Tag: Ohio

NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR SHEET METAL WORKERS AVAILABLE IN NORTHWEST OHIO

GEM Inc. has a long history of working jointly with trade unions to make sure customers receive the quality, safety and return on investment they deserve. It recently added to this history by becoming a signatory contractor to SMART Local Union 33 (Toledo District), also becoming a member of SMACNA in the process.

GEM has supported more than 45 customers in multiple industries since launching its sheet metal group in February 2021. It currently has over 50 sheet metal workers, with room for many more, said Nathan Schroeder, GEM’s piping/mechanical manager.

“There are positions we are looking to fill up. There are a lot of opportunities, from entry level to project management.”
– GEM Inc. Piping/Mechanical Manager Nathan Schroeder

“There are positions we are looking to fill up,” Schroeder said. “There are a lot of opportunities, from entry level to project management.”

All sheet metal fabrication is completed by Local 33 members at GEM’s 12,000-square-foot shop in Walbridge, Ohio, which also supports GEM’s regional offices in the Cleveland, Lima and Detroit markets. At present, sheet metal workers are working on two large projects in northern Ohio, a two million-square-foot solar manufacturing facility and a one million-square-foot canning plant.

GEM’s philosophy is to treat tradespeople with the respect they deserve by supporting their professional development with training, superb facilities and equipment, as well as by creating an environment where their input is encouraged and appreciated.

“GEM has a reputation in this industry as a great contractor to work for,” Schroeder said.

GEM designs, fabricates and installs commercial and industrial heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) sheet metal ductwork. Its fabricators are also experienced at projects that require welding or heavier metals. Duct testing, balancing and cleaning services are available through the GEM service division, providing a seamless, single-source vendor experience. GEM’s investment in all-new shop equipment includes:

Trimble automated software for ductwork fittings and layout

Trimble automated software for ductwork fittings and layout
5’ x 10’ Mestek Lockformer Automated Plasma Table
Complete set of power roll forming equipment including:
– Pittsburgh lock, both male and female, with cleat forme
– TDF ductwork flange former
– 4&1 roll forming
– Power cleat former
Hand brakes and formers including:
– 10-foot 16GA sheet metal hand break
– Cheek benderDrive/bar folder
– 3- and 4-foot hand rollers
Ductwork insulation liner equipment including:
– Liner processing and cutting table
– Industrial glue application equipment
– DuroDyne Pinspotter
Large power equipment:
– 10-foot 14GA Roper Whitney Power Shear including precision back gauge
– Roper Whitney 10-foot 14GA Computerized Auto-Brake including a 10-foot box break and precision back gauge
– 6-foot 10GA Power Roll

GEM’s in-house Virtual Design & Construction (VDC) group uses virtual 3D scanning, CAD and Building Information Modeling (BIM) software. Laser scanning can do everything, from providing data for detailed surveys of existing conditions, to creating and verifying the accuracy of as-built drawings. A 3D laser scanning system streamlines difficult “in-place” measurements by generating a precise and accurate 3D computer image of a structure, piece of equipment or an entire area. Laser scanned images form a point cloud that is imported into CAD software, enabling the shop to create the ductwork with high accuracy.

“These technologies enable us to plan and design the work virtually before it gets to installers on the jobsite,” Schroeder said. “Issues that could arise in the field and cause costly delays are resolved in the design phase, saving the customer time and money.”

Tags GEM Inc, Local 33, Ohio

The SMART Transportation Division already has made public its full support of U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan if he decides to run for the U.S. Senate for his home state of Ohio in 2022.
He’s already proven himself to us by showing up to support Amtrak workers during demonstrations against furloughs last autumn. But he did it again just days ago on the House floor, rebuking politicians who would rather talk about children’s book publishers who choose to stop publishing their own books rather than doing their duty to have a serious discussion about the PRO Act and fighting for hard-working Americans.
Through 10 terms as a representative of Ohio’s 17th and 13th Districts representing the working cities of Akron and Youngstown and as a former presidential candidate, he’s had plenty to say about helping American workers. March 9’s speech was no different.
“If there’s one thing you can always count on from me, it’s giving a damn about America’s working families,” Ryan tweeted out with a link accompanying the video below.
We appreciate his passion. We applaud Rep. Ryan’s focus, drive and fire when it comes to the working class. We thank him, and, once again, we support him.

Tags Ohio, political endorsements, Tim Ryan, U.S. Senate

State Legislative Director Stu Gardner said that a hearing for opponents of H.B. 186 to appear before the Ohio House Transportation and Public Safety Committee has been scheduled.
Opponents are scheduled to give testimony at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22 in Ohio Statehouse Room 114 in Columbus.
The opponent hearing before the committee was delayed at carriers’ request so that the carriers could bring in representatives from Washington, D.C., to testify and try to stop the bill’s passage, Gardner reports.
“We need a group of our supporters to attend this hearing in order to show the committee members we believe in all phases of HB 186,” Gardner said. “Let’s fill that hearing room with our activism and presence.”
H.B. 186 covers the following safety issues:

Two-person freight train crews
Proper walkways in railroad yard safety legislation
Railroad yard lighting safety legislation
Blocked crossings

Members representing SMART Transportation Division as well as representatives from the BLET provided more than two hours of proponent testimony last month to show state House Transportation and Public Safety committee members why the railroad safety legislation is deserving of their support.
Gardner suggests that Ohio members either call the offices or set up in-person meetings with members of the committee who are listed below.
Chairman:
Doug Green HD 66 (Mount Orab)
Phone: (614) 644-6034
Home Address: 708 S. High St., Mt. Orab, OH 45154
Vice Chairman:
Riordan T. McClain HD 87 (Upper Sandusky)
Phone: (614) 644-6265
Home Address: 469 N. 5th St., Upper Sandusky, OH 43351
Ranking Member:
Michael Sheehy HD 46 (Oregon)
Phone: (614) 466-1418
Home Address: 1129 Schmidlin Rd., Oregon, OH 43616
Juanita Brent HD 12 (Cleveland)
Phone: (614) 466-1408
Home Address: 16804 Glendale Ave., Cleveland, OH 44128
James M. Hoops HD 81 (Napoleon)
Phone: (614) 466-3760
Home Address: 195 Old Creek Dr., Napoleon, OH 43545
Stephanie Howse HD 11 (Cleveland)
Phone: (614) 466-1414
Home Address: 1220 Spring Rd., Cleveland, OH 44109
Don Jones HD 95 (Freeport)
Phone: (614) 644-8728
Home Address: 34755 Jones Rd., Freeport, OH 43973
Jeff LaRe HD 77 (Violet Twp.)
Phone: (614) 466-8100
Michele Lepore-Hagan HD 58 (Youngstown)
Phone: (614) 466-9435
Home Address: 562 Madera Ave., Youngstown, OH 44504
Susan Manchester HD 84 (Lakeview)
Phone: (614) 466-6344
(419) 303-2670
Home Address: 29249 St. Rt. 385, Lakeview, OH 43331
Gayle Manning HD 55 (North Ridgeville)
Phone: (614) 644-5076
Home Address: 9436 Foxboro Dr., North Ridgeville, OH 44039
Jessica Miranda, HD 28 (Forest Park)
Phone: (614) 466-8120
(513) 266-3937
Home Address: 11511 Oxfordshire Ln., Cincinnati, OH 45240
Michael J. O’Brien HD 64 (Warren)
Phone: (614) 466-5358
(330) 727-1097
Home Address: 1849 Edgewood St. NE, Warren, OH 44483
Thomas Patton HD 7 (Strongsville)
Phone: (614) 466-4895
Home Address: 17157 Rabbit Run Dr., Strongsville, OH 44136
Reggie Stoltzfus HD 50 (Minerva)
Phone: (614) 466-9078
(330) 936-6001
Home Address: 13789 Telpahak St SE, Minerva, OH 44657
The bill is sponsored by Ohio Reps. Mike Sheehy, a retired rail worker and member of the SMART TD Alumni Association, and Brent Hillyer.

See these related stories from SMART TD:

Ohio SLD, members testify before statehouse for rail safety legislation (pub. 09/12/19)
Ohio rail safety bill scheduled for hearing; testimony needed (pub. 09/04/19)
Ohio SLB gives update on rail safety (pub. 07/08/19)
Call to action: Ohio House committee to hold first hearing on rail safety bill (pub. 06/17/19)
Two-person crew legislation referred to Ohio House committee (pub. 04/08/19, updated 04/11/19)

Tags blocked crossings, H.B. 186, Ohio, Ohio State Legislative Director Stu Gardner, Ohio two-person crew bill, yard lighting, yard safety

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The first step in the process to mandate a minimum of two-person freight train crews in Ohio (H.B. 107) occurred Wednesday, March 29, when the Ohio Transportation & Safety Committee held its first hearing on the bill.
To make H.B. 107 a law in Ohio, we need TD union members, friends, family and anyone who cares about the safety of workers and the safety of our communities to click the link below to send a message to the members of the Ohio Transportation & Safety Committee, urging them to support this vital safety measure.
TAKE ACTION! Take a minute and click here to send a message in support of Ohio H.B. 107. Please share with friends and family to do the same!
TAKE ACTION IN YOUR STATE! Email us news of two-person crew or right-to-work (IS WRONG) legislation in your state to News_TD@smart-union.org.
TAKE ACTION to support H.R. 233, The Safe Freight Act, which would require a minimum of two-person crews on all freight trains operating in the United States. Click here to send a message to your U.S. House and Senate reps. in support of H.R. 233.
TAKE ACTION by calling members of the Ohio Transportation & Safety Committee (phone numbers listed below). Ask your Representatives to support H.B. 107 and thank the sponsors and co-sponsors for their support.
Ohio House Transportation & Safety Committee members (in order by district):

*Tom Patton (R – Dist. 7): 614-466-4895
*Stephanie Howse (D – Dist. 11): 614-466-1414
VC Dave Greenspan (R – Dist. 16): 614-466-0961
*Jim Hughes (R – Dist. 24): 614-466-8012
Alicia Reece (D – Dist. 33): 614-466-1308
Tony DeVitis (R – Dist. 36): 614-466-1790
*Mike Sheehy (D – Dist. 46): 614-466-1418
*Thomas West (D – Dist. 49): 614-466-8030
Candice Keller (R – Dist. 53): 614-644-5094
Nathan Manning (R – Dist. 55): 614-644-5076
*Michele LaPore-Hagan (D – Dist. 58): 614-466-9435
Chairman Doug Green (R – Dist. 66): 614-644-6034
Darrell Kick (R – Dist. 70): 614-466-2994
Larry Householder (R – Dist. 72): 614-466-2500
Terry Johnson (R – Dist. 90): 614-466-2124

*Denotes Sponsor or Co-sponsor of H.B. 107

Tags H.B. 107, HR 233, Ohio, Ohio Legislative Action Center, SMART TD Legislative Action Center, state 2 person crew legislation, two person crew, two person crew laws

SMART TD Ohio State Legislative Director Stu Gardner is calling members to action in response to the introduction of Senate Bill 229 (SB 229), the two-person crew bill introduced in the Ohio senate Oct. 14. The bill has been referred by the senate to the Public Utilities Committee.

“The call to action is this: I am requesting that every member in Ohio contact the Senators of the Public Utilities Committee and urge them to support SB 229,” Gardner said. “Email and call your state senator and tell them you want them to support SB 229 for the safety of our members and the general public that reside near the railroad tracks.

“Your message should be short and concise and to the point. We want them to understand that this is an important safety issue to you, your family and the public.

“I want you to understand that this is the first step. We want SB 229 to pass through this committee with a majority of votes. If SB 229 doesn’t get the majority of the votes in committee, it will die then and there.”

Click here to find your district.

Click here to find your Ohio senators and representatives.

Click here for a sample email that you can send to your senator.

Click on these links for documents to attach to your email:

Below are the members of the Public Utilities Committee and their contact information.

Senator	Phone #	Email Address	Alt. Email Address
Cliff Hite (R – Dist. 1)	614-466-8150	hite@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_01@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Ruby Marcum	ruby.marcum@ohiosenate.gov
Kevin Bacon (R – Dist. 3)	614-466-8064	sd03@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_03@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Caryl Philips	caryl.philips@ohiosenate.gov
Bill Seitz (R – Dist. 8)	614-466-8068	sd08@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_08@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Amanda Connell	amanda.connell@ohiosenate.gov
Joseph Uecker (R – Dist. 14)	614-466-8082	uecker@ohiosenate.com	Senate_District_14@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Lindsay Riley	lindsay.riley@ohiosenate.gov
Bob Peterson (R – Dist. 17)	614-466-8156	peterson@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_17@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Lucas Houghton	lucas.houghton@ohiosenate.gov
John Eklund (R – Dist. 18)	614-644-7718	Eklund@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_18@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Elizabeth Lust	elizabeth.lust@ohiosenate.gov
Troy Balderson (R – Dist. 20)	614-446-8076	balderson@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_20@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Sarah Huffman	sarah.huffman@ohiosenate.gov
Sandra Williams (D – Dist. 21)	614-466-4857	williams@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_21@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Brook Felts	brook.felts@ohiosenate.gov
Tom Patton (R – Dist. 24)	614-466-8056	patton@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District24@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Charles Trefny	ctrefny@ohiosenate.gov
Tom Sawyer (D – Dist. 28)	614-466-7041	tomsawyer@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_28@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Cindy Peters	cindy.peters@ohiosenate.gov
Lou Gentile (D – Dist. 30)	614-466-6508	sd30@ohiosenate.gov	Senate_District_30@ohiosenate.gov
	Staff:	Maria Haberman	steven.blalock@ohiosenate.gov

Tags Ohio, Stu Gardner, two-person crews, two-person rail crews, two-person train crew bill

no_rtw COLUMBUS, Ohio – A Cincinnati, Ohio lawmaker introduced his plan to bring a right-to-work law to Ohio despite opposition from fellow Republicans.

The proposal from Rep. Tom Brinkman (R-Mount Lookout) would prohibit mandatory union membership at workplaces. The change would give employees the choice to opt out of unions and their dues. Twenty-five states have right-to-work laws, including recently passed proposals in Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana.

Read more from Cleveland.com.

Tags Ohio, right-to-work

gavel Judge Peter Economus of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio ruled Wednesday, June 11 in favor of a motion for summary judgment to permanently maintain the final three days of early voting.

“In-person early voting is restored on the three days immediately preceding all future election days for all eligible voters. Secretary of State Jon Husted shall be responsible for setting business hours for such voting to preserve the right of all Ohio voters to cast his or her vote with said hours to be uniform throughout the state and suitable to the needs of the particular election in question,” Economus said in the decision.

Earlier this year, Husted issued a directive setting uniform statewide early voting hours for the 2014 election that didn’t include any Sundays or the Monday before Election Day.

The court’s action follows a previous decision that restored early voting hours leading up to the 2012 election.

Secretary Husted said he would comply with the court’s ruling and hailed it as a vindication of his effort to impose uniform voting procedures statewide.

“I am pleased that the federal court has affirmed what I have long advocated – that all voters, no matter where they live, should have the same opportunity to vote. Thankfully, uniformity and equality won the day,” Husted said.

Secretary Husted had urged the legislature to pass a law setting uniform early voting hours statewide but got little interest from his Republican colleagues.

“This ruling shows how important these last three days are to ensure equal access to the ballot, and the hours set by Secretary Husted should reflect that,” Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern said in a statement.

Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz said 96,000 Ohioans cast their ballots during the final three days of early voting in the 2012 presidential election.

“This November and beyond, thousands more will be able to join them,” Schultz said.

The court case stems from a series of legislative actions last session when Republicans passed a far-ranging elections measure that reduced the early in-person voting period.

Tags early voting, Ohio, voting

05/02/13 UPDATE: Ohio right-to-work bills were considered “dead-on-arrival” as Senate Republic President Keith Faber rejected the bills last night in an after-hours press conference.
“We have an ambitious agenda focused on job creation and economic recovery, and Right to Work legislation is not on that list. After discussions with other leaders and my caucus, I don’t believe there is current support for this issue in the General Assembly,” Faber said. “The only purpose this discussion serves right now is to generate a bunch of breathless fundraising appeals from the Ohio Democratic Party.”

Original Story:
Ohio has joined Pa. and Mo. in the fight against right-to-work bills. Today, two Republican Ohio Representatives Kristina Roegner and Ron Maag submitted bills seeking to take away rights from unions and their members in Ohio.
Roegner’s bill goes after private-sector unions such as UTU-SMART while Maag’s bill focuses on unions of the public sector.
Ohioans are clearly against this type of legislation with 60 percent of Ohio voters having voted down similar legislation in Senate Bill 5 (SB 5) that was introduced in 2011. SB 5 almost cost Ohio Republican Governor John Kasich his job when he sought to make SB 5 law without allowing Ohioans to vote on it. Petitions and outcries were heard loud and clear in Ohio’s government and SB 5 went to the people to be voted on in November 2011 and was voted down.
Ohioans are still working on getting an amendment passed that would allow the people of Ohio to vote to remove a governor from office as a result of the SB 5 fiasco.
Kasich has refused to support any right-to-work bill since SB 5 failed and has instead remained focused on other legislation. Kasich has yet to weigh in on the new legislation that was introduced today.
Pennsylvania and Missouri are also facing similar bills in their respective Houses. Recently, the state of Maine rejected right-to-work bills in both the state House and Senate, effectively killing those bills.

Tags anti-union, anti-union legislation, John Kasich, Keith Faber, Ohio, right-to-work, SB 5, Senate Bill 5, unions

Voters in Ohio overwhelmingly restored to public employees Nov. 8 their collective bargaining rights that a conservative majority in the state legislature – with support from Gov. John Kasich — chose to revoke earlier this year.

The mean-spirited legislative attack on collective bargaining rights was so repugnant to Ohio citizens that 1.3 million affixed their signature on petitions to place the law on the November general election ballot – a rare and not lightly taken action of direct democracy.

By nearly a two-to-one margin, Ohio voters overturned the law, sending it to the dust bin of political history, along with a strong message to conservative lawmakers that they best not again seek to trash workers’ rights to collectively bargain for wages, benefits and working conditions.

The New York Times called the landslide vote “a slap to Ohio’s governor, John Kasich, a prominent Republican who had championed the law.” Vice President Joe Biden said, “Fundamental fairness has prevailed.”

The UTU Collective Bargaining Defense Fund played a meaningful role in overturning the law, with active and retired UTU members in Ohio helping to organize public demonstrations, circulating petitions to place the law on the November ballot, and assisting in voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives that involved knocking on doors and providing rides to the polls.

The phrase repeated to Ohio voters a million times over by UTU volunteers was, “Don’t let others decide your future.”

UTU Ohio State Legislative Director Glenn Newsom spent months visiting locals and directing mail and phone messages to active and retired UTU members about the importance of voting and encouraging others to vote for repeal of the law.

This was the second victory for the UTU Collective Bargaining Defense Fund. In July, two anti-labor senators, who had voted in favor of a law similar to the one in Ohio, were removed from office in Wisconsin following a recall effort with strong UTU participation. Democrats and union leaders there now hope to channel momentum from the Ohio victory into an effort to recall Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker.

Tags collective bargaining, collective bargaining defense fund, John Kasich, Ohio