Elevator Industry Associations & Acronyms

The trade association for the major manufacturers (Otis, Schindler, KONE, TK Elevator, Fujitec, Mitsubishi). Drives codes, standards, safety and government advocacy. The voice of the “big six.”

Founded 1950. Serves independent contractors & suppliers. Runs the big annual convention and the CET & CAT training/certification programs. Largest VT organization in North America.

The Canadian counterpart since 1972. Non-profit of contractors & suppliers across Eastern, Central, Prairie & Western regions. Works on CSA code, harmonization, labour & apprenticeship.

Canadian association (Mississauga, ON) representing the major manufacturers in Canada, the Canadian equivalent of NEII on codes, standards and safety. It also does double duty as Canada's labour side: provincial labour law designates NEEA as the employer bargaining agent for its four members (Otis, KONE, Schindler, TK Elevator) in their IUEC negotiations — a smaller, differently-structured counterpart to the U.S.'s NEBA. See the OEM Family Tree's union section for the full picture.

The union — mechanics, helpers and apprentices who install, maintain and service the equipment. Represents 27,000+ members across the U.S. and Canada. Looking for your local? See the directory of every Canadian IUEC local, with addresses and contacts.

The employer side. Negotiates the national collective bargaining agreement (your contract) with the IUEC on behalf of its member companies.

The second employer group that, alongside NEBA, bargains the national agreement with the IUEC. Tends to represent independent/smaller shops.

A labour-management fund created under the contract to protect and promote bargaining-unit work in the industry.

The joint IUEC + employer apprenticeship and education program (est. 1967). Develops and runs the curriculum that trains union mechanics. Apprentice applications go through neiep.org.

The Canadian counterpart to NEIEP, the joint IUEC + signatory-employer program that trains Canadian apprentices under the provincial collective agreements. Four yearly levels, 25 modules, 775 in-class hours; classes run after work rather than in block layoffs, so you keep earning. You enrol through your IUEC local and union education benefits cover the cost: ceiep-program.com.

Non-profit of inspectors, contractors & engineers focused on code enforcement. Provides QEI inspector certification (to ASME QEI-1) and runs code-update workshops across the U.S. and Canada.

The industry's public-safety charity (since 1991). Runs rider-education programs like Safe-T Rider for schools and National Elevator Escalator Safety Awareness Week each November.

Membership group for independent VT consultants (formerly the National Association of Vertical Transportation Professionals). Holds an annual Forum and sets a professional bar for the consulting side.