standards for distance learning are in place.  The school work must be completed by December 11 to be eligible for the finals during the week of December 14.

Local 17 has eleven apprentices eligible for the mechanics exam but due to the lockdown NEIEP is not paying for in person instruction for the exam.  Rick Meyers is donating his time setting up online meetings to review the material he has put together through his career.

All apprentices should have received raises in the first check in September.  Check your paystub and if you have any questions about your rate contact Business Manager john Driscoll Jr. at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org.

Congratulations to Brother Joel Reyes on passing the mechanics exam.

The November 13, 2020, December 11, 2020 and January 8, 2021 meetings are mandatory for the nomination, election and installation of officers.  Failure to attend will result in fines being levied by the Executive Board.

Remember to report to the hall when you are on a job that will last for more than two days.

If you or your family had a life event (birth, death, marriage, etc.), moved or changed your phone number or insurance beneficiary, take a few minutes and update your contact information with the hall.  You can call or email John at the numbers above.  

As of this writing there are two mechanics and one probationary apprentice on the bench.

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

This morning I was listening to NPR’s Morning Edition as host Noel King interviewed book editor Ilan Stavans about his anthology And We Came Outside And Saw The Stars Again.  According to Stavans the book is a combination of poetry and prose about living in times of radical change like the world is experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic and the upheaval of society being felt across America and around the world.

King brought up three interesting points worth commenting on:  two about the content and a third about the title. 

The first point focused on one of the pieces written by a contributor from India.  The poem is about her first day in quarantine.  After bringing in the morning paper she noticed an ant crawling on the pillow where she placed the paper.  Her mission for that day, even if she did nothing more, was to find that ant and return it to the outside.  King and Stavans agreed the poet used the action as a metaphor for kindness as the ant was introduced into the home within the newspaper containing the dysfunction of the world.  The confinement of the poet to her home made it impossible to accomplish anything society would otherwise deem worthy but, by freeing this ant something good would be accomplished that day.

The second observation was that most anthologies, whether poetry or prose, focus exclusively on one form to the exclusion of the other.  Stavans made the point that  European bookstores do not make a distinction between fiction and non-fiction, poetry or prose.  Instead books are jumbled together in a randomness that would drive librarians and those with OCD to madness.  His point being there is a beauty to this entropy and it is based on the understanding of time in both a scientific and religious context.

There is an agreement between science and religion, and that basis grows greater with research into the true nature of time, that the concept of time as perceived by humans as linear is false.  Instead, time is as an ocean where all events, like droplets of rain, are in a state of simultaneous existence and one droplet becomes indistinguishable from the next.  Our perception of time as a linear progression of discrete events exists because our mental abilities are incapable of seeing the whole of existence as simultaneous.

This is a mind blowing concept and one FAR outside the space allotted to even begin to scratch.  

The last point, the title of the work, attempts to give perspective to the struggle of existence.   The line “and we came outside and saw the stars again.” is the last line of Dante Aligheri’s The Divine Comedy.  The line, and thus the overarching message of both Dante’s masterpiece and the Stavans anthology, is that through all the struggles of the individual and collective hell we face, there is an end.  

We will find the end.  

We will find the light.

For those looking for assistance, IUEC Local 17 has a web page dedicated to mental health, financial and substance abuse resources for members, non-members, friends and family.  The page is available on the Health and Wellness tab at the Local’s website, iueclocal17.org.  There are no trackers or cookies on the site so access is entirely anonymous.

By the time you read this, there will be about four weeks before the election.  Local 17 has a link to the Ohio Secretary of State voter website as well as the IUEC site created in conjunction with the North American Building and Construction Trades.  These are important sites for voter information.

No matter what your political persuasion, if you don’t vote, don’t complain.

Until next month…

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

As I sit down to write this article at the end of June 2020 for publication in the August issue it is no hyperbole to say the world has changed. George Floyd, COVID, the new civil rights movement, Russian bounties on US soldiers, the election, China arresting Hong Kong protesters, Putin changing the Russian constitution so he can retain power until 2036 and the cavalcade continues.

It is also hard to predict where we as an International and Local will be as these words reach you. NEIEP has worked to change the way it instructs the apprentices under their charge, the International has worked to keep as many members working as possible, the International organizations have attempted to make resources available to help cope with the changes and the Locals have worked to adapt to the situations to which they find their members entrenched.

It is also fruitless to report about the moves made to react to these changes because by the time you read them we will be four steps past and the world will be totally different.

Yes, this is crazy.

In crazy times, though, the only thing we have control over is how we individually respond to those events. It sounds simple, and to an extent, it is but the application is far harder to implement than that simple sentence when these events directly affect you.

My only advice is the simple maxim we teach when entering a car top or pit: stop, scan for hazards, evaluate the situation, minimize your personal risk and proceed.

Good luck and stay above the fray.
Where are they working?

DJ Spring, Deven Shields and Brandyn Alley installing three cars at the Lumen at Playhouse Square for Otis,

Joe Simcic and Al Ward running a car at The Lumen for Otis,

Craig Nolty and Dan Koprowski at Berea High School installing one traction and one hydraulic elevator for Otis,

Jim Thompson and Jack Finucan at The Carlyle in Lakewood doing a mod for Otis,

John Logue and Pat Pollock at Lutheran Hospital doing a mod for Otis,

Matt Pinchot and Andrea Rodriguez at Landmark Parking Garage doing two-car mod for Otis,

Ken Bowles and Shane Huff at Chestnut Lakes doing a mod for Otis,

Jerry Szmerekovsky and Pat Kelly at Lubrizol installing one car for Otis,

Dave Gnagy and Ernie Rodriguez at Kingspath doing a two-car mod for Schindler,

Joe Sumph and Dave Ford doing a mod at St. Clair Place for Schindler,

Felix DeJesus and Rob Timko doing a mod at Erieview for Schindler,

Shaun Yatsko and Dan Varga at the Rose Building doing a two-car mod for Schindler,

Ryan Todd, Brian Bond, Brian Siether, Gary Thompson and Jason Mays at Penton Media doing a 15 car mod for Schindler,

Mark Byram and Matt Weingart doing a mod at UH for Schindler,

Tom Peska and Jay Schaffer installing four four-stop cars at 6050 Kruse Road in Solon for Schindler,

Brendan Hyland and Russell Barrows replacing a machine at Harbor Light for Kone,

Drew Williams, Joel Reyes, Todd Ross and Morgan Armstrong doing a mod at May Company for Kone,

Bob Meyer and Joe Gauker installing three cars at Church and State for Kone,

Anthony Metcalf, Sean Canning, Bill Dudas and Andrew Daniels doing a mod at Columbus Park Apartments for Thyssen,

Tim Narowitz and Matt Harden doing a two-car mod at Huntington House for Thyssen,

Jason Fredrick and Chris Sipos doing a mod at Victoria Plaza for Thyssen,

Tony Kuhn and Matt Ramser installing a car at Village Green for Thyssen,

Scott Hicks and Tino Chaibai at 310 Lakeside doing a mod for Gable,

Jim Ehrbar and Wing Lui doing a mod at Lakewood Center North for Gable.

Congratulations go out to Brothers Marc Carollo, Chris Cook, Jacob Mullett, Chris Sipos and Rob Zadravec on passing the Mechanics Exam. Make the most of this opportunity to make a positive contribution to the trade.

As of this writing there are two mechanics, one apprentice and three probationary apprentices on furlough and two mechanics laid off.
Until next month…

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.
Don
DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

Unless you are living under a rock, you know what is going on with the COVID-19 pandemic and the violence in the wake of George Floyd’s death.  I’m not going to focus on those issues, instead I’m going to focus on something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, leadership.

What are the qualities that make us want to follow someone by choice rather than by force?  I’ve never been in the military but, most of the people I know who have been speak about their various superiors the same way as those who did not serve.  In fact, if you did not know they were referring to their military time, it’s easy for someone like myself to replace the drill instructor with a boss I’ve had at various times of my life.

In the book The Few and The Proud, Larry Smith interviews Marine drill instructors from WWII through Iraq and, in their own words, gives insight into this question.  The instructors all talk about how in the first few weeks the purpose of the drills is to remove individuality and then teach the recruits to work together as a team.  The tool most often used is keeping the recruit off balance and guessing what comes next.  

Those who have never served, or have a strong sense of individuality, are extremely resistant when this is implemented in the corporate world.  Most of us will eventually turn off and become deaf to the noise.  

The other extreme is indecisiveness.  Bosses who refuse or defer decision making until cornered can be infuriating to the point of rage.  Some indecisiveness may come from fear of making a mistake or displeasing superiors.  Again, turn off and tune out.

My experience tells me that the best leader is someone you work for not report to.  It is the kind of person that gives you the tools you need to do your job, steps away, lets you do it and then guides you on how you can do it better.

So, what really makes a good leader?  These instructors touch on those points as well.

Good leaders do not always have all the answers but, they ask the right questions of the right people to learn what they don’t know.  They also look at a problem from a multitude of angles and realize that it is all right to take a little more time to obtain a complete view before moving forward.  Over analysis may lead to paralysis but, knee-jerk reactions can be far more costly.

Good leaders step back and let their subordinates take the lead when that person knows more about a subject than they do.

Good leaders are not afraid to change course when the way forward is fraught with peril.  They adjust the course to match conditions not force conditions to match their course.

Good leaders take responsibility when their decisions go wrong and again shift course to avoid additional damage.

Good leaders have a steady hand on the ship of state.  They remain cool, confident, reassuring and maintain positivity without raising false hope. 

Good leaders care more about those they are leading than themselves.  Their own ego and self interest are put aside when considering the greater good of those who will be impacted by their decisions.  

When the situation calls for leaders to make an unpopular decision, they research the options, take a course and articulate the reasons why this is the best course.  They then monitor progress and make changes as needed. 

The above list is not comprehensive, only my thoughts on the subject.  If you’d like to add to the list or have your own thoughts on the subject, email me at the address below.

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:
The most common phrase we hear repeated on every news broadcast and missive from management is we “live in unprecedented times.” Well, yes we do. The last time the world was gripped by a pandemic of this magnitude was the Spanish Flu of 1918. Unless you are 102 years old and lived through those times, you have never seen anything like this in your life time.

The closest we have come in the lifetime of the majority of those reading this is the September 11 attacks. For those of us who remember that time, those events were localized to lower Manhattan, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The initial reverberations of those events and the quagmire we have found ourselves in today needs no elaboration. The curious thing is that within a couple of months and after the US led invasion of Afghanistan, the home front essentially returned to normal. People went back to work, planes began to fly and the deep surveillance state took hold.

In that instance, the enemy was known. In the instance of COVID-19, the enemy is invisible which makes it far harder to identify and to fight. It also adds a fear factor to the equation: anyone can be a carrier, anyone can become infected, anyone can die.

In Cleveland, we are fortunate to have a lot of work on the books. There are companies that are running maintenance routes at 32 hours a week and repair and mod teams at 40. The problem these companies are running into is exposing their employees to infection and as a result, they are supplying PPE as fast into the field as they acquire it. I have to say that Schindler Cleveland has done a very good job of dispersing anti-infection PPE to its field personnel.

As a resident, I am in a unique position. I have taken the opportunity of having an empty campus to turn my attention to all the little issues I have put on the back burner. As a result I can report I have made significant progress in repairing problems that could have been future shutdowns. Although I prefer working alone, the normal flow of students, faculty and staff keep me engaged on a daily basis. Now I am alone in a 30 building, 50 plus acre campus and it can be days or weeks between seeing someone walking the hallways. I wander an abandoned city where the residents fled and left everything in situ.

This plays on your psyche in odd ways. I have found myself becoming aware of my surroundings and realizing that if I am ever in trouble, I mean true trouble, there is no one to hear me scream for help. This has made me hyper aware of maintaining my own safety. Also, the silent and darkened hallways are reminiscent of many a horror movie or psychological thriller. The worst part is seeing all the outdated flyers for events past or events that never were.
In my opinion, the social distancing needed to contain the spread of COVID runs contrary to human nature. We are social animals who need others and thrive on contact in every form. There is a lot of concern about the long term psychological effect of the stay-at-home orders and the lack of socialization this pandemic has inflicted on society. I have no reliable statistics on whether this isolation has changed the overall calls for mental health services. My hope is that those who find themselves in need pick up the phone and make the call.

The IUEC has services available through its Member Assistance Program administered by Beacon Health Options. You can contact them at 1-800-331-4824, achievesolutions.net/iuec or in the Health and Wellness page of the Local 17 website, iueclocal17.org.

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.
Don
DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

Unless you are living under a rock, you know what is going on as the COVID-19 pandemic makes its way across the world.  I’m not going to focus on that, instead I’m going to focus on something I’ve been thinking a lot about lately, leadership.

What are the qualities that make us want to follow someone by choice rather than by force?  I’ve never been in the military but, most of the people I know who have been speak about their various superiors the same way as those who did not serve.  In fact, if you did not know they were referring to their military time, it’s easy for someone like myself to replace the drill instructor with a boss I’ve had at various times of my life.

In the book The Few and The Proud, Larry Smith interviews Marine drill instructors from WWII through Iraq and, in their own words, gives insight into this question.  The instructors all talk about how in the first few weeks the purpose of the drills is to breakdown the individual and then over the next few weeks teach the recruits to work together as a team.  The tool most often used is keeping the recruit off balance and guessing what comes next.  

Those who have never served, or have a strong sense of individuality, are extremely resistant when this is implemented in the corporate world.  Most of us will eventually turn off and become deaf to the noise.  

The other extreme is indecisiveness.  Bosses who refuse or defer decision making until cornered can be infuriating to the point of rage.  Some indecisiveness may come from fear of making a mistake or displeasing superiors.  Again, turn off and tune out.

Well, my experience tells me that the best leader is someone you work for not report to.  It is the kind of person that gives you the tools you need to do your job, steps away, lets you do it and then guides you on how you can do it better.

So, what really makes a good leader?  These instructors touch on those points as well.

Good leaders do not always have all the answers but, they ask the right questions of the right people to learn what they don’t know.  They also look at a problem from a multitude of angles and realize that it is alright to take a little more time to obtain a complete view before moving forward.  Over analysis may lead to paralysis but, knee-jerk reactions can be far more costly.

Good leaders step back and let their subordinates take the lead when that person knows more about a subject than they do.

Good leaders are not afraid to change course when the way forward is fraught with peril.  They adjust the course to match conditions not force conditions to match their course.

Good leaders take responsibility when their decisions go wrong and again shift course to avoid additional damage.

Good leaders have a steady hand on the ship of state.  They remain cool, confident, reassuring and maintain positivity without raising false hope. 

Good leaders care more about those they are leading than themselves.  Their own ego and self interest must be put aside when considering the greater good of those who will be impacted by their decisions.  

The above list is not comprehensive, only my thoughts on the subject.  If you’d like to add to the list or have your own thoughts on the subject, email me at the address below.

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

DKnapik@windstream.net

Brothers and Sisters:

On January 29, new NEIEP area coordinator Wally Wuelling came to speak to the apprentices and instructors about the spring semester and the online OJT reporting. At that time, the reporting system used by the apprentices for recording their OJT hours was down. As a result of the down time, OJT hours were recorded on paper to be transferred to the system at a later date.

Retired Brother John Taylor will be teaching a motor starter and AC motor class. If you are interested in taking this continuing education offering contact Business manager John Driscoll, Jr. at the hall at 216-431-8088 or email him at JEDriscoll@iueclocal17.org. When enough members sign up a date will be arranged.

Mike Halpin from Work Preservation will be attending our September meeting to give a political presentation. This is timed to tie in with the November elections. The main thrust of the presentation will be about supporting labor friendly candidates at the ballot box. This is going to be one meeting you will want to attend.

The Local 17 VOC held a meeting to discuss Findlay-area non-signatory Davis-Newcomber and their receipt of a modernization at LMHA Lakeview. Several options for direct and indirect action were discussed as well as options for a coordinated action with Local 44 (Toledo) much the same as the successful organizing campaign undertook with Local 45 (Akron) in the Gable campaign.

Another issue for the VOC is Oracle Elevator and their acquisition of the Automatic Door Entrance Company of Florida which manufactures door systems used in hospitals, hotels and other public buildings and Maryland-based Landmark Elevator. Oracle plans on using their elevator personnel to install the entrances which could lead them to expanding to markets they currently do not have a presence.
Where are they working?
Craig Nolty and Dan Koprowski at Berea High School installing one traction and one hydraulic elevator for Otis,

Ken Bowles and Shane Huff at Chestnut Lake Apartments finishing a mod for Otis,

Jerry Szmerekovsky and Jack Finucan at Lubrizol doing a one-car mod for Otis,

Jim Archer, Mark Ondich, Tim Gibbons, Kevin Driscoll, Ryan Foley and Rockin’ Ron Rittwage working the west side of Cleveland for Schindler,

Mark Byram, Ryan Todd, Andrew Johnson, Matt Weingart, Gary Thompson and Brandon Light at Penton Media doing a 15 car mod for Schindler,

Cris DeJesus, Lucas Jenke, Matt Ramser and a team from Texas doing escalator mods at Progressive Field for Schindler,

Drew Williams, Joel Reyes, Todd Ross, Morgan Armstrong and a team from Pittsburgh doing a mod for Kone at May Company,

Brian Bond and Brian Siether doing a three-car mod at The Commodore for Schindler,

Tom Peska and Jay Schaffer installing four cars at 6050 Kruse Rd. in Solon for Schindler,

John Goggin and Mark Ondich doing full-loads at Macy’s for Schindler,

Brendan Hyland and Russell Barrows doing an escalator mod at Kohl’s for Kone,

Bob Meyer and James Hirz cabling at Tower City for Kone,

Todd Ross and Morgan Armstrong doing a mod at The Bowery Building on Akron for Kone,

Bill Dudas and Andrew Daniels at 6400 Rockside doing a mod for Thyssen,

Anthony Metcalf, Sean Canning, Tony Kuhn and Justin Swain doing a mod at Columbus Park for Thyssen,

Tom Reitz slowing down for safety at the City Club for Thyssen,

Tim Narowitz and Matt Harden adjusting at the Archer for Thyssen,

Jason Fredrick and Chris Sipos doing a mod at Victoria Plaza for Thyssen,

Chris Scholle and Mike Ross installing a car at CMSD for Thyssen and,

Matt Hausler and Kyle Meyer doing a mod at Lakewood Center North for Gable.

The Brothers and Sisters of Local 17 send their condolences to Brothers Dan Varga and Tony Karovich who both lost their fathers this January.

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