Articles – Page 36 – International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 17

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 20^th our local will be honoring its retired members at Fran Sterle’s Slovenian Restaurant, 1401 East 55^th 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 2^nd 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 1^st.

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 20^th 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 55^th 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 13^th 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 23^rd 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 3^rd 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.

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 8^th 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 23^rd 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 3^rd 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

IUEC Local 17 at the 30th General Convention

November ’11 Elevator Constructor

Brothers and sisters:

There is a lot going on. So let’s get into it…

In a few days we will be going to the ballot box and deciding the future of public-sector unionization and to a greater extent the future of organized labor in Ohio. The effort of the GOP lead executive office and statehouse to turn our once great state into a right-to-work-for-less state is a slap in the face to every public and private employee unionized or not. While I try to be as fair as possible to each side in an argument, it is difficult to understand the motivations of the state leaders to create a place where the standard of living would free fall to the lowest level it can achieve.

Senate Bill 5, from the beginning, was an effort to legislate what government could not negotiate. As we all know, there are two signatures on every contract and if a governmental entity did not and could not agree with an item on a contract they had the perfect right to walk away from the table. To limit the scope of contract negotiations screams of the type of extreme socialism that conservatives try to leverage against organized labor.

A NO vote on Issue 2, the initiative signed onto by almost 1.3 million Ohioans, would restore the balance to the contract process and let it play out where it is supposed to… at the negotiating table.

At the September meeting our convention delegates (Dennis Dixon, John Driscoll, Jr. and Brian McTaggart) lead by Business Agent Tim Moennich gave a comprehensive report on their activities at the 30^th General Convention and discussed in detail the resolutions that came out of their committees. Tim worked on the health committee, John on the pension, Brian sat on the resolutions and Denny heard trials and appeals. If you wanted to know the details, you should have been at the meeting. The meetings leading up to the contact in July are going to be very important for everyone who cares about their job. Take an interest and be active.

Over the years Local 17 has been viewed as a bit of a renegade because of our vocal opposition to the leadership on several issues. In spite of this perception Tim made a bid for an International vice president position. Although he fell short in the final balloting, his efforts and the efforts of our delegates cleared these misperceptions and raised the overall profile of Local 17 in the eyes of the leadership and delegates from around North America.

Their work and the work of every other delegate should be applauded by all.

Also at the September meeting was the first reading of a proposed by-law change to increase the Special Meetings fine from $15 to $20.

Keep in mind that the November 18^th, December 9^th and January 13^th meetings are MANDATORY.

Congratulations to the following newly minted mechanics: Joseph Broz, David Brurke, Jason Costa, Cristino DeJesus, Kevin Driscoll, James Ehrbar, Craig Haller, Anthony Karovich, Thomas Kelly, Stephen Kemp, Jonathon Koch, Heath Kramer, Timothy Lieb, Timothy Narowitz, Don Page, Ronald Rittwage, Brian Semanco, Joseph Simcic, Jason Sohayda and Jeff Ward.

Because there will be only seven apprentices in the program for next year, Local 17 will be using distance learning for the first time. The apprentices in the program will meet with Jerry Reitz once a month at the school and otherwise will be responsible for their own work. This is the first time Local 17 will be using distance learning for the apprenticeship program.

As of this writing there are 24 mechanics and one apprentice out of work.

Till next month,

Work smart, work safe and slow down for safety.

Don

Dknapik@windstream.net

November ’11 Cleveland Citizen

Brothers and sisters:

The North Shore Federation of Labor is asking your support for our union brothers and sisters in the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880 (UFCW) and their efforts to negotiate a fair contract with Rite Aid. While Rite Aid’s profits have soared they have cut hours and benefits for their represented workers and have refused to come to the table with a reasonable offer that maintains workers integrity.

Consequently the UFCW, North Shore Federation of Labor and their affiliated unions and locals are asking all members of the building trades to boycott Rite Aid. The other represented pharmacies, CVS and Giant Eagle, each offer incentives to those members looking to transfer their prescriptions. The UFCW is a great union that truly puts its members first. We need to support our union brothers and sisters with the combined effort of Cleveland area labor voting with their pocketbooks.

Meeting notice

The November 18, December 9 and January 13 meetings are mandatory special meetings for the nomination, election and installation of officers. A $20 fine will be issued for non-attendance. Requests for exemptions from attendance must be presented to the Local 17, Executive Board or Business Representative prior to the meeting either in writing, in person or by phone.

I am very pleased to announce that the new issue of Lift Magazine, a publication of NEIEP, should be in the mail as we speak. The theme of the issue is New Technology. There are articles on ThyssenKrupp’s Twin system, PMS motors and regenerative drives, MRL systems and the new performance-based elevator code. It is another tool in NEIEP’s box of continuing education for the new and experienced member. There are also a number of classes available online. Please take the time to check out the site at neiep.org to enhance your knowledge in the trade.

At the October meeting, Business Agent Tim Moennich reported on three deaths in the International. The details were sketchy, but this needs to be a reminder to everyone to work safe, work smart and be very aware of what is going on around you. Another important aspect is to not cut corners on safety or Article IV team work. If you need help on a job, call for it. If you can’t get it, lock it out and tell them to send a team. Safety is no accident.

Callback from Hell

Cleveland Brown’s All-Pro lineman Joe Thomas donated ten tickets along with vouchers for food, parking and sweatshirts to be given to out of work members and their families. The tickets are for the November 13^th game against the St. Louis Rams. Local 17, as of this writing, has five tickets left. If you or someone you know can use the tickets, then give call Business Agent Tim Moennich a call at 216-431-8088.

Schindler recently paid $2000 to the Contingency Fund for Article IV flooring work given to other contractors at the UH Cancer Center. This was in addition to the amount paid previously for another trade blocking cable holes on the same job. Keep vigilant. Your out of work brothers are counting on you.

“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”

Voltaire

Since the election is only a few days away, I do not need to remind everyone reading this that a NO vote on Issue 2 is vital to supporting our brothers and sisters in the public-sector unions. This is the home stretch on what has been a tsunami of support for the repeal of this union busting, ill-conceived notion that in order to balance local budgets, it is necessary to legislate what the government cannot negotiate.

I was talking with a friend who knows a member of a local school board. The board member was telling him that if Issue 2 passes, then the system will be able to keep off the state watch list. My friend’s response was that at contract time the board needs to hire better negotiators. Most contracts have a reopen clause which allows either side to amend an agreement before the end of the contract. The IUEC used this with NEBA to create the Assistant Mechanic slot which has put several thousand brothers and sisters back to work since its acceptance in August 2010.

There is also binding arbitration with public-sector contracts that is designed to avoid strikes and impasses. According to the October 16 issue of the Plain Dealer the last public-sector strike was in July 2009 and there have been 16 total strikes in the last five years. There were 18 cases of binding arbitration in 2010 according to the Ohio State Employment Relations Board (SERB).

SERB is the agency charged with collecting, tracking and analyzing the public-sector contracts for the state of Ohio in much the same way that the GAO does for the federal government. The agency currently has 3,285 contracts on file.

In that same edition, the PD Editorial Board endorsed the passage of Issue 2. An unemotional reading of the piece indicates that there was much debate among the members before arriving at the decision to endorse its passage. An analysis of their logic, particularly in their naïve notion that the GOP led government would reexamine the more onerous aspects of the law, shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the first Law of Politics “He who has the Gold makes the rules.” Most, if not all, office holders are beholden to this law through those that fund their campaigns.

North Shore AFL-CIO Executive Director Harriet Applegate wrote in her October 22^nd rebuttal that “telling Ohioans that public employees are the problem and consequently have to pay for a crisis that was not of their making is deceitful and wrong” hit the nail square on the head. The flood of letters decrying the papers endorsement and the number of subscription cancellations because of it is further proof of the acrimony following this issue.

Does their need to be reform? What form should it take? Who needs to sacrifice and how? These are all valid questions that need answers as the state moves forward after the defeat of Issue 2.

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