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Brothers and Sisters,

On behalf of myself and the SMART General Executive Council, I’d like to wish all our Canadian brothers and sisters, and your families, a happy Canada Day.

Canada Day commemorates the day of Canada’s Confederation in 1867 – and this year, the holiday arrives on the back of major progress for our union.

On March 28, the Government of Canada released the 2023 Federal Budget, which included strong investments to build Canada’s green economy, as well as one of the strongest definitions of prevailing wage in Canadian history. By tying incentives for tax credits to a prevailing wage that incorporates union compensation, including benefits and pension contributions, this Federal Budget will raise workers’ living standards and create good-paying, middle-class jobs as we build our green energy future.

The federal government continues to invest in the Union Training Innovation Program, which provides new funding streams for our local unions and training centers. And Canada’s net-zero goal, which requires the retrofitting of all buildings across our country, will put sheet metal workers and roofers on jobs for years to come.

These are huge victories that could not have been won without the perseverance and advocacy of our Canadian members. But we still have much to achieve.

Canada’s green energy goals will create a workforce demand that will require our union to grow. In order to do so, we must collaborate with the government to bring more workers into the skilled trades; organize in municipalities and provinces across our nation; and make sure we are present in every community, ready to lift Canadians of all backgrounds into a union career.

Workers in every industry and sector are fighting for better treatment and working conditions, and we all have a role to play in helping those workers achieve the freedom and dignity of a union career. That includes our Indigenous brothers and sisters, women, people of color and other communities that have been marginalized throughout Canada’s history. When we build a labour movement that is inclusive and welcoming of all Canadian workers, we will be truly unstoppable.

Finally, as you celebrate Canada Day with loved ones, I want to encourage all of us to honour the generations of Canadians who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and democracy.

Happy Canada Day – enjoy the holiday, and please stay safe.

Ahead of former SMART General President Sellers’ retirement, he sat down with General President Coleman to discuss Sellers’ career, his proudest accomplishments, Coleman’s priorities as general president and the future of SMART.

“It’s been a great honor to serve you as our general president, representing our brothers and sisters who keep our two nations moving. It’s a privilege that I have cherished, and I have not taken for granted,” Sellers said.

Both Sellers and Coleman agreed: The time is now to secure generational progress for SMART members across industries. Megaprojects are breaking ground across North America, rail safety legislation continues to advance in state houses and the federal government, and members are sounding the alarm on important issues like bus and transit operator safety. Momentum is on our side, Sellers and Coleman each pointed out; now we need to take advantage.

“We are going to push forward,” Coleman said. “We are going to represent our members on a day in and day out basis. The team that we’ve built here wants to do that, and we’re working as a team to better the lives of sheet metal workers and transportation workers. This is our moment; this is where we need to be.”

Communities across the nation are once again facing a dangerous air quality crisis due to smoke emanating from the Canadian wildfires. As people across North America seek refuge indoors, it is crucial to understand that the smoke and pollutants from the wildfires can easily infiltrate indoor spaces through various openings, resulting in higher concentrations of harmful substances.

One such substance, PM2.5, is airborne particulate matter smaller than 1/70th the diameter of a human hair and can contain dangerous levels of heavy metals and other toxins. A study conducted by Stanford University revealed that this type of air pollution may be up to 10 times more hazardous for children than other forms of air pollution.

In light of this alarming situation, SMART and SMACNA have jointly put forth several essential steps for the public during wildfires:

  • Close doors and windows. This helps to limit the intrusion of smoke into indoor spaces.
  • Verify proper operation and maintenance of ventilation systems. Just like electrical wiring and plumbing, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems can cause damage if mishandled. It is advisable to seek the assistance of skilled and trained HVAC professionals to ensure the optimal functioning of your system.
  • Ensure adequate ventilation rates. Your HVAC system should provide the required minimum ventilation rate. Additionally, if applicable, disable the economizer or eco-friendly option on your system. An HVAC professional will be able to guide you through this process.
  • Avoid creating negative air pressure. Do not turn off your ventilation/HVAC system while running exhaust fans in your bathroom or kitchen, as this can create negative air pressure, causing untreated outdoor air to seep in through openings, cracks, etc.
  • Check filters. Regularly inspect and clean the filters in your HVAC system. In most cases, a MERV 13-rated filter or a HEPA filter will provide optimal filtration. It is recommended to consult with an HVAC professional to determine the best filter for your unit.

The hazardous conditions resulting from the wildfires also emphasize the importance of conducting a Ventilation Verification Assessment for commercial, apartment and school buildings. This assessment, carried out by certified technicians, provides essential data to identify any corrective actions required to combat pollutants in both indoor and outdoor air.

Safeguarding our health in times of dangerous air quality relies on the presence of high-quality HVAC and ventilation systems. By following the recommended steps and seeking professional assistance, people across North America can minimize the infiltration of harmful pollutants and create a safer indoor environment for themselves and their families.

Michael Coleman, a longtime SMART member with decades of leadership experience at the local and international level, assumed the position of SMART general president on June 1, 2023, following the retirement of Joseph Sellers on May 31. Coleman was elected general president by the SMART General Executive Council, which in turn was elected by delegates to the 2019 SMART General Convention.

“It is the honor of my lifetime to serve this great union – one that has given myself and my family everything we have,” said Coleman. “General President Sellers has worked tirelessly to position this union for success in the future, from winning pro-worker federal legislation to helping oversee the Green Zone certification of the Sheet Metal Workers National Pension Fund. I look forward to building on his legacy and working to advance SMART members’ priorities.”

SMART General President Michael Coleman (right) tours the Blue Oval City project in Stanton, Tenn.

Coleman began his career as a SMART sheet metal worker in 1985, when he joined what was then Local 65 in Cleveland, Ohio (Local 65 merged with Local 33 soon after). After graduating into journeyperson status and honing his craft for several years, he ran for election as a member of the local’s executive board. From there, he became business representative, then Local 33 president and business manager in 2012.

At Local 33, Coleman cultivated a reputation for pursuing innovative strategies in order to organize more members, effectively structure benefit and pension plans, provide greater flexibility to members and more. He worked tirelessly to boost the local’s profile throughout northern Ohio and West Virginia and demonstrated a willingness to think outside the box in taking on the challenges our union faces.  

Seven years later, Coleman moved to Washington, DC to work as SMART’s director of business and management relations. Shortly after that, General President Sellers asked Coleman to become assistant to the general president, a position in which he served until May 31, 2023. In all, Coleman has more than 20 years of dedicated leadership at the local and international level. He played a crucial role during SMART’s second-ever General Convention in 2019, serving as secretary of the Constitution Committee and shepherding through 114 proposed amendments – helping to facilitate the democratic process of our union and positioning SMART for future success.

During the last decade, SMART members have mobilized to win transformational victories for working families across North America. SMART sheet metal workers are on the forefront of new and pending megaprojects funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as partnering with the Biden administration to perform much-needed indoor air quality work. The union’s political advocacy has helped spark forward progress on regulation related to two-person freight train crews and rail safety, and SMART’s organizing activity led to groundbreaking wins in Alaska, California and beyond. Coleman, who plans to hit the road to meet with SMART members in his first months as general president, vowed to continue this forward progress.

“The members are the union – that was the core value of this union when I joined in 1985, and it remains the foundational principle of SMART to this day,” he said. “When we come together to fight for our jobs, our communities and our families, we cannot be stopped. This is our time, and I will work as hard as I can to help us seize this opportunity.”

Watch an interview with General President Michael Coleman from episode 7 of SMART News.

Each year on Memorial Day – today in the United States and on July 1 in Canada – every member of our union comes together to remember and honor all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the principles of freedom and democracy. SMART is founded on the fundamental ideas of solidarity, camaraderie and working together for justice and democracy in the workplace, and our gratitude for those who do the same in our military knows no limit.

Many of our union brothers and sisters are themselves military servicemembers or veterans; countless others have family or friends who served or are serving our two nations, and every single one of us has been impacted beyond measure by these heroes’ courage and selflessness. That’s why our union is proud to do what we can do give back to veterans and active-duty servicemembers. One example: The SMART Heroes program, which provides accelerated sheet metal apprenticeship training to transitioning military servicemembers and new veterans, recently graduated its 500th participant. Hear more from two SMART Heroes participants.

Today and every day, we pay tribute to our military veterans and active-duty servicemembers, and we thank them and their families for their service and sacrifice. As you enjoy the holiday weekend with family and friends, please remember and honor all our veterans and servicemembers.

Learn more about SMART works to honor and give back to military veterans and servicemembers.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is threatening to let the United States default on its debt. $10 trillion of that debt is the result of tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations that his party championed. A default would be catastrophic for the economy, wiping out nearly 6 million jobs and $12 trillion of household wealth. This cannot happen. 

Send a pre-written email to your representative now – tell Congress to keep paying the bills!

The bottom line is this: we all have to pay our bills. When it comes due, we don’t get to pick and choose which one or when we pay. Speaker McCarthy and the anti-worker politicians threatening default seem to think the rules don’t apply to them. Instead of working for solutions, they are using the threat of default to push forward legislation that would directly harm SMART members, playing a game of chicken with our economy and with our families’ bottom lines.

Their proposed legislation could cut funding for the Veterans’ Health Administration, making it harder for those who served our nation to get the care they need; rescind unused COVID funding that could be used to save union pension plans; reduce funding for the Federal Railway Administration; and rescind tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act, threatening the incentives that would help create good, union jobs for SMART members.  

Independent economists say this single bill would cost 780,000 working Americans their jobs by the end of 2024 alone. We have come too far and can’t afford to be dragged back to the days our Union and working families were under constant attack! 

Email your representative using this pre-written form TODAY. Tell Congress: DO NOT default on American workers.  

Young people from around Kentucky braved rainstorms to spend several hours honing their fishing skills on Saturday, May 20, during three separate Take Kids Fishing Day events hosted by the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA), SMART Local 110 (Louisville, Ky.) and the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Services.

While the weather may have dampened the venues — Jacobson Park in Lexington, Waverly Park in Louisville and Bob Noble Park in Paducah — it didn’t lessen the kids’ spirit or excitement, according to event organizer and Local 110 Business Manager Mark Adams.

“Every child received a free rod-and-reel from the USA and got the chance to catch a few fish,” he said. “Everyone had a fantastic time, despite the weather.”

In all, 75 children participated in the three events, learning how to bait hooks, cast a line and land catfish, bluegills and trout under the mentorship of Local 110 members who volunteered their time to coach the budding anglers. In Lexington, members of the Cadentown Mission Baptist Men’s Group joined union volunteers in helping kids catch fish.

From the planning stage through the close of each event, union members donated 110 hours of their time to this community outreach program.

“This is the third year we’ve held the Take Kids Fishing Day events,” Adams noted. “Our local members are sportsmen and women, and they know what they’re doing. Our focus is on helping each kid catch fish, especially if it is their first time holding a fishing rod.”

Recruiting new people into the sport of fishing, and hopefully igniting an interest in preserving and conserving the country’s valuable natural resources, is only part of the goal in hosting events like these for the community, Adams added.

“They also help strengthen the bond between union workers and the people in their neighborhoods,” he explained. “They help us show the community what the union is all about, supporting our neighbors while providing secure employment opportunities for our members. I guarantee SMART 110 will be holding this event for a long time to come.”

“Too many children seldom get the opportunity to go fishing, or participate in any type of outdoor recreation,” said Cody Campbell, USA Conservation Coordinator. “The Take Kids Fishing Days we and volunteers from union locals in various states host every year offer hundreds of kids that chance, at least for a day. The mentoring that union volunteers provide will hopefully give many of them the confidence to pursue fishing as a fun, life-long pastime.” 

The SMART Local 110 events were part of a series of free, community-based Take Kids Fishing Day events, organized through the USA’s Work Boots on the Ground program with support from USA national partners Provost Umphrey Law Firm, Union Plus, and Humana as well as founding partners UIG, ULLICO, Bank of Labor, AFL-CIO Investment Trust Corporation and Buck Knives.

Wage theft and worker misclassification are forms of exploitation that litter the construction industry, where unscrupulous employers take advantage of employees to pay them less than what they are owed. A recent Economic Policy Institute (EPI) study found that construction workers lose out on as much as $16,729 per year in income and job benefits; the EPI also reported that wage theft costs American workers as much as $50 billion per year — more than annual robberies, burglaries and motor vehicle thefts combined.

SMART locals are fighting against such practices from coast to coast – helping workers win the pay that they deserve.

Watch coverage of victories against wage theft and worker misclassification by SMART local unions.

“Wage theft is occurring everywhere in the construction industry, and employers will take advantage of those people who may not know what their rights are or have any idea of what prevailing wages are,” SMART Local 16 (Portland, Oregon) Business Manager Brian Noble explained in a recent episode of SMART News. “That’s who they prey on.”

SMART Local 16 has filed 10 prevailing wage complaints against 360 Sheet Metal, an aggressively anti-union contractor in Vancouver, Washington, whose workers previously went on strike after joining Local 16. The company was paying workers $12 to $15 an hour for fabricating duct in its shop, at a time when the prevailing wage (which applies to fabrication of ductwork in the state) was more than $65 an hour.

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has resolved four of the 10 complaints so far.

“In those four cases,” Noble said, “they found that [the owner of 360 Sheet Metal] owed over $200,000 in back wages to 20 workers, and they assessed $115,000 in penalties for failing to pay prevailing wage in the shop.”  

In Virginia, meanwhile, SMART Local 100 filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) alleging that a nonunion contractor on the Potomac Yards Metro Station project had misclassified sheet metal workers performing metal roofing work on the station. This resulted in them being paid approximately 60% less than the prevailing wage – hurting those workers and taking work away from Local 100.

“Misclassification is pretty rampant across the country,” explained Local 100 Marketing Director Chuck Sewell to SMART News. “Our contractors have to abide by certain rules, they have to pay certain rates, they know what the rates are, so that’s how they bid the projects. If you have these low-wage contractors come in and undercut everybody and get the project, it takes work hours from the local.”

The DOL investigation, which ended in the fall of 2022, found that the employees in question were, in fact, misclassified, resulting in more than $288,000 in back wages being recovered for eight workers.

Such wins against wage theft and worker misclassifications are critical for employees, ensuring that they are fairly compensated for their labor. They also demonstrate the crucial role unions play in representing all workers, including those who have yet to be organized.

“It’s important that we make sure all workers are represented and get what they deserve,” Noble concluded. “[It’s vital] that we stop these employers from undercutting our contractors and the industry, and most importantly, that these underrepresented workers are getting what’s truly owed to them.”

The RSA, which was born from the East Palestine derailment and contains two-person crew language, cleared its first major hurdle today when it passed through the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. The bill’s passage through committee was not without controversy and fireworks, with a debate between two Republican Senators during a discussion of amendments. However, at the end of the meeting, the RSA was passed and now moves on to the Senate.  

As a rule, freshman legislators on every level are expected to spend their first year, if not their first term, being seen and not heard. There is a tremendous learning curve, and most are happy to take in all of the information and calibrate themselves before becoming vocal, especially when taking on the standard bearers of their own political parties.  

Unlike most other Senators, JD Vance (R-Ohio) had the luxury of a learning curve taken away from him by the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Like a first-round draft-pick quarterback who has to put down the clipboard and step into the game before planned, Vance was thrown into the middle of the action.  

Today – May 10, 2023 – Vance helped usher the Rail Safety Act of 2023 to a bipartisan 16-11 win in the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.  

Vance’s opening statement in support of the bill came directly on the heels of longtime Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) pulling his support for the Vance/Brown Bill. In the face of this adversity, Vance came out swinging. Among other holes he poked in Cruz’s argument against the bill, he said: “We cannot on the one hand acknowledge that Ohio taxpayers and Ohio citizens are bearing the cost of this accident and on the other hand say that it’s ridiculous to require the railroad industry to do a little bit more on safety. They should be incurring some additional costs so that another East Palestine doesn’t happen again.” 

In a direct response to Cruz’s damnation of his bill as being too costly for railroads to be expected to pay for, Vance added: “Yes, it may make rail transportation a little bit more expensive. But it’s going to make rail transportation a little more expensive in the service of safety. Because let’s be honest. We have allowed the rail industry to socialize the risk of their business while privatizing the rewards. The people of East Palestine are going to deal with the cost of what Norfolk Southern did for the next generation.” 

When the hearing was opened for Senators to offer amendments to the bill, another institution of the Senate and Vance’s Republican party, John Thune (R-South Dakota), offered an amendment he claimed would alleviate the burden of Class II and Class III railroads. In his remarks, he more than suggested that other legislators aren’t in touch with rural/agricultural economies. In the face of the Thune amendment, Vance responded, “There are a number of agricultural communities small and big in the state of Ohio and a lot in East Palestine. They bear the cost when railways set off chemical bombs in their community – which is exactly what happened a couple of months ago. Those costs have been socialized onto Ohio and American taxpayers.” 

Following Vance’s comments, the Thune amendment was defeated. Shortly after that success, Vance and the Railway Safety Act of 2023 scored a huge win for rail labor with a 16-11 passage of the bill (without the rejected amendments proposed by Cruz and Thune). For his part in the day’s proceedings, the newcomer received accolades not often heard in the halls of the United States Senate.  

Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) thanked Vance for his leadership and said that he was happy to lend his support to the legislation. Both Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and Committee Chair Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) made a point to highlight Vance’s acumen. Chair Cantwell said of Vance that, “I have to say, sir, you’ve come to the Senate and you’ve hit the ground running. And I appreciate that because you are responding to a crisis that happened in your state and you’re responding on behalf of your citizens so that this doesn’t happen again.” 

It goes without saying that SMART Transportation Division is encouraged by the bipartisan effort it took to get the Rail Safety Act of 2023 through the Senate committee, and we hope the sentiment continues as the bill now proceeds to the Senate floor and then onto the House.  

Rail safety is not for sale. America’s rail workers need legislation to reverse the harmful trajectory of the industry and to protect the communities in which they operate. We thank Senators Vance and Schmitt for their support, as well as every Democratic Senator on the Senate Commerce Committee for fighting to protect our members. 

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Brother David Colelli of Local 206 (Peru, Indiana), who passed away on May 5, 2023, at the age of 46.

Brother Colelli lived in the service of his family, both at work and in his personal life. Colelli, an 18-year member of SMART-TD, served his union proudly as legislative representative from 2012 through 2019.

On a family vacation in Pensacola, Florida, David’s five-year-old niece was caught in a riptide. Brother Colelli and one other person in their group succeeded in saving the young girl, but both succumbed to injuries suffered in the riptide incident.

In the words of Ken Edwards, state legislative director for Indiana: “There is no doubt that David was a hero. If you knew David, you know what a gentleman and what a great man he was. He loved his family more than anything.”

SMART-TD member David Colelli, who passed away in May 2023.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce Eltzroth; his father-in-law, Dean Eltzroth of Peru; his children, Devin Studebaker (Braxton) of Nyona Lake, Trey Christensen (Jamie) of Peru, Tanner Boggs of Peru, Izabella Colelli of Peru and Jocelynn Colelli of Peru; his grandchildren, Leeah, Kyson, Jason and Eliza; his siblings, Andrea, Amy, Katherine Colelli and Christopher Colelli; and his nieces, Dacia, Jaeden, Kailyn (Braxton) and Addyson (Chance).

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Eikenberry-Eddy Funeral Home (84 W Main St, Peru, IN 46970). A prayer will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, at 8 p.m. at the same location. A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Charles Catholic Church (58 W 5th St, Peru, IN 46970). A burial will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. at the St. Charles Catholic Cemetery (N Kelly Ave, Peru, IN 46970).

Local 206 Legislative Representative Pete Ulery, a longtime friend of Brother Colelli, said of David: “His family meant absolutely everything to the man. I know for a fact that if he knew the outcome, he would have done it all over again. That is the man I know him to be. David is a hero, and we will all remember him with the respect that he deserves.”

If you are able to make a donation to Brother Colelli’s family and would like to do so, please follow this link to the GoFundMe account established by Brother Ulery to benefit David’s wife and daughters.

SMART-TD is saddened at the loss of Brother David Colelli, and we are keeping his family and his brothers and sisters in Local 206 in our prayers.