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In Washington’s Yakima Valley, SMART Local 55 and signatory contractor MBI Construction Services are putting our union’s values into practice: offer­ing young people who have made mistakes a shot at a second chance.

Local 55 Business Rep. Joe Valdez, retired member and former MBI owner Steve Menard, and current owner Joe Menard (Steve’s son) visited the Yakima County Juvenile Justice Center in early August, telling youth in the facility about the benefits and opportunities of a union sheet metal apprenticeship — and giving detainees an opportunity to try out the work via a virtual welder.

“The kids can figure this (equip­ment) out — it’s computers,” Steve Menard said in an article by Joel Donofrio of the Yakima Herald-Republic. “It’s fun and they score well (on the exercises).”

Local 55’s Joe Valdez

Steve Menard, who founded MBI in the late 1980s, is 78 years old, and since retiring has stayed active in his community — including by visiting the juvenile detention center. During one of his visits, he told the Yakima Herald-Republic, one of the detainees asked Menard about welding.

The light bulb went off for Menard, and he immedi­ately started working with Local 55 on bringing a virtual welder to the center.

“When I first heard (Steve Menard’s) idea, I said, ‘Welding? With flammable stuff? Whoa!,’” Candi Shute, the county’s juvenile court administrator, told the Herald-Republic.

“Then I learned it was virtual, and it was a no-brainer,” she added. “It provides a connection with real job opportunities.”

Local 55 helped Menard bring a VR Tex Transport simulator to the center; he now holds sessions with interested youth once or twice a month, according to the Herald-Republic. On August 6, that session included not just the ability for four young men to try out the virtual welder — wearing the helmet, using the “torch” on a virtual sheet of metal and seeing their work displayed on a projector — but also the opportunity to hear about rewarding careers in the sheet metal industry, straight from the union and the contractor.

Valdez detailed all the benefits of a union apprentice­ship — earning while learning, graduating without debt, making more than $40 an hour by your final year as an apprentice, etc. — and overviewed the requirements to apply. According to the Herald-Republic, “Valdez noted he’s made up to $5,000 a week as he has traveled around the world for welding jobs — a figure that prompted a ‘whoa’ from several of the young men.”

Joe Menard, meanwhile, described the workforce demands in the construc­tion industry. As members retire, more opportunities will be available in the skilled trades, providing young people everywhere — including those in the Yakima County Juvenile Detention Center — with rewarding, family-sustaining career options.

That’s why such outreach efforts are so important, not just for potential new members but for local unions and signatory contractors. Market share, union strength and member pensions all depend on our union’s ability to organize, recruit and retain sheet metal workers from every walk of life.

Everyone makes mistakes, including the young people at the Yakima County Juvenile Justice Center. And everyone, including those same young people, deserves a second chance.

The unionized sheet metal industry offers that second chance and more.

“When you’re working a full-time job, making a good living, you don’t have the law coming after you,” Steve Menard told the young men in August.

“There’s lots of older guys in the trades, and they’re retiring,” Joe Menard added. “There’s a big gap there, and lots of opportunities for these kids.”

Based on reporting by Joel Donofrio and the Yakima Herald-Republic. Photo credit: Donofrio, Yakima Herald-Republic.

Local 292 (Detroit, Michigan) recently paid tribute to long-serving mem­ber Jerome “Jerry” Sarrach — born on December 19, 1930, in Detroit, and who passed away on July 25, 2025, at the age of 94.

“Jerry proudly served his country in the United States Navy, enlisting in December of 1946 and receiving an honorable discharge in 1952. A Korean War veteran, he was stationed aboard the USS Vulcan,” wrote Local 292 Business Manager Paul Gualdoni.

Following his military service, Sarrach became a dedicated second-gener­ation sheet metal worker, joining Local 292 in 1953 and remaining a proud member in good standing for more than 72 years.

“Jerry was well respected and deeply admired among his fellow members of Local 292,” Gualdoni added. “Known for his warmth, dedication and camaraderie, he was a beloved figure who touched the lives of many. He will be profoundly missed by his family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing him.”

The history of North America is intertwined with the history of local unions across our two nations, from the cities we help build to the communities that we connect.

SMART Local 36 retirees are demon­strating that fact in St. Louis, bringing a piece of Missouri and local union history back to life by restoring a historic steamboat replica.

“Our retirees, with the coordina­tion skills of brother Ed Hoganson, have already put in countless hours in this restoration project,” Local 36 Business Manager Ray Reasons told the Labor Tribune. “The years of dedicated service and skill sets they possess will be key in the restoration of this highly complicated project.

Our retirees always amaze me with their willingness to give back to our organization and worthy causes.”

The original steamboat, the SS Admiral — built in 1907, rebuilt in 1937, operated on the Mississippi River from 1940 to 1978, converted to an amusement center and finally a floating gambling venue — was taken apart for scrap in 2011. The replica of the Admiral, a 20-foot scaled structure built in 1980, was a product of the craftsmanship and expertise of late Local 36 Instructor Wayne Lavanchy, along with Local 36 apprentices.

“It was a project he wanted to do with the apprentices, and they could learn layout and welding skills, and it would also be a good promotional thing for the union and the training school,” said retiree Ed Hoganson in the same Tribune article. “It was a two-year project with him and the apprentices.”

The local sold the replica to the owners of the Admiral around 35 years ago. As the actual boat changed hands, the replica was passed around too, eventually ending up in a Missouri museum called the Antique Warehouse. When the museum’s owner died, the Tribune reported, Hoganson asked if Local 36 could take back custody of the replica.

The replica Admiral that the local received after decades apart was not in museum shape. That’s where the retirees came into play.

Using original blueprints from the actual SS Admiral steamboat, around 20 retired Local 36 sheet metal workers have been working to restore the replica since March 2025, with the goal of completion by March 2026. Once completed, Hoganson told the Tribune, the National Museum of Transportation has agreed to display the restored replica steamboat as part of an exhibition on the 100th anniversary of historic Route 66.

“I’m really proud of the work our members are doing,” he added in the Labor Tribune article. “We’ll have hundreds of hours wrapped up in the project when it is complete in March.”

There are similar examples of history hidden in plain sight in cities and towns — and local SMART unions — across the United States and Canada. From historic railroads to the sheet metal work performed on some of our nations’ best-known monuments, SMART and orga­nized labor have built and powered North America for generations.

Making those stories heard is how we ensure our neighbors know that our countries’ histories were created by working people. Great work, Local 36!

Based on reporting by the Labor Tribune, labortribune.com.

The SMART Southwest Gulf Coast Regional Council held its first-ever apprenticeship competition in spring 2025, bringing together hardworking appren­tices from Local 54 (Waller, Texas), Local 68 (Dallas, Texas), Local 67 (San Antonio, Texas) and Local 214 (Baton Rouge, La.) to demonstrate their craftsmanship and dedication to our trade.

Milwaukee Tool donated tool­boxes and tools for the contestants, with DeWalt also contributing tools.

The overall winner was Local 54, with apprentices Derek Long, Michael Jerry and Justin Woods taking the championship with their combined total score. Jason Delgado of Local 68 won first place in the HVAC category; Kade Lalonde (Local 214) took first in the Architectural category; and Zane Prejean (Local 214) won the Industrial category. Cooper Ross of Local 67 won the screw-off cham­pionship, receiving the prized championship belt.

“The competition was fierce, and our future looks bright with these talented young folks,” Local 54 wrote on Facebook.

Bill Heasley, retired past president of Local 12 (West­ern Pennsylvania), celebrated his 76th birthday with fellow Local 12 retiree Dave Losco by fishing on Lake Erie in Ashtabula, Ohio — and was rewarded with two birthday presents, a 28-inch, 9-pound walleye and a 29-inch steelhead!

At its September 10 union meet­ing, SMART Local 22 (Morris, Somerset, Sussex, Union Counties, New Jersey) honored long-serving instructor and coordi­nator Charles Beelitz, naming him “coordinator emeritus” and officially unveiling the local’s new Charles Beelitz Welding Center.

“For 39 years, Charles Beelitz has been more than just an instructor and coordinator,” the local wrote. “He’s been a mentor, a leader and a steady hand guiding countless members along their paths.”

“Charles, your commitment has shaped this local in ways that can’t be measured in years alone,” Local 22 added. “You’ve helped build skills, confidence and camaraderie that will carry on long after today. On behalf of everyone here, we thank you for your dedication, your patience and your unwavering belief in what we can achieve together.”

In September, Local 110 members participated in a Starbucks Sip-In in Paducah, Kentucky. Work­ers there filed for recognition with Starbucks Workers United earlier in the year, organizing the “sip-in” at their store to rally community and labor support ahead of their union election.

“SMART 110 participated to show support and solidarity with these folks in their effort to unionize,“ said Local 110 Organizer Jeremy Waugh.

Solidarity forever!

On November 1, 2025, SMART Local 409 (Halifax, Nova Scotia) will celebrate 80 years since being chartered, a major milestone in the local’s history.

Local 409 has a lot to celebrate, maintaining 100% employment in recent years, growing its workforce and increasing membership diversity. But while the local honours its past, it is also focused on the future, with plans to continue expanding and leading in Nova Scotia’s thriving construction industry.

Local 409 apprentices compete in the 1982 apprenticeship competition.

For the past two years, Local 409 has maintained a 100% employment rate. A key driver behind this success is Nova Scotia’s construction boom, as well as the positive reputation and reliability of Local 409 and its contractors. As the province’s population continues to grow, so does the demand for new infrastructure.

Local 409 has been able to meet this demand with its growing and diverse workforce. In just a few years, the local has grown from 265 to 375 members, with a focus on organizing and creating a more inclusive union, including by offering support to Ukrainian refugees and other new Canadians who have settled in Nova Scotia. Local 409 stepped up to welcome and integrate these newcomers into SMART, offering not just job opportuni­ties but a sense of support and camaraderie.

Business Manager George MacDonald emphasized the value of this approach, highlighting immigration as a way to grow the local for the long term: “We have members looking to get their permanent residency and stay as long-time SMART members.”

Another major growth factor for Local 409 was the official designation of architectural cladding as a trade under SMART’s jurisdiction in Nova Scotia. This gave Local 409 the ability to attract carpenters and glaziers who had previously been performing similar work with other trade unions, as well as nonunion cladders, bringing these workers into the SMART family. It also allowed Local 409 to better promote the trade by offering and supporting a certificate of qualification when others were not, helping to raise the profile of architectural cladding as a specialized trade.

“These members have come over from other trade unions, and we’ve given them no reason to think about going back,” MacDonald said. “We treat and represent our people the best we can under SMART.”

As Local 409 celebrates its progress, it also made history recently, becoming the first local to put forward a female competitor at the Canadian Convention roofing appren­ticeship competition. The local’s apprentice, Breann, excelled, earning second place. Breann is known for her outstanding torching skills and work ethic as a roofing foreperson with SMART’s signatory contractor, Flynn.

Looking ahead, MacDonald has goals for the future, including a Local 409 training centre that would give members the opportunity to enhance or develop skills. This long-term investment is especially important as Local 409 prepares to staff upcoming megaprojects, including the $5 billion first phase of the QE2 hospital project — which will require more than 130 sheet metal workers — and a proposal to build a major clean energy initiative involving jet fuel production. With these large-scale projects on the horizon, Local 409 is ensuring its members are ready to meet the demand and continue shaping Nova Scotia’s future.

As Local 409 celebrates this milestone anniversary, its history of leadership, advocacy and forward thinking is clear. The local has built a foundation focused on prog­ress, solidarity and inclusion.

As MacDonald put it, “Everything we do here is about creating good stories. We want to make sure that our story is out there — that hey, come to 409, you are treated well, and you are treated fairly, and you can have a great career in our union. We try to help everybody we can here.”

Bargaining collectively is one of the pillars of our union — the reason SMART members win stellar pay, family-supporting benefits and protections on the job. That’s why local leaders attended the SMART Education Department’s newly revised Collective Bargaining class from October 20 – 24 in Houston, Texas.

“This class focuses on helping a local’s negotiations committee work together better through understanding how to divide up the workload based on their individual personality styles, and then utilizing their individual strengths collectively to get a better outcome,” said SMART Education Director Eli Baccus.

The content of the class was developed in collaboration with the SMART Jurisdiction, Production Workers and Canadian Affairs Departments. Topics include bargaining power, good-faith bargaining, contract costing, proposal development, tactics to avoid impasse, utilizing the National Joint Adjustment Board and more. In addition, International Organizer Frank Greer facilitated the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Thomas-Kilmann Instrument Assessment to help participants and groups better understand their own strengths and weaknesses on the negotiation committees.

The class included participant feedback and evaluation, with attendees grouped in fictional local unions and scored by their classmates based on their performance.

“Congratulations to ‘Local 2’ — Anthony Silvestri (Local 292), Bryan Johnson (Local 66), Dave Angelo (Local 80), Dave Hartsuck (Local 80) and Wayne Petty (Local 66) — for being recognized by their peers as the top team in the class,” Baccus said.

On October 30, the SMART Transportation Division announced that members on Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Norfolk Southern (NS), Canadian National (CN) and several Class II and Class III railroads voted to ratify a new, five-year collective bargaining agreement that delivers substantial economic gains and key benefit improvements — without any concessions.

“SMART-TD railroaders work tirelessly, day in and day out, to keep this country moving, and they deserve to be rewarded with a contract that meets their demands,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman in response. “With substantial raises and improvements for medical, dental, vision and vacation benefits, President Jeremy Ferguson and his team made it clear that they heard those demands. The fact that almost 70% of voting members chose to approve this agreement speaks for itself. I want to congratulate Jeremy and his team on their work securing this agreement, and I want to thank every SMART-TD railroader for standing up for each other, making their voices heard and fighting for the contract they have earned.”