The American Dream – Brought to You by Opportunity & Preparation

ElevatorInfo was recently in Chicago and had the great pleasure of interviewing International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) General President Frank J. Christensen and his dear friend Chris Gardner, whose rags-to-riches story was shared with the world in the hit movie The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith.

Frank and Chris are leaders working together to change the world. Specifically, their organizations – the International Union of Elevator Constructors and the Christopher P. Gardner Foundation – are uplifting children and young adults across the United States, helping them achieve their goals by offering significant guidance and mentorship, meaningful opportunities, and fundamental tools. They are transforming lives by literally setting young people’s careers in motion.

Keeping The American Dream Alive

With Labor Day upon us, ElevatorInfo engaged in a dynamic conversation with Frank and Chris about the American Dream – and what keeps it alive today.

The American Dream – something that Frank and Chris agree is an idea that every generation can take a little bit further and a little bit higher – is still possible thanks, in part, to the great careers found in the unionized building and construction industry.

Making it a reality

The Building Trades Unions, the International Union of Elevator Constructors, and The Christopher P. Gardner Foundation connect today’s youth with earn-as-you-learn apprenticeship training that leads to exciting careers – careers that offer family-sustaining wages, excellent health benefits, and retirement security.

“To get where you want to be in life – it takes hard work. It’s not luck,” said IUEC General President Frank Christensen. “Our role is to help guide young people. That’s our shared goal – the union and Chris’s foundation – we want to help men and women achieve their goals in life by giving them a hand up, by giving them guidance. Chris and I are doing everything we can to make their dreams a reality.”

With a smile, Chris Gardner added, “Luck is the dust created when opportunity and preparation collide.”

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Weston’s Law Brings Elevator Safety Standard to Tourism Industry

IUEC

North Carolina short-term rental property owners have a little over two months to implement improved safety standards for residential elevators included in legislation signed by Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday.

Cooper signed House Bill 619, sponsored by Rep. Timothy Moffitt, R-Henderson, to require owners of vacation cottages or similar short-term rentals to implement measures to improve the safety of residential elevators. The law was inspired by a child’s death at a beach home in Corolla last year.

“This law requires much-needed safety measures for elevators in short-term rentals, and while this action sadly can’t reverse the tragedy that killed Weston Androw, it does mean better protection to prevent future injuries and deaths,” Cooper said.

Weston’s Law is named after 7-year-old Weston Androw, who died in July 2021 after he was trapped between an elevator car and elevator shaft while visiting the Outer Banks with his family from Ohio. EMS workers quickly freed the child but were unable to resuscitate him.

The bill gives owners and landlords operating short-term rentals with residential elevators until Oct. 1 to reduce the gap between the landing and elevator car doors to no more than 4 inches, by installing a space guard on the landing floor, The Associated Press reports.

The bill also mandates minimum force requirements for elevator car doors and gates, which must be documented with the N.C. Department of Insurance.

Weston’s parents, Timeka and David Androw, advocated for the changes.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a warning to vacation rental platforms, AirBnB, Vrbo, Trip Advisor and others to require owners to disable home elevators following Weston’s death.

CPSC Acting Chairman Robert Alder urged the companies in a letter to disable the elevators, describing how children “some as young as two, and as old as 12, have been crushed to death” by getting trapped in the gap between inner and outer doors of residential elevators. While several deaths have occurred, “others have suffered devastating and lifelong injuries,” according to the CPSC.

Alder called on the companies to immediately notify all renters of the potential hazard and to disable elevators with the dangerous gap until the issue is addressed.

In January, the CPSC announced three leading elevator manufacturers – Bella Elevator, Inclinator Company of America, and Savaria Corporation – agreed to voluntarily recall about 69,000 residential elevators due to the issue.

The recalls involved numerous models manufactured between 1979 and 2021.

“Industry and the CPSC still have work to do. We have not yet been able to reach agreements with all of the elevator companies to fix their residential elevators that pose the same potentially fatal entrapment hazard and in one case sued a company to force a fix,” CPSC Chairman Axexander Hoehn-Saric said in January. “As long as this hazard persists, I am committed to continuing this work and preventing future entrapment injuries and deaths.”

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Funds From Chicago Elevator Constructors’ Annual Golf Outing Help Experts Fight Diabetes

ElevatorInfo just had an opportunity to travel to Chicago to check out the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 2 Annual Golf Outing. Hundreds of golfers from the Chicago area and across the country look forward to the outing each year, as the event is a perfect time to connect with old friends and contribute to finding a cure for diabetes.

Tom Karlya (Senior Vice President, Philanthropy and Union Liaison, Diabetes Research Institute Foundation) took time to speak with ElevatorInfo at this year’s outing. Karlya – also known as “Diabetes Dad” – had nothing but great things to say about his friends in the elevator industry and across the building trades unions.

“One of our biggest fundraisers is IUEC Local 2’s golf outing,” said Tom Karlya. “We are so grateful for the support of our brothers and sisters in the elevator trade. Any real, major research step forward in the diabetes world – a lot of it started at the Diabetes Research Institute. Local 2’s support is amazing – they’ve been with us every step of the way. Their money helps fund critical research, and eventually this research goes to bigger and bigger things.”

IUEC Local 2 has been actively supporting the Diabetes Research Institute for more than two decades.

“We have more than 460 golfers here. For an event of this scale, it takes a lot of good people to put it together. The golfers, the donors, the union members – each person plays an invaluable role,” said John Valone, National Coordinator with the Elevator Industry Work Preservation Fund and a former IUEC Local 2 Business Manager. “We’re not done until diabetes is cured.”

The energy throughout the outing is nothing short of contagious. Each golfer, event organizer, and supporter is focused on finding a way to beat diabetes (and having fun while doing so!). This year alone, the golf outing raised more than $70,000. In total, the Local 2 golf outing has generated more than $700,000 for the Diabetes Research Institute Foundation.

“It’s love. We’re supposed to do this in life – we’re supposed to take care of other people. It’s the right thing to do,” said IUEC General President Frank J. Christensen.

The Diabetes Research Institute houses teams of scientists, engineers, and clinicians with the expertise required to tackle diabetes from many angles. If you or your organization may be interested in getting involved with the fight for a cure for diabetes, please contact us here: www.iuec2.com

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As a Union Elevator Constructor, I Feel Safe

ElevatorInfo recently had a chance to sit down with Ovi Georgescu, an elevator constructor with TKE who currently maintains 170 elevators on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA). During our conversation, he spoke to the importance of education and training, especially in a highly complex trade like the elevator industry. He also explained that not having the “right training” and the “right skills” is incredibly dangerous.

“In the elevator industry, you have to know what you’re doing – and that means workers must receive the proper training,” said Georgescu, now a member of the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 21 in Dallas-Fort Worth, who has worked for a non-union company before and speaks to the tremendous difference in education and safety.

Georgescu goes on to argue that his apprenticeship – a 4-year apprenticeship with the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) – is what set him up for success. The training, he believes, is what keeps him safe every day.

As the resident mechanic at UTA, Georgescu explains that he loves his job for many reasons – and that between toolbox talks and safety meetings, he is always encouraged to make safety his top priority.

“Working for TKE and being a member of IUEC Local 21, I feel safe at work,” added Georgescu. “I’m constantly thinking about my own safety, as well as the safety of my colleagues and the riding public.”

If you have a story you would like to feature with us, contact us!

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Building Pathways & IUEC – Together Providing Career Paths

Building Pathways is a non-profit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Their mission seeks to increase the number of diverse workers in the building trades workforce. Building Pathways works with International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Local 4 Boston to help the recruitment, retention and advancement of under-represented groups in the building trades.

“Building Pathways offers equal education and equal pay to females and minorities” says, Pat Sampson, business representative and Financial Secretary for IUEC Local 4 (Boston).

ElevatorInfo recently sat down with Desalia Gomes, a first-year apprentice at IUEC Local 4 (Boston) who got her start through a pre-apprenticeship program with Building Pathways. In this video (part of her graduation speech was “Hey Local 4, I’m coming for you”), she shares her story of how the program provided an access point for her starting her dream job in the elevator industry. “It’s one of those things where you put it out into the universe and see it transpire, it’s like I did that. It makes me really proud to have something I was aiming for and to reach that goal”.

Part of what drew Desalia to the elevator trade where she began in April of 2021, like so many, is the wide range of knowledge and skills that elevator mechanics need to know. “Within the elevator trade you can be an electrician, you’re going to learn to put in floors, you’re going to learn carpentry, you’re going to learn how to weld, you’re going to be working ducts and machine rooms” says Desalia.

Also, the appeal of job growth and new opportunities inside of the Elevator Trade seem to equally excite Gomes, “I want to make sure I’m not stuck in one place, I want to make sure I have avenues for growth and there is no ceiling above my head”.

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Why Hire IUEC Elevator Mechanics For Installations, Modernizations, and Maintenance?

Benefits of Hiring IUEC Elevator Mechanics For Installations, Modernizations, and Maintenance

Whether you are interested in a new elevator installation, modernization or routine maintenance, you’ll want the elevator mechanics responsible for the job to be the best trained, knowledgeable, safe, and professional. The International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) can provide you with the help you seek. When you choose to work with an IUEC-affiliated elevator company that hires IUEC elevator mechanics, you can rest assured that you will benefit from the best service available in the industry for any elevator installation and maintenance project you might have. 

Available in every city across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico, IUEC-affiliated elevator companies are sure to provide you with qualified elevator mechanics that will meet and exceed any of your demands, regardless of their complexity or size. But why are IUEC mechanics better than all other elevator technicians?

Highest Quality Standards Maintained

Work done on your elevator, escalator, or other people-moving equipment always needs to be done with the utmost care. That means hiring qualified professionals who understand their trade and its demands and maintain the highest quality standards throughout their work.

Safety is a priority. Less liable to any work-related injuries, unionized elevator mechanics are certified in areas such as OSHA 10, OSHA 30, welding, scaffolding, signaling and rigging, forklifts, CPR, and first-aid, to name just a few. As a building owner, this ensures that you work with professionals who have their safety priorities in check and certified.

IUEC Unionized Mechanics Get Constant Superior Training

IUEC mechanics have completed a four-year college-level (and college-accredited) apprenticeship training program. This means they benefit from 576 hours of classroom instruction at over 100 sites across the country and a minimum of 8,000 hours of on-the-job learning under the guidance and supervision of National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP) or Canadian Elevator Industry Educational Program (CEIEP) certified elevator mechanics. 

During their training, the soon-to-be IUEC elevator mechanics benefit from constant interactions with IUEC Mechanics and NEIEP/CEIEP qualified instructors. Unlike other industries, where most of the training programs are bland and purely theoretical, here, students gain practical knowledge through On the Job Learning (OJL) along with hands-on labs and high-tech virtual simulators at their disposal throughout their training program. This ensures that both the theoretical and practical knowledge are embedded in their training experience and that they are fully confident in applying their skills when out in the field.  

Specialty Work and Professionalism

Elevator mechanics must be proficient in a multitude of skills to provide quality elevator services. Whether it may be an elevator installation, modernization, or maintenance, all tasks demand the elevator mechanic have a unique combination of skills. 

IUEC elevator mechanics are skilled in relay logic, solid state, electrical, mechanical, piping, welding work, and everything in between. There is nothing that they cannot do at the utmost standards of work.

Ongoing Maintenance and Service

From the construction of elevators or escalators to maintenance, repair, and modernization service, IUEC elevator mechanics continue to evolve and improve with continuing education. While the equipment is ever-changing, the IUEC mechanics hone their skillset to keep pace with technology.

Learning never stops for the IUEC elevator mechanic – it’s not just a job. It’s a career that spans over a lifetime and generations. The IUEC elevator industry continues its efforts to create an excellent workplace for veterans with opportunities to find fulfilling careers with family-sustaining wages.

Professionals Able to Always Meet Your Demand

Working with an elevator company that employs IUEC member elevator mechanics ensures that you are provided with professionals who always meet your demand, no matter the job complexity. What sets IUEC elevator mechanics apart is their skill, continual training, and level of expertise in multiple areas and their lifetime commitment to their trade.

You can rely on an IUEC-affiliated company for a safe and efficient service. The IUEC elevator mechanic’s skill set covers all aspects of the elevator industry.

If you are currently on the lookout for an elevator repair, elevator installation, elevator modernization, elevator maintenance, or specific service-related task, choosing to work with a company that employs IUEC elevator mechanics is the best choice you can make. It ensures that you work only with the best, most capable professionals in the elevator industry.

Get in touch now with ElevatorInfo to find out more about the IUEC-affiliated elevator companies available in your region and hire the qualified personnel you need.

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You Can’t Do This Job and Be Distracted: An Interview with Elevator Constructor Wayne Mason

“You can’t do this job and be distracted,” says Wayne Mason, an International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) Elevator Constructor from the Dallas-Fort Worth area who suffered a three-story fall early in his elevator career.

ElevatorInfo had the opportunity to sit down with Wayne as the Local 21 retiree spoke about the memorable day when he and his wife signed for their first home. What began as a very happy day became a horrific one when the elevator constructor got distracted and fell three stories into an elevator pit.

“When you’re dealing with the machinery, the heights, the heavy equipment, and you’re distracted and not fully focused on the job, that’s when bad things happen. In this business, there’s no room for distractions because your life depends on it,” he said.

Wayne emphasized that no worker should ever discount safety – if a person is distracted at their job, that individual is not doing the job correctly. When working in the elevator industry, a seemingly minor distraction can lead to a life-or-death situation.

“We want everyone who works in this business to be safe. This is a message to everybody that wants to get into this business: there’s no room for distractions; we want you to be focused on the job because your life depends on it.”

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North Carolina elevator safety upgrade in rentals homes advancing

elevator button

The Associated Press recently reported on the advancement of legislation in the state Senate that is paramount to an invaluable principle that is at the core of work conducted in the elevator industry safety standards. The bill dictates that all elevators in cottages and/or related short-term housing rentals will be required to have space guards that close the gap between the elevator car and the elevator landing doors.

Check out the proposed NC House Bill here.

Several months ago, ElevatorInfo covered IUEC General President Frank Christensen releasing a statement praising a recall on home elevators due to this same issue, as well as commending U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and other advocacy groups for their efforts on improving safety on home elevators.

The full space guard article from the Associated Press can be viewed at https://bit.ly/3KBakft.

 

 

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Quality Elevator Goes ‘Above and Beyond’ for its Customers and Employees

Quality Elevator is a proud signatory company. Jim Snider (VP, Quality Elevator) recently sat down with ElevatorInfo to talk about his company’s journey and what makes his workforce one of the best in the industry.

Jim came from the field and understands what it takes to become a talented elevator technician. During the interview, Jim underscores the importance of “going above and beyond” – explaining that a robust investment in worker training is one of the smartest investments a company can make for workers and clients alike.

He went on to explain how the union provides the skilled, safe, talented workforce that makes Quality Elevator the trusted, successful company it is today. Each of Quality Elevator’s workers has successfully gone through the National Elevator Industry Educational Program (NEIEP), and Jim explains that this background is part of what allows Quality Elevator to do a project and come out the other side without doing a change order.

Finishing a job at the same price at which the company came in is a great source of pride for Jim, and he articulates that this simply wouldn’t be possible without strategic investments in worker training. That said, Jim believes in NEIEP’s mission, as he’s witnessed firsthand how improving the knowledge and skills of elevator technicians not only benefits individual workers – but also benefits employers and the entire industry.

*If you interested in having your elevator company featured on ElevatorInfo, please contact us.

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Elevator Union Members Continue to Provide Lifts for Disabled Veterans

a lift for a vet

A Lift for a Vet, a nonprofit program originating in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, has taken off across the country. A collaborative effort between the International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) and IUEC Local 5 in Philadelphia, A Lift for a Vet has helped hundreds of veterans nationwide to date.

The program’s model is a fairly straightforward one, as the union and its members purchase forms of vertical transportation – from elevators and home lifts to stair lifts and wheelchair lifts – and install them in the residences of disabled veterans. What’s more, there is never a cost to the veterans. IUEC local unions help to generate funding for the program, as signatory companies – including, in recent months, Quality Elevator, Elevator Control Services (ELCON), and Schindler Elevator Company – donate equipment to the cause. Then, elevator union (IUEC) members donate their time, skills, and knowledge to ensure each installation is a success.

A disabled Air Force veteran hurt during his last year of service, Mike Walsh joined fellow IUEC Local 5-member Ed Loomis to launch A Lift for a Vet. Their vast experience in the elevator industry helped to provide a comprehensive understanding of what it would take for the program to provide meaningful assistance to our nation’s veterans.

“Our mission has always been to help disabled veterans any way we can,” said Walsh. “This is very personal. I know the name of nearly every veteran we’ve helped. This program has changed my life – it’s impacted the lives of every union member who has volunteered his or her time to help these heroes stay in their homes. At the end of the day, we’re helping these veterans maintain a sense of independence. Providing these lifts is our members’ way of giving back – it’s our way of expressing our appreciation for all these men and women have done for our nation.”

A Lift for a Vet allows elevator constructors to volunteer both their time and unique skillset to ensuring veterans have access to the vertical transportation systems best suited to their needs. The nonprofit relies solely on donations, including funds from an annual Local 5 golf outing, to fund its efforts. Furthermore, there are no operating costs – meaning every dollar donated goes directly to helping disabled veterans.

“Every veteran has a story. Helping these veterans is what motivates us to keep going forward with A Lift for a Vet. We never want to have to say ‘no,’” said Walsh. “In fact, we want the entire country to know about us. We want veterans from all eras to know that our program is here to help any way we can.”

The purchase, installation, and maintenance of any system supplied via A Lift for a Vet is free of charge to the veterans. All donations to A Lift for a Vet are tax deductible.

“Your generosity – no matter the amount – will help A Lift for a Vet’s goal of providing the best lives possible for disabled veterans,” said Walsh. “Former members of the Armed Forces of the United States deserve our utmost respect and eternal gratitude, but perhaps even more importantly, fulfilling the physical needs of these men and women must be our priority – that’s critical.”

Learn more about donating here: http://iuec5.org/lift_for_a_vet.aspx

Check out other stories about the work done by A Lift for a Vet on our blog, including recent projects in MA and DE.

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