SMART’s Ontario organizers held their first-quarter meeting on Tuesday, March 18, where they strategized for the months ahead and further developed their knowledge and skills.
“It was a highly productive session where we tackled key topics, including preparing for the open period, CRM training with Kris Harmon and Cecilia Locke, the Ontario blitz, area reports and more,” said SMART Canada International Representative for Business Development Patrick Gordon. “The discussions were insightful, setting a strong foundation for our upcoming initiatives.”
In early January, 2025, the world watched in horror as fires swept through Southern California, leaving unprecedented devastation and destruction in their wake. Entire neighborhoods were obliterated, with tens of thousands of buildings and homes wiped off the map.
SMART local unions, the International and members across North America responded with an awe-inspiring show of solidarity. At the IA level, General President Michael Coleman sent a letter requesting donations from local unions. SMART-TD bus members assisted in evacuating impacted neighborhoods and supported operators working when the fires broke out. And both TD locals and SM Local 105 immediately leapt into action, even as the fires were still burning.
“Local 105’s full-time officers quickly developed a plan on how to address the needs of our members in the affected burn areas and evacuation zones,” said Local 105 Business Manager/President Steve Hinson. “First, we put together a collection center in the hall and donated all the collected food goods, blankets, pillows, etc. to one of the donation centers in Pasadena. Then we identified our own members in the burn areas and reached out to each member to ask them what their needs may be since the fires broke out. Of the 70 members in the burn zones, there were 12 members that had some displacement from either lost power, missed work from evacuations and/or loss of property. Unfortunately, we had two retirees lose their homes due to the fires.”
Along with coordinating local support efforts, Local 105 worked with SMART Director of Special Projects Louise Medina to secure a Disaster Relief Fund grant to address the immediate needs of members. The financial support ended up being crucial.
“The members’ needs were so wide in range, the full-time officers of the local decided it would be best to give all 12 members a Costco gift card to help them replenish any goods they may have lost due to the power outages in the burn areas,” Hinson explained. “We also decided that for any member that lived in the burn areas, if they lost time from work due to evacuation orders, we would reimburse their lost wages with documentation of lost work hours.”
Hurricane Relief
“Words cannot express how much the financial assistance we received from you was appreciated for the devastation we suffered from Hurricane Milton, and Greg Blose for his immediate action. The damage to our home and loss of our vehicle was a big financial and mental burden for us. With your help, we have been able to get a vehicle and pretty much get our home back to normal. Again, thank you so very much for helping during this difficult time.” — Local 12 retiree testimonial
“We are very grateful to all of you for this support and help for our family as we recover from the damages suffered from the Hurricane Helene flooding. We weren’t expecting this, and we can’t thank you enough.” — Local 5 member testimonial
The local also decided it wasn’t enough to simply react to disaster. At 105’s February union meeting, the members voted to start a local disaster relief fund, allocating an initial $25,000 to the cause. As Hinson pointed out, members in Southern California know there will be fires, floods and earthquakes in the future: “We need to be prepared to act swiftly to make sure our brothers and sisters are taken care of in their time of need.”
Overall, the tragic fires demonstrated what SMART membership is all about: standing together for our union family.
“We received an overwhelming amount of support from SMART locals in both the United States and Canada,” Hinson said. “I would like to thank all our sister locals for their generous donations directly to Local 105 and to the SMART Disaster Relief Fund. I would also like to thank the full-time staff for making all the calls and reaching out to ensure our brothers and sisters are taken care of — and, of course, our members, who donated goods and time to help our communities.”
In so-called “right-to-work” states like Florida — the home of commuter rail service Tri-Rail — union workers are often forced to overcome multiple obstacles during contract negotiations. On the one hand, they’re trying to make gains on pay, benefits and working conditions. On the other, they need to surmount potential division between the workers who have signed up for the union and those who opt out of representation.
But that wasn’t a problem at Tri-Rail’s Hialeah, Florida, facility during the most recent round of contract negotiations. The tireless work of SMART Mechanical Department Local Chairpersons Luis Roves and Raul Barnat ensured every single worker on the property signed up to be a member of SMART-MD — and when the time came to vote on a new contract, every single SMART-MD member cast a vote. The result: 100% ratification.
“Everyone was on the same page,” said SMART-MD General Committee 2 Directing General Chairperson John McCloskey, who negotiated the agreement alongside International Rep. Rob Shanahan. “We had one unified message, and that made it easy to negotiate as one voice and win the contract the members wanted.”
SMART-MD first organized and negotiated a contract at the Hialeah facility in 2015. At the time, 15 of the 28 Tri-Rail employees signed up for union representation.
Barnat and Roves
When ownership of Tri-Rail changed hands from Bombardier to Herzog Transit Services in 2019, SMART-MD ran another organizing campaign at the facility, with Roves and Barnet playing key roles. The two local chairpersons engaged every employee, including brand-new hires — explaining the union advantage and the importance of signing up with SMART-MD. Eventually, they established 100% union membership throughout the property.
“There is definitely a language barrier when I’m down in Miami,” said McCloskey, an Irish immigrant. An added difficulty for McCloskey and Shanahan: The vast majority of the Tri-Rail employees are of Cuban descent, mostly speaking English as a second language. “Luis and Raul are just so proactive. They kept it together in a right-to-work state. They fielded all the questions, all the concerns.”
The previous Tri-Rail contract was subject to renegotiation on July 1, 2024, with SMART-MD initiating discussions two months prior. With Roves and Barnat consistently in contact with Tri-Rail’s workforce, relaying their priorities to McCloskey and Shanahan, SMART-MD eventually reached a tentative agreement with the employer in February, with the unanimous, full-participation ratification vote taking place shortly after.
McCloskey paid tribute to Roves and Barnet’s industrious work on behalf of their fellow Tri-Rail employees, calling their effort a “great success.” He also noted how the negotiation process demonstrated our union’s values.
“At the end of the day, we serve our members no matter their background — we’re not going to let a language barrier get in the way,” he said. “That isn’t going to deter anyone in our organization from negotiating a good contract.”
On March 18, 2025, Steven MacKinnon, minister of Jobs and Families in Canada, visited the SMART Local 47 (Ottawa, Ontario) training centre to announce $67 million in funding for unions to enhance training, aimed at ensuring skilled trades workers lead the transition to the clean economy of the future. The funding, awarded through the Union Training and Innovation Program (UTIP) Sustainable Jobs Stream, included a possible $8.9 million for SMART.
“We’re thrilled that the government has awarded this project to SMART,” said Jack Wall, SMART director of Canadian affairs. “This funding will go a long way to significantly improving the quality of the training our members receive and will help more than 2,000 of our members upgrade their skills, and build a new permanent resource for every apprentice and journey-worker in our trade.”
SMART Canada has been working for years to make sure Canada’s green future is built union. Since the Canadian government announced its ambitious goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, SMART has worked to promote strong labour standards in federal policy, secure funding for training programs such as Canada’s Building Trades Unions’ “Building It Green” initiative, promote the union sheet metal and roofing trades as pathways to good jobs, and more.
Partnering with CBTU and SkillPlan Canada to help secure financial assistance for new training is the next step in that process. Overall, the funding announced by MacKinnon in March will go to 10 union-led projects across Canada, training nearly 29,300 tradespeople with the skills they’ll need to build Canada’s new clean economy. The Local 47 training centre was one of the beneficiaries of that funding; CBTU and SMART also received funding to develop a national online training curriculum, empowering sheet metal workers nationwide to access always-available training to develop crucial skills for clean energy work.
“This is an exciting day for our organization,” Wall concluded. “This will be a team effort to help redevelop some of our curriculum and help train our members to be better prepared for green projects — and to pass those skills on to future generations.”
It’s December of 2022, and a hearing is taking place in Washington, DC, on the FRA’s two-person crew rule.
As the hearing room fills, one of the attorneys for the railroad stops cold in her tracks. She spots SMART-TD’s General Counsel Kevin Brodar and knows that she’s in for a fight.
That’s the kind of reputation that Brodar earned throughout his professional life: a steadfast champion of the labor movement who stood tall in the courtroom to defend SMART-TD members and protect their rights.
After a legal career spanning nearly four decades, Brodar retired at the end of 2024.
“It’s a little bittersweet, because you work with people and then you develop a bond and it’s more than just a working relationship. It’s a friendship,” Brodar said.
Long road to a labor legal career
After graduating from Duquesne University, Brodar moved across the country to attend law school at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, and initially wanted to be a public defender.
But after his first year of law school, he wasn’t sure that was the path he wanted to pursue.
As he sat in class listening to lectures about real property law, Brodar worried that he made a mistake.
“I’m listening to this and I’m thinking, ‘This is nothing like what I thought it was going to be,’” he remembered.
Once he started his second year of law school, Brodar had the opportunity to choose some electives. One option that caught his attention: labor law.
“That real property class was so Greek,” Brodar said. “This [labor law course] was like everything I knew.”
Growing up in a heavily industrialized section of Pittsburgh, Brodar estimates that 90% of the people in his community were blue-collar workers. By his best guess, 90% of that group were also union members.
His father, brother and an uncle all worked on the railroad, so it wasn’t surprising that Brodar was drawn to practicing labor law.
Earning the highest grade in his class didn’t hurt either.
“That first semester, second year, I was like, ‘Bam! This is it,’” Brodar said.
From the NLRB to SMART-TD, Brodar makes an impact
After receiving his Master of Laws (LLM) with a concentration in Labor Law from Georgetown University and beginning his career with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Brodar was hired by the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers (BLET) in 1989 before being approached by the United Transportation Union (UTU) in 1991 to join the organization as a full-time litigator.
After that, he never looked back. Whether it was making an impact through several cases of first impression, litigating in federal district and appellate courts all over the country, or ensuring that SMART-TD members received historic raises and saw no major changes to healthcare during the last round of national negotiations, Brodar never let his professional accomplishments overshadow why he wanted to practice labor law.
“Being a litigator wasn’t the be all and end all of everything,” Brodar said. “It was working for a cause, and that’s why you work on this side of the fence. That’s kind of what drove me all these years: that you’re working for something greater than yourself.”
SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson thanks Brodar for his many years of standing up for workers at his recent retirement celebration.
“From his first day as counsel for the UTU to his instrumental role in shaping the victories of SMART-TD, Kevin has been the ultimate protector of our members,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson. “Since I stepped into my role aspPresident in 2019, I’ve been fortunate to rely on Kevin’s knowledge and experience in some of our union’s most difficult fights. Kevin’s legacy is one of dedication and unmatched service to the labor movement, and we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
SMART-TD Vice President and International Representative Brent Leonard agreed.
“He really does care about the organization,” said Leonard. “Not just the people he works with, but also the members we represent.”
Looking to the future
Stepping up to fill Brodar’s role is Erika Diehl-Gibbons, who was previously associate general counsel at SMART-TD.
Leonard believes that there’s no one who’s better prepared for the job.
“We’re excited to have Erika coming in and filling the role,” Leonard said. “She’s been with us for a long time, and she’s going to be a fantastic general counsel. I know she looks at Kevin as a mentor, and I know he’s mentored her to carry the torch.”
As Brodar wrapped up his lengthy legal career, he said that he’s hopeful he was simply able to make an impact.
“It really has been a blessing to be able to have this job,” Brodar reflected. “It’s something that’s provided a lot of fulfillment that I’ve been able to help people, which was my whole goal.”
Each quarter of the year, as part of the Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL) initiative, SMART members are challenged to answer one simple question — why are you proud to be a SMART union member? — to be entered into a raffle to win a $100 gift card and a BE4ALL jacket.
And each quarter, SMART members meet the challenge, telling their stories of union pride and solidarity.
The Fall 2024 challenge raffle winners are no different.
Local 9 (Denver, Colorado) sister Delores Bledsoe, the sheet metal winner, answered: “I want to start with, I love my union! I have been a member for nine and a half years, and from day one I can honestly say it has transformed my life, from building my self-worth to financial stability!
Bledsoe receives her BE4ALL jacket from Local 9 Business Manager Jon Alvino and her fellow members
“My self-worth was minimal to say the least [before joining the union]. I had no skills and no direction in my life, but when I joined the union it all came together! I had purpose and went home every day feeling good about how my day went. I was able to learn a skilled craft, and I was able to build relationships that will last forever. There were days I wanted to give up and throw in the towel, but between my classmates and the local union staff, I had a support system that I never knew was possible. As for the financial stability, I feel like I went from rags to riches — I went from a studio apartment in a very rough neighborhood to owning a five-bedroom, four-bath home.
“Every day I come home feeling blessed, and I know that without my union and hard work, this might not even be possible! I now work with the Colorado Building and Construction Trades to spread hope, happiness and knowledge about unions, and to show people that being proud of where you work is possible and living happily and comfortably is obtainable.”
Eleven-year SMART-TD Local 1378 (Wilmington, Delaware) member Joseph Castiglione, the TD winner, said: “The union has made it possible for me to provide a life for my wife and daughter that my parents were not able to provide for my sister and me. With the contracts SMART has been able to negotiate for us, I was able to purchase our house, becoming the first in my family to own a home. I owe everything I have and will have to this organization and its amazing leadership.”
Castiglione pictured with his wife, daughter and BE4ALL jacket
And in a demonstration of SMART values, Castiglione gave his $100 gift card to a local sheet metal apprentice in his area — putting the principle of solidarity into practice.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports that construction is second only to mining when it comes to suicide rates in American professions. According to a 2020 survey, 83% of construction workers said they had struggled with mental health issues. And data from the National Survey on Drug Use conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration found that 12% of construction workers have an alcohol abuse disorder, compared with the national average of 7.5%.
For all those reasons — and as part of our union’s core values of solidarity and safety — SMART and the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) started the SMART Members Assistance Program (MAP) approximately 10 years ago. Now, in addition to SMART MAP, members at participating local unions also have access to an employee assistance program called Union EAP, founded by SMART MAP consultant and subject matter expert Ben Cort.
“[Union EAP] is based on a premise that our members are asked to do way too much when they’re in a time of crisis: You make a phone call, and you basically end up getting a list back of a bunch of different places that you can call if you want to,” Cort said. “The idea that we had with this was much more of a concierge kind of mental health service. You call, you speak to a clinician, that clinician does a full assessment, understands what’s going on, and then builds an individualized and personal plan for you and for your family. And then we see you through all of it.”
Alongside SMART Director of Wellness and Mental Health Support Chris Carlough — and as part of his work with the SMOHIT helpline, which provides a resource for members to call when they are experiencing crisis or need a helpful ear — Cort has been taking phone calls from members for the last five or six years, helping direct them to resources and work their way through mental health crises. He said that aspect of his profession is “one of the most rewarding things in my entire career.”
Many employee assistance programs fall short of the standard SMART sets for member benefits. For instance, Carlough reported, “we have seen EAPs categorize hits on their website as contacts or in many cases ‘member engagement,’ which is quite the stretch. Also, the limited number of providers available through EAPs can be a challenge for our members.” According to the National Council of Mental Wellbeing, he noted, “the average wait time to access mental health support is about six weeks. If you’re looking for a specialist in a certain area or with specific attributes, wait times can stretch into months.”
Some perks of Union EAP, according to Carlough:
Every call is taken by a licensed clinician, 24/7/365.
Their primary key performance indicator (KPI) is increased utilization rates, versus website visits or other metrics.
Each case is led by a master’s-level clinician, who works with the member and their insurance and builds a personalized plan.
The work done by professionals throughout SMART and SMOHIT is all part of fostering a union-wide environment that helps SMART members feel comfortable talking about mental health and seeking help when they need it. The more we can provide those resources, Carlough maintained, the better we will be able to keep our fellow union workers healthy and safe.
“We don’t necessarily want to talk about it on the jobsite, but when we’re given a safe space to be able to talk a little bit about it, we have our members really opening up on how they’re feeling. How they’re dealing with divorce, for example, what they’re struggling with — whether it’s mental health, substance use,” he said. “We’ve had members express that they have suicidal ideations — and we [can support] them. We have these moments in these trainings [when] I really feel like our union is light years ahead of other building trades unions in this.”
On January 24, 2025, SMART-TD announced the passing of our beloved union brother, Dan Bonawitz. Dan’s unwavering dedication to his fellow workers, his passion for justice and his tireless advocacy for safety and equality left an indelible mark on the SMART-TD community.
A member of Local 1409 in Kansas City, Kansas, Dan joined SMART-TD in 2006. For nearly two decades he embodied what it means to be a committed, compassionate and fearless union member.
“Dan was a warrior for our brothers and sisters in every sense of the word,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson. “His selflessness, his work ethic and his commitment to doing what was right are unmatched. Dan was a good friend and brother to us all who dedicated countless hours to the benefit of our members. He was a true brother, and his loss leaves a hole in our hearts and this labor organization. We are all better for having known him, and his legacy will live on in the union he helped build.”
One of Dan’s most notable contributions was his involvement with SMART-TD’s National Safety Team. As a charter member, Dan was regularly called to the scene of major railroad accidents, where his deep knowledge of the rail industry and his practical, no-nonsense approach were invaluable. Even after 12-hour shifts at Union Pacific, Dan was always ready to jump in the car and head to an accident site to ensure that the investigation was fair and thorough. His presence at these sites was a beacon of support for our members, ensuring that management and regulators didn’t take the easy way out and blame the crew.
Dan was a passionate advocate for proper training and education within the industry. Recognizing a gap in hazardous materials training, Dan became a qualified hazmat instructor, offering his expertise to ensure that our members were well-prepared to handle dangerous situations. His work with the Rail Workers Hazardous Materials Training Program in Houston, Texas, is just one example of how he gave selflessly of his time to help others.
“Dan didn’t just teach safety—he lived it,” said Jared Cassity Chair of SMART-TD’s National Safety team, who worked alongside Dan in the legislative arena as well as the safety team. “Dan Bonawitz was one of the most dedicated union members I have ever known. His passion and love for his fellow workers was second to none. I have never encountered someone with more dedication or a stronger commitment to ensuring the safety of rail workers than Brother Bonawitz. His willingness to sacrifice his time and his resources to help those in need, and to do it in a way that shined on his union rather than himself, is remarkable. I will miss his presence as an assistant director on our National Safety Team, but I will miss his companionship most. I am grateful for Dan’s contributions, but I am most thankful to have had the opportunity to be his friend. He will be missed.”
Dan was also deeply committed to making SMART-TD a more inclusive and diverse organization. He was a founding member of the union’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee in 2022, where he worked tirelessly to ensure that every member, regardless of their background, had a voice and was treated with respect. He lived by the principle that if you are a worker, you are his brother or sister, and he treated everyone as family.
“He’s always going to fight for your rights.” said Chad Yokoyama, Chairperson of SMART-TD Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. “People might think that our international union doesn’t fight for them, but Dan was a prime example of the way it’s supposed to be done. Whether it put a target on his back or not, he’s going to fight for you, and I think will be his legacy.”
Dan’s efforts weren’t limited to the workplace. He was an advocate for veterans and always found time to support the community. In 2023, Dan was named SMART-TD’s Joseph J. Nigro SMART Army Member of the Year for his efforts to honor and serve military veterans. Leading a group of SMART-TD members, he organized a community outreach project to ensure that veterans’ gravesites were properly recognized, purchasing and placing U.S. flags at local veteran cemeteries in the Kansas City area.
“Dan demonstrated his unwavering commitment to both his fellow workers and the veterans who served our country,” said Jared Cassity. “He always found a way to serve others, whether it was through his work on the National Safety Team, his legislative work, or his outreach to veterans. His heart was as big as his passion for this union.”
Dan’s leadership extended to his work as a Delegate and Legislative Representative for Local 1409, where his presence was felt at both the SMART-TD conventions and the statehouse in Topeka. He wasn’t afraid to stand up and fight for the issues that mattered to his brothers and sisters, no matter the challenge. National Safety and Legislative Department Director, Greg Hynes said of Bonawitz, “Dan was among the best at working with legislators, but then again, he was one hell of a safety instructor and organizer, too. He was a true soldier for this union and got the job done no matter what the need was.”
“Dan’s ability to advocate for our men and women was unparalleled,” said Ty Dragoo, Kansas Legislative Director & Chairman of the SMART Kansas Legislative Board. “His energy, his passion and his dedication to our cause were an inspiration to all of us. Dan never backed down from a fight that needed fought.” Dragoo echoed the praise of Brother Hynes saying Bonawitz was at the top as far as political engagement, organizing, training, and he was an even better friend and trusted counsel. “When I called him with a problem, he answered the bell because our members needed him to. He really was a force of nature!”
As we grieve his loss, we celebrate the life of a true union brother. One who gave everything for his family, this union and his country.
We extend our deepest condolences to Dan’s family, friends and all those who were fortunate enough to know him.
After 44 years spent as a proud union sheet metal worker, local officer and International organizer, Local 73 (Chicago, Ill.) member Anthony “Tony” Scavone retired on December 31, 2024. In addition to his years with the tools, Scavone served for 11 years as a Local 73 organizer and business representative, and worked for 17 years as both an International organizer and regional organizing director.
Scavone, furthest left, pictured hand billing with Regional Organizing Director Manny Gonzalez (furthest right)
Scavone’s tireless efforts and leadership changed the lives of countless workers in Chicagoland and across our nation. Throughout his tenure, he was instrumental in numerous organizing campaigns across the United States, contributing significantly to the growth and strength of our union. And as a mentor, Scavone shared his extensive knowledge of organizing tactics with both International and local union organizers, leaving a lasting impact on the next generation of SMART leaders.
His approachable nature and unwavering commitment to the labor movement made him a trusted advisor and friend to many. Known for his quick wit and an ability to connect with anyone he met, Scavone exemplified solidarity and unity.
“It has been a truly rewarding career, and I am deeply honored to have served our membership, contributed to the growth of our organization and supported the broader labor movement,” he said when announcing his retirement. “Thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.”
Dan Chacon dedicated more than 14 years of service to the SMART International Association as an International organizer, a position in which he served from April 2010 until his retirement on December 31, 2024.
Chacon’s leadership started at the local union level; he served as a business representative for Local 359 in Arizona, where he demonstrated steadfast devotion to advancing the rights and opportunities of members.
He brought those same principles to his work at the International. Throughout his tenure, Chacon played a pivotal role in supporting local unions with their organizing efforts, particularly in the southwestern United States. His deep understanding of the region and commitment to strengthening SMART made him a trusted resource and invaluable partner to local leadership.
Respected for his professionalism, integrity and kindness, Chacon’s calm demeanor and genuine care for others have left a lasting impression on all who had the privilege of working with him. His legacy is one of leadership, humility and a steadfast commitment to the labor movement, and his presence as an International staff member will be deeply missed — as both a colleague and a friend.
