ELEVATOR MARCH 2023 The Constructor Retirees Should Care About Challenges Affecting Our Union Today p2 The Time is Now to Promote the Trades p3 March is National Kidney Month; March 9th is World Kidney Day p4
In Your Best Interest 2 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR Frank Christensen General President Living a nice retirement after decades of hard work is the dream we all have. You know, six Saturdays and a Sunday. The work we do is fulfilling and gratifying and it’s certainly rewarding in pay and benefits. But all of this is only possible because of the dedication of the members who came before us, those currently working today and the ones yet to come. Our union, and all of our benefits funds, are strong because of past successes, the battles being fought today and the challenges that will be overcome by the generations to come. As I have traveled to local unions, I have heard some retirees say that they don’t really need to worry about things like Davis-Bacon, pension reform and organizing because, after all, they are already retired. I completely disagree with this line of thinking. To understand my point of view you need to understand how our pension plan is funded. The dollar that a working member today contributes to our plan from his/her wage package is not directly earmarked for him/her when they retire 20 or 30 years from now. That dollar actually covers the pension for our current retirees. Contributions from our current working members cover the pension payments of current retirees. When our plan was created in 1961, its creators set up the plan to provide a pension as soon as possible, not wait until those younger members contributing to the plan were of age to collect their pension check. This is why the plan is designed to make pension payments for current retirees from the contributions of current working members. Social Security is designed in the same way as our pension plan. There is no doubt that you have heard about the funding challenges Social Security will be facing over the next decade. The biggest reason that Social Security is at risk of “running out” is because there are fewer workers paying into the system. Since the social program was created in 1935, there were big waves of workers retiring (think Baby Boomers) coupled with a declining birth rate which means, over the long term, fewer workers to contribute into the system to cover current retirees. Now, don’t get me wrong; our pension plan is NOT in same dire straits as Social Security. It is well funded, carefully managed and strong, and has been since its creation, but none of that is etched in stone. None of that can be guaranteed forevermore. If a serious turn of events were to happen, our plan could be affected, just like every other retirement plan in every possible industry. The pension payments our retirees collect are not locked in, impervious to major economic or political challenges. This is why all of our members, active and retired, should and must care about policies and initiatives, from Capitol Hill to our International to our local unions, that affect the ability of our current members to reach their maximum possible earning potential and the ability of the IUEC to grow. The work we perform under DavisBacon laws is good work and we need to keep it securely in our pocket. We cannot let the wage floor drop from underneath us by electing anti-labor politicians to office. Retirees can and should play a huge role in our political goals of electing the right people to office. Additionally, when legislation that affects labor comes to the floor of a state government or the U.S. Congress, such as legislation on pension reform, continued on page 13 Retirees Should Care About Challenges Affecting Our Union Today
Editor’s Corner James K. Bender, II Assistant General President and Editor As I travel to locals and read our correspondents’ journal entries, I am happy to learn of all of the recruitments taking place across the country. It is so encouraging to know that despite a somewhat unpredictable economy, construction is still growing in so many places in the U.S. and Canada and the skills we have to offer are in high demand. Our locals seem to be clearing their benches and cranes seem to be dotting the skylines from coast to coast. All of this is great news as we all know that when you work in a very cyclical industry, you need to seize on the boom times when they happen. But as I look at the current state of the construction industry through a longer lens, I am also noticing more interest and support for the trades and apprenticeships from those outside of our industry. It’s this traction that will grow our work by creating a highly skilled workforce of UNION tradesmen and women. In fact, according to data from the Department of Labor (DOL), elevator constructor landed in the top 12 occupations for 2021. The DOL also noted that there was a 64% growth in new apprentices (across all professions) between 2012 and 2021, totaling two million new apprentices over that time span. Perhaps even more noteworthy is that 2021 saw the highest number of apprentices complete an apprenticeship since 2008. The DOL’s statistics also showed that there were nearly as many people in the 25-34 age range entering apprenticeships as those in the more common 24 and under age range. This tells me more people are leaving one career to pursue a new career through a registered apprenticeship. We typically think of apprentices as young men and women fresh out of high school, or in some cases fresh out of college, but these numbers tell a different story. It’s clear that more people are coming to apprenticeships after pursuing a different career where they maybe didn’t earn as much as they can through the trades, or didn’t have benefits, or didn’t feel fulfilled by the actual work they were doing. These numbers paint a picture of more widespread appeal for apprenticeships, more recognition of the merits of craft training. Over the past few years, the construction industry in general has experienced a widespread labor shortage which means there are good paying, fufilling jobs out there waiting to be staffed. It also means that the time is right to bring more members into our union fold and grow and strengthen the union labor movement. Even just a few weeks ago on the Bill Maher show—and I don’t agree with everything he says—Maher opened a discussion about the need for a college degree in order to secure a good job. His guest was former Congressman Tim Ryan who came out strongly supporting the trades and the need to expose more young people to construction work. Bill Maher agreed wholeheartedly. It is refreshing to see that kind of support on the airwaves, making it into the homes of millions of viewers. This makes me believe that the iron is hot, so to speak. Some experts believe that the labor shortage exists because the trades need to do a better job of promoting what the construction industry of today looks like versus the old stereotypes of decades gone by. And, we know what those stereotypes are: Construction work is “all brawn,” construction work isn’t for women, unions are of full of nepotism, construction work is just for those who don’t go to college. These stereotypes are as outdated as can be and nobody knows that better than continued on page 12 The Time is Now to Promote the Trades March 2023 3
For Your Benefit 4 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR Larry McGann General Secretary-Treasurer Chairman Trustees continued on page 10 National Kidney Month is an important time of the year to focus on kidney health and raise awareness of the prevalence of kidney disease. Kidney disease affects millions of people in the United States, with one in three adults at risk of developing it. Kidney disease is often silent and can go undetected until it has advanced. March is National Kidney Month and it is a great time for people to take steps to protect their kidneys and learn about the risks of kidney disease. The kidneys perform life-saving functions and when kidney function is negatively affected, the entire body suffers. You have two kidneys, each about the size of an adult fist. They are located on either side of the spine just below the rib cage. Although they are small, the kidneys perform many complex and vital functions that keep the rest of the body in balance. The Kidneys: • Help remove waste and excess fluid • Filter the blood, keeping some electrolytes, vitamins, other substances while removing others • Make vitamins that control growth • Release hormones that regulate blood pressure • Help regulate blood pressure, red blood cells and the amount of certain nutrients in the body, such as calcium and potassium Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) CKD is a serious and progressive condition that occurs when the kidneys fail to filter waste products from the blood. Renal failure is the end stage of CKD and can be either acute or chronic. Acute renal failure occurs suddenly, while chronic renal failure develops gradually over time. CKD is caused by a variety of medical conditions and lifestyle choices. Common causes include: • Diabetes • Hypertension • Glomerulonephritis • Polycystic Kidney Disease • Some lifestyle factors such as: o Smoking o Obesity o Poor diet March is National Kidney Month; March 9th is World Kidney Day!
Directory INTERNATIONAL UNION OF ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS 7154 Columbia Gateway Drive • Columbia, MD 21046 Phone: 410-953-6150 • Fax: 410-953-6169 OFFICERS of the INTERNATIONAL UNION of ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTORS FRANK CHRISTENSEN, General President JAMES K. BENDER, II, Assistant General President LARRY J. McGANN, General Secretary-Treasurer VICE PRESIDENTS LEONARD R. LEGOTTE, Local 1, New York, NY ANTHONY T. GAZZANIGA, Local 18, Los Angeles, CA MIKE FUNK, Local 82, Vancouver, BC, Canada JOSEPH WILLIAMS, Local 5, Philadelphia, PA PATRICK STRAFER, Local 19, Seattle, WA TIMOTHY D. MORGAN, Local 4, Boston, MA BRAD BRAVE, Local 90, Hamilton, ON, Canada JOHN J. O’CONNOR, Local 10, Washington, DC JUAN GONZALEZ, Jr., Local 2, Chicago, IL JOHN R. DeROSA Jr., Local 91, New Haven, CT IUEC SAFETY DIRECTOR MIKE LANGER, Telephone: 508-947-8680 Fax: 508-947-8525 IUEC ASSISTANT SAFETY DIRECTOR ERIC MCCLASKEY, Telephone: 925-270-6118 IUEC POLITICAL ACTION DIRECTOR MIKE HALPIN, Telephone: 917-335-1516 IUEC DIRECTOR OF CODES & STANDARDS DAVID GRIEFENHAGEN, Telephone: 651-653-4265 REGIONAL DIRECTORS NEWTON J. BLANCHARD, IV, Telephone: 504-354-9950 Fax: 504-381-4222 STEVEN A. BRUNO, Telephone: 860-529-0517 Fax: 860-529-0518 TERENCE P. CARR, Telephone: 631-864-3406 Fax: 631-864-1345 JAMES CHAPMAN, III, Telephone: 816-847-6633 Fax: 816-847-6969 ED CHRISTENSEN, Telephone: 773-924-2086 Fax: 773-924-0864 JERRY CLUFF, Telephone: 623-561-9368 RUSTY GILBERT, Telephone: 804-432-0234 KEVIN McGETTIGAN, Telephone: 603-822-7127 Fax: 603-821-1653 WAYNE SIMS, Telephone: 515-274-9671 IUEC I.T. DIRECTOR GIL DUNCAN, Telephone: 757-312-0428 Fax: 757-312-0429 ORGANIZERS PATRICK J. McGARVEY, Director, Telephone: 415-895-1456 Fax: 415-895-1191 DANIEL BAUMANN, Assistant Director, Telephone: 312-735-0047 Fax: 815-923-7571 ABEL ARABITG, Telephone: 786-261-1253 VANCE AYRES, Telephone: 540-625-2243 Fax: 540-625-2162 CLARENCE BAKER, Telephone: 214-304-6630 Fax: 469-264-7535 ROBERT CAPUANI, Telephone: 630-855-6700 JOE DUPONT, Telephone: 303-933-2501 Fax: 303-933-2503 Jason Gray, Telephone: 404-290-1012 JOSH JOSOFF, Telephone: 402-210-7543 JIM LOWERY, Telephone: 301-373-2174 Fax: 301-373-2174 BLAIR MACMILLAN, Telephone: 778-547-0822 FRED McCOURT, Telephone: 732-955-6990 Fax: 732-279-6906 BEN McINTYRE, Telephone: 416-678-5856 KEVIN MOODY, Telephone: 678-583-6205 Fax: 678-759-2759 STEVE SIMPSON, Telephone: 712-314-0874 MARIO VICCHIULLO, Telephone: 702-844-2020 ELEVATOR INDUSTRY WORK PRESERVATION FUND Director: R. ALLEN SPEARS 8221 Snowden River Parkway, Columbia, MD 21045 Telephone: 410-312-1474 Fax: 410-312-1473 NATIONAL ELEVATOR INDUSTRY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Director: Dave Morgan Assistant Director: John J. Caughey 11 Larsen Way, Attleboro Falls, MA 02763-1068 Telephone: 800-228-8220 or 508-699-2200 NATIONAL ELEVATOR INDUSTRY BENEFIT PLANS 19 Campus Boulevard, Suite 200, Newtown Square, PA 19073-3288 Telephone: 800-523-4702 Executive Director: ROBERT O. BETTS, Ext. 2200 Director, Health Claims Administration: JOHN McGOWAN, Ext. 2600 CANADIAN ELEVATOR INDUSTRY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM Director: DAN VINETTE, 1795 Ironstone Manor, Unit 3, Pickering, ON, Canada L1W 3W9. Telephone: 905-837-2347 Fax: 905-837-2349 Toll Free: 1-888-GO-CEIEP Email: danv@ceiep-program.com The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR VOLUME XCX NUMBER 3 MARCH 2023 ISSN 0013-614X–Published monthly by the International Union of Elevator Constructors, 7154 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, Maryland 21046. Phone: (410) 953-6150. Address all communications to James K. Bender, II, Editor. The publisher is not responsible for opinions expressed by correspondents. Periodicals postage paid at Columbia, Maryland, and additional mailing offices. Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in Section 1103, Act of November 3, 1917. Authorized July 31, 1918. Subscription rate $18.00 per year. POSTMASTER; Deliver all PO Form 3579s to IUEC, 7154 Columbia Gateway Drive, Columbia, Maryland 21046. Lithographed in U.S.A. by Kelly Press, Inc., Washington, D.C. Publication Mail agreement No. 7111661. Canadian Publications Mail Agreement #41464576. Canada Post: Return undeliverables to P.O. Box 2601, 6915 Dixie Road, Mississauga, ON L4T 0A9. In Your Best Interest.......................................2 Editor’s Corner................................................3 For Your Benefit.............................................. 4 NEIEP’s Corner...............................................6 From a Legal Standpoint................................ 7 From the Directors of Safety. ........................ 9 IUEC Scholarship Fund............................... 15 New Arrivals..................................................20 Local Roundup..............................................22 CONTENTS March 2023 5
NEIEP’s Corner 6 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR NEIEP’s Corner At NEIEP, we are proud to have a team of talented individuals who work together to bring high-quality training to IUEC members. This month, we shine the spotlight on Dan Morrissey, NEIEP’s resident electronics, firmware, and lab design engineer, who plays a central role in developing many hands-on learning experiences. Dan joined our team in 2014 and quickly fit in with his exceptional technical skills and passion for software design. Dan’s attention to detail is unmatched, and he ensures that every aspect of the electronics and firmware design process is thoroughly thought through, from the back-end architecture to the user experience. He works closely with the SMEs and writers on the development team to ensure that the results meet our instructional needs and exceed expectations. Dan studied engineering at Southeastern Massachusetts University (now UMassDartmouth) and started working on an MBA but eventually decided to follow his passion for electronics. He started his career at Barry Industries in Attleboro, MA, building chip resistors for seven years. Dan soon realized this work wasn’t so exciting, so he left the resistors behind for a job in the plastics industry designing and building control systems for large machinery. As he explains, this job opened his eyes to new design possibilities: “I learned about PLCs and motor control and how to get all these things to work. And part of the cool thing about that job was you had to design it, build it, and install it.” Dan’s experience in the plastics industry was a gamechanger. At the time, the engineer did it all, so Dan was directly involved in many exciting projects. He built the lines that produced some of the earliest microwaveable cups and was introduced to flexible circuitry while working for Poly-Flex Circuits. There, he collaborated with a company called Nellcor to build the first pulse oximeter (the device you put on your finger to measure blood oxygen). The biggest payoff for Dan from this job was an introduction to the software that he still uses for designing circuit boards. Despite being in the early days of the technology, when the software was still in DOS, Dan says the fundamentals remain the same to this day. After Poly-Flex Circuits, Dan became a toy builder for a private firm called Design Lab in Providence, RI. He explains: “We were downtown – we worked with Hasbro heavily, but we also worked with all the toy companies. We were essentially a think tank for toys.” Dan’s role was electronics design, and he was responsible for some of the mainstream toys of the late 1990s (remember Sing & Snore Ernie?). Later in his career, Dan contracted with many companies to design software for industrial processes. He wrote software for intelligent operation of cranes used in the metal treating industry, one of the first uses of design intelligence in manufacturing. His software enabled cranes to pick up and move products to specified points in the metal treating process and had broader applications in the world of automation, as he had this system running at IBM, Pratt & Whitney, and many places around the world. Dan also designed electronics and software for American Biophysics, specifically on their product the Mosquito Magnet. continued on page 12 Development Spotlight: The “Design Guy,” Dan Morrissey David Morgan Executive Director
From a Legal Standpoint From a Legal Standpoint In a historical feat, minor league baseball players successfully unionized for the first time, joining the Major League Baseball Players Association (“MLBPA”) in September 2022. The process took a mere 17 days. It paved the way for collective bargaining to begin, so the minor league players could see well-deserved improvements in their wages and working conditions in the upcoming baseball season. The players’ association launched the unionization drive on August 28, 2022. Over half of the minor league players turned in union authorization cards over the course of one week. The players’ union sought voluntary recognition from Major League Baseball (“MLB”) to represent the minor leaguers on September 6, 2022. MLB voluntarily recognized the MLBPA as the minor league players’ bargaining representative on September 9, 2022, pending validation of the authorization cards. On September 14, 2022, an arbitrator approved the minor league players’ union authorization cards, marking their official date of unionization. The MLBPA now represents the roughly 5,000 players contracted to play on domestic minor league baseball teams, moving in what has been described as “record time” to obtain the authorization cards. According to one minor leaguer, “everyone [was] just raving with positivity…I haven’t come across one guy who’s against this right now.” The vast majority of minor leaguer players, with the exception of players on 40-man rosters on option to the minor leagues, had never been represented by a union before. Logistics has been an issue. The workforce is subject to turnover, because players make it to the big leagues or often depart the game. Minor league baseball players have historically received low pay and been subjected to tough working conditions. Players are only paid during the regular season and had often been forced to live with five or six players to pay rent. In addition, during the season, they must take extremely long bus rides from city to city in what fans and players reportedly call “the bushes”. An MLB franchise is generally worth over $2 billion, while minor league players typically make less than $14,000 per year. They are not paid for work during spring training or in the offseason. And many players’ pay is below the federal minimum wage. This is because Congress passed legislation in 2018 exempting minor league players from federal minimum wage and overtime requirements after extensive MLB lobbying. “Baseball’s minor leagues have long been a place of hyper exploitation, where ‘disposable populations’ essentially grind out a living under extraordinarily difficult conditions…[earning] poverty wages.” One legal expert noted that players, instead of simply feeling lucky to play the game they love, realized “they’re workers,” too. Indeed, one player stated, “people [were] more open to talking about what’s going on…it seem[ed] like the players [were] talking about it more in the clubhouses or on the field.” While this unionization win seemed to happen overnight, the advocacy that led to the win did not. Minor league players and their advocates have been pushing for better wages and working conditions for years. As a result of this activism, in 2021 and 2022, MLB raised minimum salaries for minor leaguers and finally mandated that teams were responsible for providing housing for players at home. In addition, MLB recently settled a federal class-action lawsuit that had been filed by minor leaguers who earned below poverty wages before the law legalizing the practice; MLB agreed to pay $185 million in settlement. The MLBPA will continue to represent the 1,200 major league players and will now represent minor league players, as well. The players deemed this arrangement to make the most sense, as most major leaguers remember what it was like to come up through the minors. In fact, it has been stated that major league players “view all professional players as part of a baseball fraternity.” continued on page 13 ~ O’Donoghue & O’Donoghue LLP ~ Minor League Baseball Players Win Unionization in Record Setting Time March 2023 7
2023 contribution limits The good news for year 2023! The IRS has increased the 401(k) annual contribution limit to $22,500 (up from $20,500 in 2022). That means, this year you can save up to $22,500 of your income in the Plan. 50 or over? You may be able to save even more If you are age 50 or older, you can save even more by making “catch-up” contributions to your 401(k) plan. Catchup contributions allow those who are 50 and over to contribute an additional $7,500 per year towards their retirement plan. That means, in 2023 you can stash as much as $30,000 in your Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan. Annual 401(k) Contribution Limits in 2023 When it comes to retirement planning, saving as much as you can in your 401(k) plan today helps ensure that you have a secure and comfortable retirement. The Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan gives you a great way to prepare for the future by allowing you to put away pre-tax dollars towards your retirement. However, it’s important to note that the IRS limits how much people can contribute to their 401(k) plans each year and this annual limit may change from year-to-year to keep pace with inflation. Take action today Now is the perfect time to make sure your savings are on track. Log in to your account at empower.com/iuec, review your information and consider starting to save or increasing your savings rate. To begin making 401(k) contributions, or to change your contribution rate, download the 401(k) Contribution Enrollment/ Deferral Change Form from the website. Complete the form and provide it to your employer. Questions Call Empower at 833-390-IUEC (4832) weekdays from 8 a.m. — 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice. “EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America . All right reserved. ©2022 Empower Retirement, LLC. RO2601514-1122 2023 contribution limits The good news for year 2023! The IRS has increased the 401(k) annual contribution limit to $22,500 (up from $20,500 in 2022). That means, this year you can save up to $2 ,500 of your income in the Plan. 50 or over? You may be able to save even more If you are age 50 or older, you can save even more by making “catch-up” contributions to your 401(k) plan. Catchup contributions allow those who are 50 and over to contribute an additional $7,500 per year towards their retirement plan. That means, in 2023 you can stash as much as $30,000 in your Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan. Annual 401(k) Contribution Limits in 2023 When it comes to retirement planning, saving as much as you can in your 401(k) plan today helps ensure that you have a secure and comfortable retirement. The Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan gives you a great way to prepare for the future by allowing you to put away pre-tax dollars towards your retirement. However, it’s important to note that the IRS limits how much people can contribute to their 401(k) plans each year and this annual limit may change from year-to-year to keep pace with inflation. Take action today Now is the perfect time to make sure your savings are on track. Log in to your account at empower.com/iuec, review your information and consider starting to save or increasing your savings rate. To begin making 401(k) contributions, or to change your contribution rate, download the 401(k) Contribution Enrollment/ Deferral Change Form from the website. Complete the form and provide it to your employer. Questions Call Empower at 833-390-IUEC (4832) weekdays from 8 a.m. — 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice. “EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America . All right reserved. ©2022 Empower Retirement, LLC. RO2601514-1122 2023 contribution limits The good news for year 2023! The IRS has increased the 401(k) annual contribution limit to $22,500 (up from $20,500 in 2022). That means, this year you can save up to $22,500 of your income in the Plan. 50 or over? You may be able to save even more If you are age 50 or older, you can save even more by making “catch-up” contributions to your 401(k) plan. Catchup contributions allow those who are 50 and over to contribute an additional $7,500 per year towards their retirement plan. That means, in 2023 you can stash as much as $30,000 in your Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan. Annual 401(k) Contribution Limits in 2023 When it comes to retirement planning, saving as much as you can in your 401(k) plan today helps ensure that you have a secure and comfortable retirement. The Elevator Constructors Annuity and 401(k) Retirement Plan gives you a great way to prepare for the future by allowing you to put away pre-tax dollars towards your retirement. However, it’s important to note that the IRS limits how much people can contribute to their 401(k) plans each year and this annual limit may change from year-to-year to keep pace with inflation. Take action today Now is the perfect time to make sure your savings are on track. Log in to your account at empower.com/iuec, review your information and consider starting to save or increasing your savings rate. To begin making 401(k) contributions, or to change your contribution rate, download the 401(k) Contribution Enrollment/ Deferral Change Form from the website. Complete the form and provide it to your employer. Questions Call Empower at 833-390-IUEC (4832) weekdays from 8 a.m. — 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Eastern time. Securities, when presented, are offered and/or distributed by Empower Financial Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. EFSI is an affiliate of Empower Retirement, LLC; Empower Funds, Inc.; and registered investment adviser, Empower Advisory Group, LLC. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide investment, legal or tax recommendations or advice. “EMPOWER” and all associated logos, and product names are trademarks of Empower Annuity Insurance Company of America . All right reserved. ©2022 Empower Retirement, LLC. RO2601514-1122
From the Directors of Safety From the Directors of Safety Brothers and Sisters, We have many safety slogans, acronyms, and mission statements we use throughout our industry and rightfully so. “To improve the Elevator Constructor’s sense of awareness to daily hazards present in the workplace” is the mission statement of the IUEC Safety Committee. “We came to this trade for a better life, not a shorter one” is a slogan or statement printed on wrist bands that the EIWPF has provided to the membership to keep safety at the forefront of our minds. “To promote and maintain a Safer & Healthier Conveyance Industry for all” is the mission statement of the IUEC/NEBA and IUEC/ECA Labor Management Safety and Health committees and the Canadian Industry Safety committee. “To improve safety conditions for Elevator Constructors, Employees, and the Riding Public by actively participating in the development and preservation of rules, codes, and standards for the conveyance industry” is the mission statement for IUEC Codes & Standards. We have strived to bring safety to the forefront of the conversation in every aspect of our union under the leadership of our general president. The strength of any safety program relies on the commitment of senior level management, and we definitely have that in our union. “Be safe” is another safety slogan we often use as a general farewell when we say goodbye to one another. We have taken an opportunity put meaning behind the words and provided stickers, which you can find stapled in this issue of the journal, as another reminder to BE SAFE. Barricades: Are proper barricades in place? Elevator Location: Verify elevator location prior to entry. Struck By: Is overhead protection in place? Adjacent Car: Is adjacent car protection in place? Fall Protection: Use PFAS where fall hazards exist. Electrical Protection: Use electrical safe work practices. Each of the words behind “BE SAFE” have meaning and are related to areas where we have had unfortunate on-the-job fatalities that include OSHA’s Focus Four hazards. Barricades are for our protection as well as to protect others in the workplace and the general public. They protect us from fall hazards and the curious person interested in our work. Verifying elevator location is vital in the service and modernization environment to prevent falls in hoistways. Construction sites are not immune either. Overhead protection is essential to prevent struck by hazards. Whether it is hoarding of the hoistway, full netting covering the entrance, crash decks, or overhead protection on false cars, it is the necessary protection we need in the hoistway. Adjacent car protection is critical to prevent caught between hazards. Screening between adjacent hoistways, A17.1 requirements for adjacent counterweight protection and working toward codifying screening between adjacent pits are either required or necessary to prevent being caught between an adjacent running car. Where a fall hazard exists, fall protection is required to prevent the number-one cause of death in the construction industry. There are also fall protection requirements for general industry (contract service) and if a fall hazard exists, your Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) will save your life. Donning your harness at this point should be as automatic as wearing a seatbelt. The use of electrical safe work practices will provide electrical protection from another industry hazard that has claimed one too many lives. Whether it is lock out/tag out, protective gloves, or electrical hazard rated footwear, take the time to verify you are protected from electrical hazards. At some point in your career, you have been trained on the aforementioned hazards, but we encourage you to use “BE SAFE” as another mental checklist while performing your daily tasks. Has your employer provided the necessary training and continued on page 13 March 2023 9 BE SAFE
10 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR For Your Benefit continued Signs and Symptoms of CKD Early kidney disease usually does not have symptoms. Testing is the only way to know how well your kidneys are working. People should take the time to get evaluated for kidney disease, as early detection can help prevent the onset of more serious complications. It is important to seek medical attention for any symptoms of CKD. Early treatment can help slow the progression of the disease and prevent severe complications. Signs and symptoms, which can vary depending on the stage of the disease, include: • Fatigue • Swelling of the hands and feet • Increased urination • Changes in urine color • Loss of appetite Getting tested for kidney disease is absolutely necessary if you have: • Diabetes • High blood pressure • Heart disease • Family history of kidney failure and/or Polycystic Kidney Disease (and any other kidney diseases or diseases that are known to negatively affect the kidneys) Renal Failure Treatments Some people live with kidney disease for years and can maintain sufficient kidney function to survive without needing further interventions. Others progress to full kidney failure and require renal replacement therapy. Complete renal failure is called end-stage renal disease and for an individual to remain alive it does require life-long treatment such as: • Hemodialysis • Peritoneal dialysis • Transplantation PREVENTION AND TREATMENT FOR CKD You can protect your kidneys by preventing or managing health conditions that cause kidney damage and taking steps to keep your whole body healthy, including your kidneys. Known preventative measures include: • Knowing your numbers. Take the time to get your kidney function tested. • Managing chronic illnesses like hypertension and diabetes and underlying medical conditions and reducing damage to the kidneys. This includes: o Managing your hypertension by taking all medications as prescribed, routinely checking your blood pressure to ensure it is within normal range and taking all prescribed medications for heart disease o Controlling your sugar levels if you are diabetic—taking all prescribed diabetes medications, routinely testing blood sugar levels, and following the diet prescribed by your physician o Following up on all doctor appointments and treatments if you have been diagnosed with a disease or condition that can damage the kidneys such as Polycystic Kidney Disease, or genetic diseases such as Goodpasture’s Disease o Avoiding medications and drugs that are toxic to the kidneys such as illegal street drugs, high doses of Ibuprofen (Ibuprofen is metabolized in the kidneys), over-the-counter medications and herbal and homeopathic compounds (not evaluated or approved by the FDA) o Implementing and adhering to prescribed dietary changes and lifestyle modifications aimed at preserving kidney function o Aiming for a healthy weight o Stopping smoking o Limiting alcohol intake o Avoiding illegal drugs o Avoiding large doses of herbal and homeopathic supplements without first discussing them with your physician o Watching your intake of medications that are metabolized by the kidneys such as Ibuprofen
March 2023 11 You are not alone in this journey of maintaining a healthy body and healthy kidneys.There is help and that help starts with your National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan. Your National Elevator Industry Health Benefit Plan provides comprehensive health care services that enable individuals to successfully identify and treat diseases that affect the kidneys, such as diabetes, as well as protect overall kidney health. Regardless of if you are simply finding out the health of your kidneys, treating a chronic illness such as diabetes that can negatively affect your kidneys, treating chronic kidney disease or having to schedule a kidney transplant, the Plan has you covered with the following services: 1. Preventive Care and Wellness Program a. Annual Wellness tests and screenings i. Cholesterol screenings ii. Complete blood counts (includes kidney function specific testing such as Creatinine and BUN tests) iii. General physical exam iv. Urinalysis – (includes kidney function specific tests) v. EKG testing vi. Screening for Gestational Diabetes 2. Medical a. Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO offers an extensive network of medical providers including specialists such as nephrologists, the doctors who treat kidney disease b. The Plan give you freedom to visit any provider you’d like and when you visit a provider in the BCBS network, your covered medical expenses are generally paid at 100% of the provider’s negotiated charge (after meeting deductible) 3. Diabetes Management Programs a. Self-Management Training Program b. Virta Diabetes and Obesity Treatment 4. Health Management Program a. Disease Management, Case Management and Utilization Management i. Coordinated health care interventions and communications designed to support individuals with acute and chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes 5. Smoking Cessation Program a. The Plan offers the Quit for Life Program at no cost 6. Prescription Drug Coverage a. Retail pharmacy and home delivery program 7. End-Stage Renal Disease Treatments (for individuals diagnosed with kidney failure) a. Hemodialysis treatments b. Peritoneal dialysis treatments 8. Transplantation a. For those who are faced with the life-saving services of transplantation, the Plan offers comprehensive and expansive transplant surgery services. b. Benefits are payable for certain organ transplants when services are provided through a facility in the OptumHealth Complex Medical Conditions Transplant Network. The OptumHealth network has transplant facilities throughout the country that are proficient in performing heart, kidney, bone marrow, liver, lung, intestinal and pancreas transplants Do not wait to find out about the health of your kidneys! Get tested today!
12 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR The highlight of Dan’s career before coming to NEIEP was designing electronics and firmware for the music industry. He holds two patents with Numark for specific packages in DJ controller systems and worked on electronic keyboards and drums for Alesis and M-Audio. As a musician himself, this was a dream job for Dan, but it was also very intense, with long hours and demanding deadlines. Dan’s current position with NEIEP puts him at the center of many useful training tools for the classroom, and he has exciting projects in the works. He developed the motor simulator used in the AC Motor Starter Lab, which offers a simulated three-phase signal that is compatible with a soft starter to provide a valuable training tool. Dan is also working on a power supply that will replace the instruments portion of the “tunnel lab” used in the Solid State lab curriculum. The new design combines both a power supply and a function generator, is more affordable to produce and maintain, and is designed to be virtually unbreakable and requires no calibration. The power supply is also much more portable, weighing only 3 lbs., compared to the 75 lbs. of the tunnel lab. Dan is currently developing a microprocessor lab that provides hands-on learning with electronic hardware that simulates real-life field applications. The lab is a functional representation of a four-stop elevator and is comprised of two components: the elevator controller and the elevator simulator. The basic features of the elevator controller will include software-updating capability with USB drive, LCD control interface, CAN bus and RS488 serial bus interfaces, discrete logic interface with opto-coupling, Bluetooth communications, encoder input for position sensing, and LED indicators to show the logic level of discrete control lines. The elevator simulator, in its prototype form, is an animated elevator using LEDs to show vertical movement and door movement. The goal of the microprocessor lab is to create faults and have students observe the effects on a serial communication bus, allowing them to troubleshoot it. In his personal life, Dan enjoys spending time with wife Leslie and his three grown children—sons Corey and Tanner and daughter Meghan, and their extended families. He also has an abiding passion for music. He started playing guitar at age 6 and quickly developed a love for the bass guitar. He played in punk rock bands as a teenager and nowadays enjoys all genres of music, from punk to country and everything in between. Dan believes that music is a language and that musicians can communicate with their instruments in a magical way. Today, he plays in two bands and has the privilege of performing with both of his sons who are also musicians. He considers music to be mathematical and relates it to his work in engineering. Dan is not only a bass player but also, along with son Corey, a sound man for his bands. He takes pride in his role as an equipment geek, understanding the equipment and making sure it’s the right fit. Dan is also an avid cyclist who has logged countless miles on a bike with family, friends, and co-workers. He has a special fondness for bike camping and has taken several memorable trips, including an often-repeated, five-day journey from his home in northwestern Rhode Island to Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard. As a consummate tinkerer and DIY enthusiast, he’s currently building a high-tech bike trailer for his camping trips, which is powered by self-built batteries and features a 1000W drive. Dan has taken great care to design the trailer in a way that is safe and functional. The trailer has intelligent speed control while also considering the battery drain and adjusting the wheels accordingly when taking corners. Dan finds the process of designing and building the trailer to be “wicked fun,” and he enjoys the challenge of figuring out all the details involved. We are grateful to have Dan on our development team and are proud of the contributions he continues to make to our projects. He is a true asset to NEIEP and a shining example of the exceptional talent and dedication that drives our success. NEIEP’s Corner continued those of us in today’s construction industry. The public needs to know our industry is not just “dirty work” but rather high-tech work that appeals to those who have a head for technology, project management, and engineering. There is a most certainly a place for women in our trade and the number of female members we initiate grows every year. We have women who serve in elected positions within our local unions and serve on numerous local union committee roles. Our trade is in fact looking for women to join our ranks. We need to let the public know that our local unions are holding recruitment drives for anyone who wants to work hard, learn our challenging trade and be a proud IUEC member, not just those with blood ties to our union. And, we need to let the public know that our trade is not a fall back plan if college doesn’t work out. The education our apprentices receive will put them in a higher paying job faster than most college diplomas will right out of the gate. And, we need to publicize that many of our members do have a college degree, but chose to join the elevator trade for all the benefits and sense of personal accomplishment it offers. There is no better corps of people to promote the IUEC than each and every one of us sitting in the front seat with a great career. Every one of our members should see themselves as part of the IUEC’s PR team. Talk to every young person you know—through schools, clubs, or houses of worship; talk to all of your family members and neighbors; talk to people in other trades or in other jobs who may not be feeling fulfilled in their career; and be a part of growing our union through recruitment. As I said, the iron is hot! Editor’s Corner continued
March 2023 13 our retirees can and should lend their help to lobby lawmakers and make labor’s voice heard. Our local unions would love the help with letter writing campaigns, get-out-the-vote drives, door knocking, etc. Organizing has always been the lifeblood of our union. With more members and more signatory contractors comes more control of the market share, and truthfully, more leverage when it comes to contract negotiations. Our contract negotiations dictate pension contributions so there is no debating that our success in organizing directly impacts our retirees. I hope it’s not just for financial reasons that our retirees stay engaged and concerned about our union. In addition to all of the reasons I mentioned above, I hope our retirees want to continue to see the IUEC thrive and future generations be afforded opportunities to succeed. Being a union member has always been about more than just a paycheck. It’s a way of life, a family. Every member who came before us worked to create a union that would last forever, that would be the legacy they would leave behind. Our retirees should see themselves as an integral part of our union, today, not just for the work they did while working with the tools, but for the support, guidance and contributions they can still make in retirement to help all of us succeed. In Your Best Interest continued equipment for you to BE SAFE? Has the general contractor done the same to ensure a safe work environment on the jobsite? Remember, you must do your part to BE SAFE by using the PPE provided by your employer and notifying the proper authority when safety hazards exist. We have many resources “to improve the Elevator Constructors’ sense of awareness” and hopefully “BE SAFE” can remind us of the “daily hazards present in the workplace.” Please remember the IUEC Safety Stand Down is Friday, April 28, 2023. This coincides with Workers Memorial Day in the United States and the National Day of Mourning in Canada. We ask each local to open their doors and collaborate with our employers to support the Stand Down during the week of April 24th through the 28th. If you have a safety concern, please reach out to me or Director of Safety Brother Mike Langer to discuss the issue. BE SAFE, Brothers and Sisters. Fraternally, Eric W. McClaskey Assistant Director of Safety From the Directors of Safety continued Many believe that the players’ experiences during the pandemic, in addition to the MLBPA’s recent alignment with the national labor movement and the increased publicity for athletes’ working conditions, set the conditions for this historic win. The pandemic forced working conditions to the forefront of minors’ minds as they lost an entire season’s pay. Moreover, roughly 1,000 players lost their jobs as MLB eliminated minor league teams. The MLBPA stepped in to help devastated players, offering $1 million in aid to them. Additionally, the MLBPA affiliated with the AFL-CIO for the first time on September 7, 2022. The move was prompted by MLB’s recent 99-day lockout that stymied contract negotiations. The AFL-CIO pledged to “bring [the federation’s] strength” to the movement to organize minor league baseball. Lastly, growing public concern over the working conditions and pay of athletes generally may have pushed MLB to voluntarily recognize the union instead of forcing an official vote. Publicity about the working conditions of minor leaguers in conjunction with national news stories on other sports has shored up public support for athletes against their leagues. The National Women’s Soccer team hit headlines recently over its class action lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation for equal pay, which resulted in a $24 million settlement equalizing pay structures. The National Women’s Soccer League Players Association also recently affiliated with the AFL-CIO, further pushing athletes and the public alike to associate athletes’ issues as workers’ issues. MLB’s treatment of minor league players has also caught the attention of lawmakers. Senator Sanders introduced legislation in March 2022 targeting baseball’s longstanding antitrust exemption. The exemption is unique to baseball and allows MLB to effectively set prices and pay with little pushback. The bill, called the “Save American Baseball Act,” would permit others to start different major baseball leagues and the sport to spread to areas where it does not currently exist. MLB would have to compete for fans and players’ patronage for the first time since 1922, when the Supreme Court ruled that the Sherman Antitrust Act does not apply to MLB. The bill could have the effect of increasing players’ leverage to bargain for better pay and working conditions. The minors, referred to as the future of every major league team, are looking forward to the protections of unionization on and off the field. ~ O’Donoghue & O’Donoghue LLP ~ From a Legal Standpoint continued
14 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR
March 2023 15 IUEC SCHOLARSHIP FUND The IUEC recognizes the value of education and understands how higher education opens doors to endless opportunities for the children of IUEC members. We also understand that too often the cost of higher education can put many of these opportunities out of reach for so many. Recently, the IUEC took the first steps to help the children of IUEC members who through their hard work in school now have the opportunity to pursue their dreams through a degree in higher learning. The General Executive Board recently established the IUEC Scholarship Fund to encourage and support the pursuit of higher education. The IUEC Scholarship Fund is a trust fund established to promote the pursuit of higher education and to help ease the financial burden of higher education by providing scholarship benefits to dependents of IUEC members in the United States and Canada. The IUEC Scholarship Fund is now accepting applications for scholarships for the 2023/2024 academic year. The deadline for submitting applications is June 20, 2023. The application, which is found in this issue of the Elevator Constructor journal, must be mailed, with all required information, to the following address by June 20, 2023 (postmarked by this date): IUEC Scholarship Fund 7154 Columbia Gateway Drive Columbia, MD 21046-2132 A total of five $5,000 scholarships will be awarded. Four scholarships will be awarded to eligible applicants in the United States (one scholarship awarded in each of four regions: Northeast, South, Midwest and West), and one scholarship will be awarded to an eligible applicant in Canada. Scholarships will be awarded through random lottery on July 14, 2023. To be eligible for an award, you must meet the following eligibility requirements: 1. You must be an unmarried natural or adopted child or grandchild of an active member of the IUEC in good standing. 2. You must plan to pursue or be pursuing posthigh school undergraduate education at an institution of higher education for the Fall 2023 semester. 3. You must have been accepted for admission or be enrolled in a two-year or four-year college or university or acceptable trade school at the time of the award. 4. You must submit a completed Application to the Scholarship Fund Office that complies with the Application Instructions by postmark date June 20, 2023. 5. You must use any scholarship monies you are awarded to defray tuition and expenses for enrollment during the 2023-2024 academic school year. 6. Relatives of any Trustee of the IUEC Scholarship Fund, any member of the IUEC General Executive Board, or a substantial donor to the IUEC Scholarship Fund are not eligible. Scholarships are for one academic year only, paid in two equal installments. Prior to the second installment being paid, scholarships winners will be required to submit copies of their transcript for the prior semester showing at least a 2.5 out of a 4.0 GPA. Of course, all applications will be considered without regard to race, religion, gender, disability or any other legally protected status.
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