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Current Constructor and Citizen articles

April ’12 Cleveland Citizen

At the March union meeting, Business Agent Tim Moennich reported that IBEW Local 38 member John Walczak’s son Nick was one of the shooting victims at the recent tragedy at Chardon High School.  Nick had been shot several times and was at the Spine Therapy unit at Metro Hospital.  He was in serious condition and it was unknown whether he would walk again.

IUEC Local 17 and all its members send their thoughts and prayers to Nick and his family for the strength to endure the long road to recovery ahead of him.

The Union Sportsman Alliance is a non-profit conservation based hunting and fishing organization exclusively for union members and their families.  The USA’s primary goal is to protect wildlife habitats while guaranteeing access or hunters and anglers.  They are non-partisan and do not take positions on or endorse political parties, candidates or agendas. Their membership is free and open to all union members and their families. They can be reached through their website at unionsportsmen.org.

As this issue of the Cleveland Citizen goes to press our delegates will be returning from Baltimore and the ratification vote for the new five-year contract between NEBA and the IUEC.  If you were at the March meeting Tim outlined the basic structure of the agreement.  There will be pay raises in each of the five years and a portion of which going to bolster NEIEP, the annuity, health and welfare and the pension.  The most onerous section, Article X paragraph 6 which outlined the three-strikes policy for apprentices in sitting for the mechanics exam, was eliminated and the probationary period was extended from six months to one year.  There were some other minor concessions but nothing that created the rancor associated with the last five-year deal.  All-in-all it appears to be a solid deal which allows everyone to do what they do best.  In the end, that is what makes for a good union contract.

IUEC Local 125A in New Foundland, Canada reported that they signed an agreement ending their two and a half month strike.  They wanted to thank all of their North American brethren for the support they showed through their struggle.

There is still time to get your reservations for two upcoming events and mark your calendars for a third.

On Friday, April 20th our local will be honoring its retired members at Fran Sterle’s Slovenian Restaurant, 1401 East 55th Street.  Refreshments start at 5:30 and a family style dinner will be served at 6:30.  The cost to active members is $30 per person and retirees are free.  If you are planning to attend please contact Mike Hogan through the hall or you can email him at m.hogan67@yahoo.com.

Second, make room on your calendar for the IUEC Local 17 Golf Outing to be held June 2nd at Mallard Creek Golf Club, 34500 Royalton Road, Columbia Station.  Tee time is 9 am and the cost is $90 which includes golf, beer, pop and dinner.  Please have your checks mailed to Mike Hogan by May 1st.

July 13th is Local 17’s first Classic Car and Bike Night to be held in conjunction with the monthly union meeting.  We are planning a cookout and refreshments after the meeting and of course spending time sharing stories about our rides.  The meeting starts at 6 pm and anyone can bring their car or bike.  I know there are members with modern classics like Challengers, Chargers, Mustangs and Corvettes as well as Harleys, Indians and Hondas of all description.  They are all welcome as well as those muscle cars and classic rides from the sixties and seventies.  I will be there with my LBC, Bridget, taking pictures to share on the website, iueclocal17.org, and in the Constructor.

This is a real opportunity to meet other members and share some great motoring experiences.

ThyssenKrupp has agreed to pay $65 to the purchase of work shoes or boots that meet their safety standard.  The footwear must be oil resistant, have leather uppers, hard toed and EH rated to be eligible.  See your superintendent for more information.

April 2012 Elevator Constructor

Brothers and sisters:

There seems to be a disconnect between business and labor over the value of each.  I once heard it put that “you cannot love the employer and hate the employee” and its logical extension “you cannot love the employee and hate the employer.”

The Right demonizes labor, organized labor in particular, in its quest to maximize the profits of its corporate patrons.  They champion Right-to-Work legislation, limitations on public-sector union negotiating, the perpetuation of the view of union leadership as dues collecting, racketeering, do-nothings and the minimization of the skilled workforce that produces the returns for their shareholders.

The Left views corporations as evil opportunist building their fortunes on the backs of the good and noble workers. They keep worker’s wages artificially low, attempting to drive a wedge between co-workers and caring more for their profit than the people that produce it.

The worst part is that if you know history you know they are both correct.  There was a time when organized labor worked more like organized crime and men like Rockefeller, Carnegie, Ford and Edison defined greed.  That was a century ago and the stereotypes are perpetuated and amplified today with our instant communication society.

For over a century unions have been the counter to the industrialists and we in the union movement have succeeded in building a society where fairness and safety in the workplace is paramount to the mutual success of the members and the companies that employ us.

The most important part for both to remember is that companies need to make a profit for their shareholders and employees need to be able to purchase goods and services that support their employers. This is true whether you work for a mom and pop shop or a global enterprise: each needs the other to exist.  While it seems that this is stating the obvious, many men and women of good intention, in attempting to further the agenda of their organization, lose sight of this fundamental truth.

When management and labor work together there is nothing they cannot accomplish.

There are two upcoming events every member should circle on their calendar.  First is April 20th for the Annual Local 17 Retiree’s Dinner.  It will be held at Frank Sterle’s Slovenian Restaurant, 1404 East 55th Street.  Doors open at 5:30 with refreshments and a family style dinner at 6:30.  The cost at the door is $30 for active members and free for retirees.

The Annual Golf Outing will be June 2nd at Mallard Creek Golf Club, 34500 Royalton Road, Columbia Station.  Tee time is 10 am and includes golf, refreshments and dinner.  The cost is $90 per person.  To reserve your spot at both events, contact Mike Hogan at m.hogan67@yahoo.com or Business Agent Tim Moennich at 431-8808.

 

 

Where are they working?

Dave Lehotan and Kevin Driscoll doing a car station and call buttons at Margaret Wagner for Schindler,

Matt Weingart, Scott Hicks, Dave Bruner, Mark Byram, Ron Rittwage, Brian Owens, Cristino DeJesus and Chris Wyatt at the casino for Schindler,

Bob Myer and Tom Gombar installing a freight car at the art museum for Kone,

Bob Garman and Robin Eaton doing a mod at Breckenridge for Thyssen,

Dave Hess and Dave Adrian putting a car back in service at 1001 Euclid for Thyssen,

DJ Springs, Gregg Seaman, Joe Simcic, Ric Supinski, Ken Eaton and Tony Karovich at Eaton headquarters for Otis,

Charlie Donner and Randy Thompson installing a freight car at Bass Chemical for Thyssen,

Gerard Szemerkovsky and Ric Supinski at Warrensville YMCA installing a two-stop hydo for Otis,

Tom Kelly and Mark Mehnert doing a jack job at Hillcrest Hospital for Otis.

 

As of this writing there are 16 mechanics and two apprentices out of work.

 

Till next month…

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety,

 

Don

dknapik@windstream.net

March 2012 Cleveland Citizen

In your quarterly dues letter there are two important letters from Entertainment Chairman Mike Hogan all IUEC Local 17 members will want to make a point of attending.

On Friday, April 20th our local will be honoring its retired members at Fran Sterle’s Slovenian Restaurant, 1401 East 55th Street.  Refreshments start at 5:30 and a family style dinner will be served at 6:30.  The cost to active members is $30 per person and retirees are free.  If you are planning to attend please contact Mike Hogan through the hall or you can email him at m.hogan67@yahoo.com.

Also make room on your calendar for the IUEC Local 17 Golf Outing to be held June 2nd at Mallard Creek Golf Club, 34500 Royalton Road, Columbia Station.  Tee time is 10am and the cost is $90 which includes golf, beer, pop and dinner.  Please have your checks mailed to Mike Hogan by May 1st.

Four apprentices are currently enrolled in the NEIEP apprenticeship program.  Just a reminder that your OJT forms need to be turned in on a timely manner so your apprenticeship hours can be accounted for.  So please get your forms in on time.

There are sign-up sheets available for scaffolding and hydraulic controller theory classes.  If you are interested please contact Business Agent Tim Moennich at 216-431-8088 or email him at TMoennich@iueclocal17.org.

NEIEP News

NEIEP’s new area coordinator, Jeff Burns from Local 9 Minneapolis, reported that our new apprenticeship standards were approved by the US Department of Labor and he will be working to get them approved by the state of Ohio.

There are two new online offerings NEIEP will be rolling our very soon.  The first is an escalator lab which will give great insight to those who do not normally get to work on escalators.  The second offering is a hydraulic valve lab which will explain the theory and application of how valves work.  To help illustrate the concepts, NEIEP is looking for UC4 and UV5 hydraulic valves.  If you or someone you know is tearing one out, please have your superintendent contact Tim about donating it to NEIEP for inclusion in their program.

As times get tighter, companies are looking closer at their employees.  One area that they are paying special attention to is continuing education and particularly the courses offered through NEIEP.  I have had more than one superintendent tell me that when the mangers look at whom to keep one factor is the amount of continuing education the individual has completed on their own.  The courses offered to every elevator constructor through NEIEP are comprehensive and free of charge.  Take advantage of them.

Since Saint Patrick’s Day is a few days away, Local 17 wants to invite every member of the local and their families to participate in the parade.  Edmonds Elevator has once again donated the use of their truck.  The parade will be held along Superior Avenue and we usually line up near the Plain Dealer building.  It is a great opportunity to meet other members and their families as well as create some special memories for your children or grandchildren.

March 2012 Elevator Constructor

Brothers and sisters:

Seeing as how March is now upon us and St. Patrick’s Day is a short two weeks away, that means three things: the Indians are deep into spring training, we are due at least one more arctic blast before spring sets in and I need to get cracking on finishing the winter upgrades to Bridget my 1973 MGB.

Yes, I was able to hang onto her after last year’s unpleasantness and she rewarded me with the best driving experience of my life.  I’m not talking about 6000 rpm hole shots or wheel- screeching cornering.  I’m talking about the moment when the machine becomes an extension of the man.

I left Elyria west on US 20 to Norwalk bound for East Harbor.  The day was as crystal clear and cold.  It didn’t matter.  This was going to be the last ride of the year and I wanted to run her into a lather.

My deep cup of caffeinated heat kept me warm until I turned north on 250 and stopped for a refill.  By now the sun was close to zenith and the 100 ponies under the bonnet were just getting going.  They didn’t need extra coaxing.  They were running on 93 octane double espresso.

On the stretch between Norwalk and Sandusky I let the horses run free.  I don’t know what I topped out at but the way the mailboxes whizzed past it was close to 105.  I felt like Michael Shumaker testing an F1 at Monaco.  Every twist, every turn was anticipated and executed to perfection.  Absolutely heart in your mouth thrilling.  Route 2 and 58 were at a saner speed but the Edison Bridge made for a great open run.

I let the horses rest at East Harbor.  They earned it.  I walked up and down the deserted beach and felt invigorated by the warm sun, cold breeze and calm lake.  Magical.

When the fully rested horses roared back to life and I pointed them east toward Cleveland, they never missed a beat.  58 back to 2 and then 6 west of The Point.  The route was the old roadbed of the Lake Shore Electric Railway, a fact given away by its broad expanse.  The gentle undulations and easy sweeps passed in an instant as Bridget kicked up fallen foliage in her wake.

Coffee, this time from Caribou in Rocky River.  I met a guy who used to sell MGs for Fred Baker.  We chatted for a few minutes and he told me how the cars run better with the parts we have now than they did from the factory.  Maybe that’s why BL failed.

With the sun setting and temperature dropping, I opted for the parkway to Strongsville and Bridget’s winter home.  I gunned her one last time through a series of tight turns and she never flinched.

Spring can’t come too soon.

Leave Friday, April 20th open on your calendar for the 2012 Local 17 Retiree’s Dinner.  It will be held at Frank Sterle’s Slovenian House at 1401 East 55th Street.  Cocktails will be served at 5:30 and dinner at 6:30 pm.  The cost will be $30 for active members and free for retirees.  This is a great opportunity to get together and hear the history of Local 17 from the men who made it.

As many of you know, UFCW Local 880 has settled their strike with Rite Aid.  Their members are back to work under the terms of a new contract.  Here is another example of union brothers and sisters standing together and winning for their brethren.  Congratulations to UFCW.

As of this writing there are twenty-four mechanics out of work.

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety….

Don

dknapik@windstream.net

February ’12 Article to the Elevator Constructor

Brothers and sisters:

I’ve been thinking a lot about safety over the past few months.  In part because of my return to the trade and comparing safety practices to the foundry industry I was fortunate to work in for three months prior to my return.

When working in the foundry hard hat, safety glasses, metatarsal-protecting shoes, flame retardant clothing and gloves appropriate for the task were the minimum required PPE for anyone outside the locker room or restroom.  People working maintenance needed to be able to work in any part of the plant at any time.  This meant extra gloving, harnesses for working on the cranes or in the man lifts and protection for cutting and welding, masks for certain buildings with high silicon dust and ear protection because no matter where you went it was loud.  Because I was working as an electrician versus a millwright I had arc-rated leather and rubber gloves as well as a tinted full-face shield and jacket for working in high voltage disconnects.  LOTO was mandatory for anything other than troubleshooting requiring the power engaged.

These were rules everyone lived by because everyone knew the dangers we shared and did not want to see a fellow foundry man hurt.  We all looked out for each other.  Unsafe practices were not tolerated.

When someone on the pour line was not wearing his safety glasses under his face shield and was reminded three times in ten minutes by a supervisor from another department his response was a less than courteous “I don’t work for you.”  He was walked out the next day.

As elevator companies institute added layers of safety practices it begs the question:  how much more refinement is needed to reach zero accidents?  Do we really need another safety procedure or do we need reinforcement of a current procedure?  Accessing pits and car tops are the two skills every probationary is taught immediately on their entry into the field.  If you are lucky enough to have a mechanic that teaches and reinforces good habits, there is a good chance you will never have an accident.  If you don’t, well you know where this is going.

Part of the problem is that safety is not personal until it affects you.  Until it is you going to the ER because of a preventable fall, eye injury or laceration much of the training is just words we hear over and over until they lose their meaning.  It is like a parent constantly screaming at a child until that child no longer responds because it is just background noise.

Recently I was part of a group that went through training that qualified us to work at First Energy nuclear plants.  A very high percentage of the training centered on radioactivity and how to safely work around it.  Since it is invisible except to special equipment, it requires a high degree of awareness of your surroundings to keep from becoming contaminated.  The most valuable skill they discussed was the “Two Minute Drill.”  This consisted of upon entering a work space, looking around and evaluating it for potential hazards and avoiding those hazards that are known and reporting those not enumerated prior to starting work.  This was the same thing I did every day at the foundry.  It kept me safe then and I continue to do it today,

One of my resolutions is to actively and consciously keep safe practices in the forefront.  This means LOTO, safety glasses and gloves at the minimum.  When I see one of my colleagues lacking or find a customer that has cut a lock, defeated a safety device or some other transgression, I will take the time to correct them.

After all, we are all in this together.

 

Till next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

 

Don

dknapik@windstream.net

January ’12 Article to the Cleveland Citizen

January 13th is a mandatory meeting for the installation of officers.  If you do not attend and are not on vacation or working overtime that night, then you will be subject to a $20 fine.

NEIEP is offering three opportunities for continuing education this first quarter.  The first opportunity is a three-night OSHA 10 class to be taught by John Taylor.  The dates are yet to be determined.  Second is another welding class leading to 3G and 4G certification.  It will be taught over two weeks from 5pm to 9pm at Lincoln Electric, the world leader in arc welding equipment headquartered in Euclid, Ohio.  For proposed class dates and other details, contact Business Agent Tim Moennich at 216-431-8088.

Lastly, NEIEP has developed a number of new online courses, labs and videos covering a number of topics. These are all offered at no cost to constructors.  If you have a particular class you would be interested in seeing Local 17 offer, please contact Tim as our instructors are willing to start a class if there is enough interest.

Congratulations to Brother John Goggin for being the first member of Local 17 to receive his signalman’s certification.  This is an online course offered through NEIEP and completed with a written and oral examination by the NEIEP area coordinator.  It is free and offered to all elevator constructors.

Brother Tom Koch will be stepping down this year from the school board.  On behalf of everyone in the local and in particular those that have had the honor of being your students, I would like to say thank you for the dedication and patience you have shown to everyone you have touched through the years.  You have made a positive impact on the trade in general and Local 17 in particular.  We are all richer for your efforts.  His spot will be taken in January by Jerry Reitz.

If you have not started to save money for the end of the contract, start now! The new year is a great opportunity to get a handle on your income and potential expenses for the future.  People never plan to fail they just fail to plan.

 

Make it Something Great

 

I’m sitting here on the cusp of 2012 pondering the year that has been, to put things lightly, tumultuous at the least and revolutionary in so many ways.

We started off the year with a slew of new governors, most notably Wisconsin’s Scott Walker and our own John Kasich, ramming through public-sector collective bargaining bills that limited union negotiations on a variety of issues.  We in Ohio repealed SB 5 in such a landslide that our once boastful governor looked like a schoolboy who just took a whipping from his headmaster on election night.  It was a great win for labor and sent a clear message about the power that well organized groups can still have on our political class.

This coincided with the Arab Spring that over threw long entrenched dictators from Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and the continuing struggle to unseat the leader of Syria.  While these countries are not progressing in the American mold of freedom, they are creating their own expression of democracy that suits their Arab heritage.  The quandary is whether these new governments will be friendly to America or become radical Islamic states.  Essentially overthrowing the dictator they knew for the dictator they did not know.  Now with the recent death of Kim Jong Il, North Korea has a young and untested leader with his finger on the nuclear button.  Keep that in your sights for 2012.

In America we have the Occupy movement which has succeeded in raising the awareness of the 99% that live under the Golden Rule (the one percent with the gold makes the rules for the 99%) to the excesses of Wall Street and the Federal Reserve.  In Oakland they shut down the port in support of the Longshoremen and were attacked in several cities by the police force with no provocation.  The attempts by the establishment to frame them as old hippies getting their last kicks before retiring to Florida have failed because the face of these protestors is young, clean shaven and linked together by social networks.  This makes it very difficult to cut off the head of the movement because there is no central figure to demonize.  The only way to smash them is to crush the idea that freedom exists in America and the idea this republic was founded upon the preservation of individual liberty is a fallacy.  The push back on these protestors is either the death throw of the old guard or the institution of more liberty seizing programs by the self-appointed rectors of all that is good.

It is because of Occupy and the Arab Spring that Time Magazine named the protestor as their person of the year.  A prediction… Occupy will gel into a true political movement and be a force in 2012 like the Tea Party on the right.

We now have the traveling circus called the GOP primary with its calliope of revolving frontrunners.  My prediction for 2012… the one to come out of this mess to run against President Obama will be the winner of a war of attrition that will fracture the GOP and give the president a second term.

If you have been watching the History Channel with any frequency you know that the Mayan long count calendar ends on December 21, 2012, the winter solstice and shortest day of the year.  While I do not believe that we are on the dawn of the biblical Apocalypse, I do believe that this year, with all the tumult leading into it, will be a small “A” apocalypse for the entrenched powers seeking nothing more than their own selfish agenda.  What can and must rise out of the ashes of 2011 is a new realization that the old paradigm is over and a new thought process that encompasses our new reality has taken hold.

Facebook has succeeded where eons of religion, politics, geography, philosophy, art, literature, war, peace, education, money, TV, radio and newspapers all failed.  We are all now linked into each other in ways no one has ever dreamed.  The question then becomes… is this new linked reality good or evil?  A tool is not inherently good or evil.  The new reality will be what we make it.

Make it something great.

 

January ’12 Constructor Article

Brothers and sisters:

I hope that everyone reading this had a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year filled with all the joy of the season.

Starting January 1, there will be a $1.15 increase in the mechanics pay scale.  Each classification will receive an increase at their percentage of mechanics rate.

There was a very important mailing about a potential identity theft issue involving the Benefits office and Value Options, the network provider of mental health and substance abuse treatment.  According to the letter sent out to every participant, a computer tape containing personal information was lost in transit from Value Options back to the Plan office.  The information was provided to Value Options in order to qualify participants when they sought services.  Since neither the Plan office, Value Options or the carrier used for the shipment have located the tape, they arranged for identity theft protection through Debix for all plan participants at no cost for one year.  This includes members and their covered dependents.

Identity theft is nothing to be taken lightly.  If you have received the letter and not acted on it, I implore you to contact the Benefits office and take advantage of this opportunity to protect yourself and your dependents.  A link to the Benefits office is available through iueclocal17.org under the Union Links button.

I would like everyone reading this to take a few minute and go the Local 17 web site, iueclocal17.org, and read the local’s article for the December issue of the Cleveland Citizen.  It highlights the efforts of the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, a Columbus-based “non-profit, non-partisan legal center dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of Ohioans from government abuse” and their efforts to turn Ohio into the 23rd right-to-work-for-less state.

This is the same group that fronted state Issue 3, the amendment to the Ohio Constitution opting out the Health Care Reform Act passed by the previous Congress.  The amendment passed by a 66 percent to 34 percent margin.

As you might guess, I have a multitude of thoughts on this subject and I will be bringing them to you as the campaign to defeat this next attack on unionism rolls forward.  I’ll repeat here one of the highlights of the Citizen article:

“Being a union member does not guarantee success and it does not shelter failure.

Being a union member, being productive at your job, and having the opportunity to make a better life through better wages, benefits and working conditions is something worth fighting for.  Now is the time to clean your guns, stock up on ammo and be prepared.  The conservatives are coming.”

Where are they working?

John Goggin and Joe Sumph replacing step chains at One Cleveland Center for Schindler,

Keith Poscocil and Ken Eaton installing a three-stop traction at Lorain Community College for Kone,

Jeff Lindell and Ken Jung installing escalators at the Art Museum for Kone,

Mike Miller, Greg Seaman, Gerard Szemerkovsky and Tony Karovich installing two tractions and two hydros at Marymount Hospital for Otis,

Dave Brunner, John Brunner, Mark Byram, Dave Lehotan, Chris Wyatt and Brian Owens installing escalators at the Casino for Schindler,

DJ Springs and Joe Simcic starting the Eaton job for Otis,

Matt Pinchot and Scott Villanueva at the Cleveland Clinic Parking Garage doing a two-car mod for Otis,

Scott Hicks and Jim Rogers installing an elevator at the Casino for Schindler,

Local 17 would like to extend its congratulations to Brother Ryan Foley and his wife on the birth of their baby girl.  A large welcome home goes to the brother of Jeff Ford and stepson of honored retiree Bob Pudimat, Captain Joe Ford, on his return from Iraq.

As of this writing there are 18 mechanics and one apprentice out of work.

Until next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

Dknapik@windstream.net

December ’11 Cleveland Citizen

Brothers and sisters:

On behalf of IUEC Local 17 I would like to wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone affiliated with the North Shore Federation of Labor.  Here is to a happy and safe holiday season to everyone and their family.

Meeting Notice:

The December and January meeting are special called meetings for the election and installation of officers.  If you cannot attend then you must contact the hall prior to the meeting or be subject to a $20 fine for non-attendance.

Starting January 1, there will be a $1.15 increase in the mechanics pay scale.  Each classification will receive an increase at their percentage of mechanics rate.

The annual Children’s Christmas Party will be held on Saturday, December 3rd from 1pm to 4pm at 3250 Euclid Avenue.  Refreshments and entertainment are provided and everyone is asked to bring a pastry.  This is a wonderful family event that brings old and young together and is a great kickoff to the Christmas season.

There was a very important mailing about a potential identity theft issue involving the Benefits office and Value Options, the network provider of mental health and substance abuse treatment.  According to the letter sent out to every participant, a computer tape containing personal information was lost in transit from Value Options back to the Plan office.  The information was provided to Value Options in order to qualify participants when they sought services.  Since neither the Plan office, Value Options or the carrier used for the shipment have located the tape, they arranged for identity theft protection through Debix for all plan participants at no cost for one year.  This includes members and their covered dependents.

Identity theft is nothing to be taken lightly.  If you have received the letter and not acted on it, I implore you to contact the Benefits office and take advantage of this opportunity to protect yourself and your dependents.  A link to the Benefits office is available through iueclocal17.org under the Union Links button.

WELCOME BACK

Brother Jeff Ford’s brother and retired Brother Bob Pudimat’s stepson, Captain Joe Ford, returned from service in Iraq.  Thank you to him and everyone serving their country.

At this writing there are 18 mechanics and one apprentice out of work.

ISSUE 2 AND BEYOND

If there was any doubt in the minds of anyone as to the sympathies of the Ohio electorate on the issue of public-sector collective bargaining, then the November 8th tsunami that led to the resounding defeated State Issue 2 spoke volumes.

Every single union member, whether public or private sector, must stand up and shake the hand of the brother or sister next to them over the defeat of Issue 2.  The turnout was nothing less than incredible and the 61 to 39 beating the Republican led Statehouse took on the issue was landslide by any measure.  In the heady afterglow of victory, there are still battles to be fought and the next one is forming as we speak.

The 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, a Columbus-based “non-profit, non-partisan legal center dedicated to protecting the constitutional rights of Ohioans from government abuse” presented 1621 signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office to turn Ohio into a right-to-work-for-less state.  They need only 1000 valid signatures to get the go ahead to gather 386,000 signatures to place the “Ohio Workplace Freedom Amendment” on the November 2012 ballot.

The amendment would turn Ohio into the 23rd right-to-work-for-less state and the first since 2001 when Oklahoma voted in RTW legislation.

This is the same group responsible for State Issue 3, the amendment to opt-out of the new federal health insurance program, which passed by a 66 to 34 percent margin.

Union brothers and sisters make no mistake, the conservative right and Tea Party activists are out to destroy American labor and their hard fought for victories.  I’ve often wondered why conservatives in particular hate us so much.

I have a lot of flippant answers but the serious one I keep coming back to is they fear the concerted action by many because it is harder to demonize a group than an individual.  The right has continuously portrayed union members as sub-humans who cannot find their asses with both hands.  Union leaders to them are cigar-smoking, whiskey-drinking, backroom dealing fat cats who are out for no one except themselves.  What a minute… isn’t that the traditional image of the robber baron of the Industrial Revolution that the conservatives love?

Conservatives are the ones that have all the correct answers and any logic that does not fit their mold of the world is rejected as obtuse thought.  This is a snobbery that perpetuates the class warfare that continues to tear at the soul of America.

I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with people of all social strata:  CEO’s, corporate honchos, small business owners and politicians at every level through to the people that empty their trash cans.  People are remarkably alike in their root desires after their basic needs of food and shelter are met– we all want something better for our children.

Being a union member does not guarantee success and it does not shelter failure.

Being a union member, being productive at your job, and having the opportunity to make a better life through better wages, benefits and working conditions is something worth fighting for.

Now is the time to clean your guns, stock up on ammo and be prepared.  The conservatives are coming

December ’11 Elevator Constructor

Brothers and sisters:

The annual Children’s Christmas party will be held Saturday, December 3rd at the hall located at 3250 Euclid Avenue.  The party starts at 1pm and mothers are asked to bring baked goods.  Beverages will be provided.  If you have any questions, please contact Mike Hogan at mhogan67@yahoo.com.

The Cleveland Building and Construction Trades as well as Local 17 are supporting our brothers and sisters of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 880 in their labor dispute with Rite Aid.  While Rite Aid’s profits are at record levels, they refuse to bargain in good faith with the UFCW on a contract that retains the current level of benefits coverage.  As a response the North Shore Federation of Labor is boycotting Rite Aid and asking that all members of the building trades move their prescriptions to another UFCW represented pharmacy.  If you want information on the state of the boycott and which pharmacies are union represented then go to ufcwlocal880.org.

There were three fatalities reported at the October meeting.  The first was from Local 24, Birmingham, Alabama the second happened in New York City, Local 1, and the third was from Local 96, Ottawa, Canada.   Ours is a tough and unforgiving trade.  There are many ways to die and even more ways to become disabled.  This has to serve as a reminder to never take safety for granted because as soon as you do we may be draping the charter and holding a moment of silence at the next meeting for you.  Safety is no accident.

A member recently took a callback at a Parma apartment complex.  When checking out the pit, the car did not stop when he popped the bottom door lock.  When he examined the lock he found the wires jumped together on the same stud.  After correcting that issue, he decided to check the rest of the door locks.  When running the car down from the top landing, he found the same situation with the top lock.  He also discovered furniture on the car top.  When he informed the building management and the Parma Police, they arrested one the residents on a number of charges. Again, safety is no accident.

Local 17 won an arbitration hearing with Schindler on their giving away the flooring work at the new University Hospital Cancer Center.  This was Article IV work and because the company did not follow the contract they had to pay $2000 to the Local’s Contingency Fund.  This is in addition to the money paid on the same job for allowing another trade to block cable holes.  Know what is covered by Article IV of the contract and be sure the companies are not giving it away.  Your unemployed union brothers are counting on you.

 

Where are they working?

Kevin Thomas and Bill Dudas at Breckenridge Village installing a three-stop hydraulic for Thyssen,

Jeff Webber and Tom Gombar at JC Penny Strongsville doing escalator clean downs for Kone,

Paul Scheutzow doing stand by at the Juvenile Justice Center for Kone,

Matt Weingart and Chris DeJesus working at the Rockwell Building for Schindler,

Jason Faber and Joe Broz, Jr. cabling at Bridgeview for Thyssen,

Ken Bowles and Jason Sohayda doing a modernization at Kaiser for Otis,

Bernie Sickle and Steve Kemp doing a jack at UH for Schindler,

John Brunner and Taurus Ogletree doing a modernization at Euclid Commodore for Schindler,

Local 17 sends condolences to brothers Jim, John and Tom Goggin on the passing of their father and grandfather respectively in early October.  The Local also send condolences to Brother Harold Norsic on the passing of his mother and Brother John Sapochak who lost his father-in-law.

As of this writing there are 22 mechanics out of work.

 

Till next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety,

 

Don

Dknapik@windstream.net