Ironworkers Local 550 Business Manager wins Canton mayor’s race

Other tradesmen elected to public office across Ohio

L-R: William Sherer II, Brian Poindexter and Paul Shymske

Ironworkers Local 550 Business Manager William Sherer II won a landslide victory to become the next Mayor of Canton.

Sherer, the current Canton City Council President, beat Republican challenger Roy Scott DePew by more than 30 percentage points, according to unofficial election results. He will begin leading the eighth largest city in Ohio on Jan. 1.

He was one of many union tradesmen that won local elections on Nov. 7 across Ohio. Other winning building trades candidates in Northern Ohio included a 25-year member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 and a member of Ironworkers Local 17.

All the candidates credited the strong support from building trades unions and individual members as a reason for their election victories.

A ‘generational opportunity’

Sherer is planning to have a swearing-in ceremony before Christmas, but also wants to help the next business manager of Ironworkers Local 550, before he takes office on Jan. 1.

He described his win as a “once in a generational opportunity for labor,” and credited his father for instilling in him from a young age that there should be someone in labor on every board who can speak up for the middle class and labor.

A third-generation Local 550 Business Manager, Sherer’s family has been involved with the Local Union for nearly a century. He expressed confidence that the Local is in good shape.

“When you’re in a leadership position with a union, you have to make sure everything is taken care of when you leave,” Sherer said. “As long as I’m leaving it better off than I found it, I will be OK and I know right now, it is.”

He’s also starting to develop a plan for Canton based on his campaign promises. This includes improving safety across the city and increasing focus on the needs of various neighborhoods.

Significant energy and resources have been placed on Downtown Canton and the Hall of Fame Village, but Sherer believes more attention is needed on Canton residents and the neighborhoods where they live.

“One thing my father taught me from a young age was I work for the men and women I represent, and they do not work for me, so why would this be any different,” he said.

Sherer believes he would not be in this position without his support of labor, adding that with strong union support, “even an ironworker can be mayor someday.”

Shymske joins North Olmsted Council

Sheet Metal Workers Local 33 member Paul Shymske received the second most votes and is excited to begin his new position as an At-Large member of the North Olmsted City Council.

While he has been a Local 33 member for 25 years, Shymske has only lived in the western Cleveland suburb of North Olmsted for two years. He and his wife, Marie, were touched that so many residents supported his campaign.

Shymske also became emotional when talking about the strong support he received from the building trades.

“I couldn’t have done it without the help of the building trades,” Shymske said. “People I worked with on job sites years ago were coming out to help me campaign.”

Shymske received help from union Brothers and Sisters knocking on doors, making phone calls and putting up yard signs, some without him even having to ask.

“At a fundraiser in August, so many plumbers, painters, ironworkers and a bunch of other trades came to support me,” Shymske said. “Trade after trade rolled in with checks and wanted to meet and talk with me.”

He also singled out Business Manager and Executive Secretary of the Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council, Dave Wondolowski, for providing strong support for his campaign.

Coming from a family with a long history in the building trades, Shymske stressed the importance of having “one of their own” in public office.

“My job is to stand up for the building trades. A lot of people don’t bring their concerns forward and doing this job is what our business agents do, but on a bigger scale,” Shymske said.

“My time in the building trades is what kept me going.”

Poindexter earns second-term

Brian Poindexter, an Organizer with Iron Workers Local 17, was the top vote-getter in the race for three At-Large seats on the Brook Park City Council, according to unofficial results. He was also the only At-Large incumbent to be re-elected.

“First of all, I’m thankful to have the support of all my Union Brothers and Sisters,” he said. “Anyone in Brook Park knows I’m 100 percent union and I stand for the betterment of the working people.

“Moving forward, I will continue to bring forward legislation and ideas that support the working people. Brook Park is a working-class town and it only makes sense to do things to help working-class people,” Poindexter added.

During his campaign, Poindexter received help from not only the building trades, but support from teachers, auto workers, communication workers and several other unions.

“I would not have been victorious without the support from all the building trades,” Poindexter said. “Iron Workers Local 17 will always hold a special place in my heart.”