The SMART Convention will be held Monday, August 11th through Friday, August 15th, 2014 at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. We have negotiated a convention hotel room rate of $159.00 per night plus tax. Please mark your calendars.
Year: 2014
Twelve members of the U.S. House of Representatives have co-signed a letter to the chairman of New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority urging the MTA to reach a settlement with union employees of the Long Island Rail Road and avert a possible strike by those employees this spring.
The letter to MTA Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Thomas F. Prendergast asks the MTA to “reconsider its decision to entirely reject the recommendations from Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) 244 or call for a second Presidential Emergency Board in order to avoid a work stoppage.”
The U.S. representatives from both sides of the political aisle representing constituents who may be affected by a work stoppage on the LIRR said “the recommendations issued by PEB 244 may not have included everything that either side had hoped; however, we believe that it could serve as a model for the types of concessions that can be made to move an agreement forward.”
On Jan. 15, the MTA announced that it was rejecting a proposed series of wage increases for unionized employees on LIRR totaling 18.4 percent over six years (2.9 percent per year) and that employees begin contributing to health insurance premium costs. The board’s wage recommendations are retroactive to the first year of the contract dispute, which has been ongoing for more than three years.
The board rejected MTA’s demand that workers accept three years of net zero wage increases, followed by two, two-percent increases over five years and rejected MTA’s demand for major concessions in pensions, including a permanent five-percent employee contribution.
In its recommendations issued Dec. 22, the PEB said the wage increases were comparable to recent commuter settlements in large cities like Chicago and Boston.
“If no consensus can be reached using the findings from PEB 244, we respectfully request the MTA call for another Presidential Emergency Board as a means to bring all parties closer together to an agreement to avoid a work stoppage,” the representatives’ letter said.
“In particular, we urge the MTA to reconsider its insistence on a wage freeze or concessions to fully pay for wage increases. According to findings from PEB 244, …it simply cannot be concluded that the MTA’s current financial position is one in which it is unable to pay for wage adjustments.”
Rep. Steve Israel (D-Dist. 3) said in a statement that the PEB “has already found that a contract can be negotiated without increasing fares.”
The letter to the MTA was signed by Reps. Israel, Peter King (R-Dist. 2), Timothy Bishop (D-Dist. 1), Carolyn McCarthy (D-Dist. 4), Gregory Meeks (D-Dist. 5), Grace Meng (D-Dist. 6), Hakeem Jeffries (D-Dist. 8), Yvette Clarke (D-Dist. 9), Jerrold Nadler (D-Dist. 10), Michael Grimm (R-Dist. 11), Carolyn Maloney (D-Dist. 12) and Joseph Crowley (D-Dist. 14).
“Due to the MTA’s unwillingness to accept the recommendations of PEB 244, and without their request for a second board, our labor coalition is prepared to strike as early as March 21. While we have said time and time again that this is not what labor wants for the riders at the MTA, it will be the sole result of the MTA’s unwillingness to take the next step,” said GO 505 General Chairperson Anthony Simon.
The MTA still has not announced whether it will seek a second presidential emergency board.
To read the full letter from the U.S. representatives, click here.
Bus operators employed by Brega Transport Corp. that provide service for Transport of Rockland in Rockland County, New York, have voted for representation by the SMART Transportation Division.
Of the eligible voters who participated in the election, 46 selected SMART TD, 21 voted for no union representation and 11 for voted representation by another organization.
The vote brings 89 new members to the SMART TD’s Bus Department.
SMART TD’s Director of Organizing Rich Ross praised the efforts of Alternate Vice President – Bus and Organizer Calvin Studivant, along with Local 1594 officers Waverly Harris and Brian Caldwell for their efforts throughout the campaign.
“They braved the elements and put boots to the ground to get SMART TD’s message out to the drivers,” Ross said.
Ross also thanked Vice President – Bus Bonnie Morr, Rockland Coaches GO RCL General Chairperson Helaine Parsons and New York State Legislative Director Sam Nasca for their assistance with the campaign.
BILLINGS, Mont. – BNSF Railway Co. said Thursday (Feb. 20) it intends to buy a fleet of 5,000 strengthened tank cars to haul oil and ethanol in a move that would set a higher benchmark for safety within an industry that’s seen multiple major accidents.
The voluntary step by the Texas-based subsidiary of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. comes as railroads in the U.S. and Canada are under intense pressure to improve safety for hazardous materials shipments.
Read the complete story at the Associated Press.
Each year, tens of thousands of American workers are made sick or die from occupational exposures to hazardous chemicals. While many chemicals are suspected of being harmful, OSHA’s exposure standards are out-of-date and inadequately protective for the small number of chemicals that are regulated in the workplace. To help keep workers safe, OSHA has launched two new Web resources.
The first resource is a step-by-step toolkit to identify safer chemicals that can be used in place of more hazardous ones. The Transitioning to Safer Chemicals Toolkit (https://www.osha.gov/dsg/safer_chemicals/index.html) provides employers and workers with information, methods, tools, and guidance on using informed substitution in the workplace.
OSHA has also created another new Web resource: the Annotated Permissible Exposure Limits (https://www.osha.gov/dsg/annotated-pels/index.html), which will enable employers to voluntarily adopt newer, more protective workplace exposure limits. Since OSHA’s adoption of the majority of its PELs more than 40 years ago, new scientific data, industrial experience, and developments in technology clearly indicate that in many instances these mandatory limits are not sufficiently protective of workers’ health.
“From steel mills to hospitals, from construction sites to nail salons, hazardous chemical exposure is a serious concern for countless employers and workers in many, many industries, in every part of this nation,” said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “With these new resources, OSHA is making sure that all business owners have access to information on safer exposure limits and safer alternatives to help protect their workers and their bottom lines.”
On September 11, the Carol Stream, IL, Fire Department marked the opening of its new 9/11 Memorial & Museum with a memorial ceremony. The Local 265 Labor Management Cooperative Committee (John Boske) partnered with Gengler Lowney Laser Works (Jack Gengler), a signatory contractor with Local 265, to contribute the two stainless steel plaques embedded in the floor of the museum. Gary Rasmussen, the local fire inspector, got the idea when he was doing a yearly inspection at Local 265 and saw a stainless steel plaque on the wall that Gengler Lowney Laser Works had also done.
Change is hard and for many it is difficult to accept. Change is not an event with an exact start and stop point; it’s a process. Each step you make, even if it’s a relatively small step, is still a step in the right direction, driving you closer to where you want to go. Sometimes the road ahead looks hazy and your footing may be unsure, but it is ludicrous to turn back when seeking out a destination— no matter how distant your destination may seem at times.
The changes we face now focus not just on the SMART Constitution which governs our combined organization, but also on the culture in which we operate. How this organization is run goes a long way in ensuring that it always serves the membership with integrity. Members cannot have confidence in an organization unless they are assured they have a voice in it. That is why, for those of you that know me, I try to adhere to as much transparency as possible, so that you as a member are kept both wellinformed and able to hold your leadership accountable.
SMART does not operate for the sake of its leaders. The leadership of this organization exists to represent all of us with integrity, honesty and to the best of our abilities.
It takes a lot of courage to move away from the security that comes with the way things had always been done before. But there is no real security in what no longer works to strengthen and advance this new union. The strength of SMART, and what will drive us to thrive in the future, comes from our ability to maintain the advances previous generations made and to build upon them. We deal with political, economic, and cultural challenges from all sides as our world changes every day. Sometimes we must adapt and change with it while staying true to the guiding principles of solidarity, strong representation and brotherhood that gave rise to our labor movement.
As you may already know, we recently completed our new Constitution, merging the former Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association and the United Transportation Union into SMART. While our merger has been complete for some time, this document unifies this great union and its members under a single Constitution.
In getting to this point, we examined and debated every constitutional section thoroughly before reaching agreement. At times, it required the help of an outside arbitrator to clarify a particular issue. While this slowed the process, it must be remembered the parties were tasked with combining 100 years of separate cultures and operations into a single Constitution that would govern our combined union while reflecting the practices and policies of both former organizations.
While the process may at times have been slow and laborious, we remain dedicated to working together to represent the best interests of members above all else.
An example of this is in the SMART General Executive Council (GEC) which is comprised of both sheet metal and transportation division General Vice Presidents. The GEC represents our diverse geographic, trade and work-related membership and acts as a check in many of the authorities assigned to the General President. Among these is the GEC’s Finance Committee which reviews the overall expenditures of the International Association including all personal expenditures of the General President and General Secretary-Treasurer. This sub-committee of the GEC also reviews the annual budget of the International including a separation of expenses by each department within the organization and makes recommendations to the full GEC who must approve the budget. This among many other oversight duties ensures accountability to the membership across all levels of the organization both now and in the future.
I urge all of you to view the SMART Constitution at www. smart-union.org/our-union/smartconstitution. Keep in mind that changes were made to the former UTU Constitution, now Article 21B of the SMART Constitution, where language within and the merger agreement dictated changes to comply with the SMWIA Constitution. In the near future we will also be posting a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page to answer any questions about the new Constitution and upcoming SMART Transportation Division Convention in June and the SMART General Convention in August 2014.
It’s been a long and difficult process, and you deserve our gratitude for your patience. I look forward to moving our Union ahead united and stronger.
Fraternally,
Joseph J Nigro
General President
Matt Doehring, Business Manager of SMART Local 26 is a proud lifetime member of the community of Sparks, NV. Called the “Rail City,” Sparks is a medium-sized community with a proud railroad heritage. A vintage steam locomotive, cupola caboose, and Pullman executive car are displayed in the historic downtown, as well as a depot replica and a monument to the Chinese rail workers who toiled on the construction of the early rail lines.
Even with the day to day duties and responsibilities that come with being a Building Trades Business Manager, Local 26 Business Manager Matt Doehring coordinates efforts at the seasonal Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful Christmas tree recycling station, along with other Local 26 sheet metal workers. Recently, the Sparks Tribune recognized Doehring and Local 26 for its volunteer efforts on behalf of the community.
Doehring told the Tribune, “(I do) whatever I can do to try and make things the best possible under any circumstances. As you start to get older, you start to think about giving back…It just feels right.”
Doehring hopes to strengthen SMART’s ties to the local community, boost member morale, and inspire lasting volunteer efforts. “Everyone who comes to drop off their tree is always in a great mood. It’s just an overall fun day,” he said. “It makes my heart smile at the end of the day to know that I’ve given back to the community.”
Local 26 members have coordinated and participated in a number of volunteer events in addition to the tree drop-off, like the Washoe County School District book drive and the KTMB E-Waste recycling days.
Local 19 Wins Election at Singer Equipment Company
After a long fight with Singer Equipment Company— from the stipulation hearing to the ground campaign—Local 19 sheet metal workers recently won an election on December 19. The owner fought the whole way, but the workers stood strong, with a unanimous decision in the end.
According to Local 19 Business Manager Gary Masino, “We are looking forward to garnering a fair agreement for these workers and feel the possibility of attaining one is strong in this case.”
Singer Equipment Company is currently the fourth largest foodservice equipment dealer in the United States. Singer also provides kitchen equipment on a nationwide basis to chain restaurants and contract feeders.
The SMART Transportation Division is conducting a local treasurers’ workshop at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 67 Hall in San Antonio, Texas, March 11-12.
Attendance is limited to 30 registrants.
Those interested in attending the workshop should contact the office of the SMART TD director of updating/auditing department. Call (216) 228-9400, or email Karen Cashin at kcashin@smart-union.org. The deadline to register is Feb. 28.
While all local treasurerswill likely benefit from this workshop, newly elected treasurers are strongly encouraged to attend.
The two-day session will include all training and materials at no cost to local treasurers. However, the local is responsible for all other costs associated with the treasurer’s attendance at the workshop. Lost time or salary, travel, hotel and meal expenses connected with attendance may be reimbursed if pre-approved at a local meeting as an allowable expense of the local.
The workshop will provide local treasurers with hands-on training on the responsibilities and reporting duties pertaining to their office, including direct receipts and Winstabs. It will also focus on completion of mandatory filings for LM reports and Form 990 and DOL requirements.
The workshop will be held at the Sheet Metal Workers Local 67 Hall located at 11 Burwood Lane in San Antonio. Corporate room rates of $99 per night, plus tax, are available at the Holiday Inn San Antonio International Airport located at 77 N.E. Loop 410, just a few miles from the Sheet Metal Hall. The Holiday Inn will provide free shuttle service to the hall. The deadline for room reservations is Feb. 28.
Reservations can be made by calling the Holiday Inn directly at (888) 615-0518 or (210) 349-9900. Provide the code “UTU” when making reservations.
Training sessions will be conducted by SMART Transportation Division Auditors Bobby Brantley and Mike Araujo.
Space is limited and attendees will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. It is recommended that those attending make their hotel reservations at the time of registration.
Attendees should bring a notebook computer and a USB flash drive.
As noted in a Jan. 14 post to this website, the sheet metal and transportation divisions of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers have reached agreement on a SMART Constitution governing the entire organization.
Local delegates of the SMART Transportation Division will have the opportunity to propose amendments to Article 21B of the constitution – the former United Transportation Union’s Constitution – at the SMART Transportation Division’s 2014 convention.
In accordance with Article 21B, Section 13, at any time 120 days prior (March 2, 2014) to the Transportation Division convention, proposed amendments to the SMART Constitution’s Article 21B (which comprises the former UTU Constitution, as reconciled by the SMART merger agreement) may be submitted by any subordinate body of the Transportation Division or International officer listed in Article 21B, Section 2(A), of the SMART Constitution.
To view a letter from Transportation Division President John Previsich regarding submission of proposals to amend Article 21B, click here.
To view the SMART Constitution, click here.
(Proposed amendments must be received no later than March 2, 2014.)