22 The ELEVATOR CONSTRUCTOR Local Roundup LOCAL 1 • New York, New York Greetings from where it all began. Brothers and Sisters, it is no secret that we are in the midst of difficult times. We are facing issues that I don’t think any of us would have predicted a few years prior— material shortages, long lead times, the decline of the commercial real estate market, and the economy reeling with a possible recession on the horizon. As Joe Brusuelas, chief economist for RSM, stated, “The era of easy money and low inflation is over.” What can we do to navigate this? One thing is prepare. We don’t yet know how long these circumstances will last. The downturn in the economy could just be part of the cyclical pattern that has been exhibited throughout the history of the United States or it very well could be the start of another recession. Make sure you are saving money where you can. Hold off on luxuries that you don’t need and build up your personal emergency response fund. This would also be of benefit if material shortages continue to be a problem. Jobs with no material can’t break ground and, as such, we aren’t needed on site. This can and has led to brothers and sisters being put on the bench. Most financial experts state that you should try to save up enough money to cover your living expenses for a period of three to six months. What can we do as an organization? We all wake up every day fortunate to belong to this great union. We then go out in the field and represent not only the IUEC but also the signatory companies that employ us. Most importantly we go out and interact with our customers, who are the ones responsible for putting food on our tables. So whether that’s a single car, a two-stop hydro on a service route, a twenty-car mod in a high-rise building, or a four-car new installation project, we need to treat them all as if they are the most important customer in the world. The single greatest thing we can do is remind our customers why they chose an IUEC signatory company. There is no denying that customers pay a premium for our services and, for our part, we need to show them why. We need to earn that premium. We have always been the best at what we do and we need to maintain that every day. There are many ways to do this. First and foremost, take pride in your work. Every article I have written since I took on the position of correspondent has had the same closing line: “Work safely and take pride in all you do.” There is a reason I say this. Working safely ensures that you continue to live your life in the way you have become accustomed to, free from a life-altering or life-ending accident. Pride is so you can walk away knowing that you did your best. When you walk off a job and leave that unit in the hands of the customer you aren’t just representing yourself. You are representing every single one of your brothers and sisters across the entirety of the IUEC. I hope you can understand the weight that carries. Retired Business Agent Brother Gary Riefenhauser received his Honorary Retired Gold Card at the January union meeting. Hope retirement is treating you well, Brother! President/Business Manager Lenny Legotte is pictured with Gary LaBarbera, president of the New York State Building and Construction Trades Council, at the 2022 NYC Labor Day Parade. International Organizer Brother Freddie McCourt is pictured with the first brother he ever organized into the union, John Moteyunas, on the night that John received his 25-year pin. Congratulations on your anniversary!
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