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Courtesy of the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance.

SMART sisters and allies joined nearly 250 fellow union tradeswomen in southeast Chicago for the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USA) Tradeswomen’s Fishing Event, held in conjunction with the 15th Annual Tradeswomen Build Nations (TWBN) Conference.

The USA’s women’s fishing event has quickly become a TWBN tradition, with participation quadrupling since it began in 2022. The event offers union sisters the chance to step away from the conference, try something new and celebrate solidarity in the great outdoors. It also has a deeper impact for participants: In 2023, USA’s TWBN excursion inspired Local 85 (Atlanta) apprentice Dee Lee to organize a cross-trades USA event in her area, a “Unions Unite” community service project.

For Gretchen Keen, a member of SMART Local 20 (Indianapolis, Ind.) who began her trade career as an ironworker, the day was about recreation and building relationships.

“I’m an avid angler, so starting off the conference fishing was a highlight,” Keen said. “I even met another ironworker, and when she works in my area, we’re going to hang out. The camaraderie and support are awesome.”

SMART General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers, Jr., left

With the help of the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF) and Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the event took place at William Powers State Recreation Area on Chicago’s far southeast side, a neighborhood often overlooked for outdoor recreation. The site is home to an ongoing USA Work Boots on the Ground conservation project, which includes construction of a fishing dock and kayak launch to expand public access to the outdoors.

Joseph Sellers, Jr., SMART general president emeritus, attended to show his support and check out the access project.

“The fishing event was great. It was gratifying to see so many women dropping a line in a lake right in the city,” Sellers said. “Seeing their excitement come alive and knowing the USA is bridging the gap by making fishing accessible to everyone was inspiring. The new kayak ramp and fishing pier are great examples of the USA opening the outdoors to more people.”

“We are thrilled with how the USA’s tradeswomen event continues to grow, bringing together women from more trades and locals every year,” added USA Director of Conservation Sam Phipps. “We are extremely grateful to the United Association, NABTU, United Healthcare, ICF, Illinois DNR, and the volunteers from Sheet Metal Workers Local 73 and Painters District Council 30 for making the event possible.”

In late August, President Trump’s Department of Transportation canceled $679 million in federal funding for 12 offshore wind projects across the country. That included fully taking back hundreds of millions of dollars in grant money for infrastructure work at Humboldt Bay Harbor District in Northern California — immediately throwing Local 104 members’ work opportunities into question, in the short and long term.

“As long as this administration makes decisions that directly impact our members, I’m going to keep calling balls and strikes. This decision is clearly a ball,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “For our members in Northern California, this was a once-in-a-lifetime project — one that was going to create dozens of jobs in the short term, and keep employing Local 104 sheet metal workers for the long haul. Taking back that grant money, which was already awarded, just makes zero sense.”

The DOT had originally awarded a $426 million infrastructure grant to the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, allowing the Harbor District and the Building and Construction Trades Council of Humboldt and Del Norte Counties — which includes Local 104 — to agree to the very first project labor agreement in the region. Around 90% of that grant was earmarked for the development of a heavy-lift marine terminal to support offshore wind; money that has since been pulled back, putting construction in jeopardy.

When SMART members hear “offshore wind,” they may not immediately think “sheet metal jobs.” But the fact is, the Humboldt offshore wind development would have turned a brownfield site into a full-blown, brand-new facility, expected to include multiple new buildings. That means sheet metal work: duct fabrication, facility construction and potentially up to dozens of Local 104 members on-site at various project phases. And that was just the immediate opportunity. The offshore wind company, RWE, had signed a memorandum of understanding that committed to using union labor for long-term operations and maintenance of the facility, guaranteeing work for years to come. 

“In short, this project represented a generational opportunity for our members in an area that doesn’t see many large infrastructure projects,” said Local 104 State Legislative Director Vince Sugrue. “The cuts are a devastating blow to the immediate construction jobs that would have put our members to work, but also to the long-term union maintenance and operations jobs that were guaranteed under the MOU.”

The Humboldt Bay Harbor District is just one example of many jeopardized jobs across the country. In Massachusetts, the DOT canceled $34 million in federal funding for the Salem Wind Port Project, where work had already started. The project was expected to create 800 construction jobs over the next couple years.

“Our government leaders have the power to do things that directly benefit our members. Federal funding for these port projects is a great example of that,” General President Coleman said. “Taking that funding away, and threatening our members’ jobs by doing so, is just not the right thing to do for members, our families or our country.”

Additional projects impacted:

Withdrawn funding:

  • Sparrows Point Steel Marshalling Port Project (Maryland)
  • Bridgeport Port Authority Operations and Maintenance Wind Port Project (Connecticut)
  • Wind Port at Paulsboro (New Jersey)
  • Arthur Kill Terminal (Staten Island, New York)
  • Gateway Upgrades for Access, Resiliency & Development at the Port of Davisville Project (Rhode Island)
  • Norfolk Offshore Wind Logistics Port (Virginia)

Terminated funding:

  • Redwood Marine Terminal Project Planning (Northern California)
  • Lake Erie Renewable Energy Resilience Project (Michigan)
  • Radio Island Rail Improvements in Support of Offshore Wind (Maryland)
  • PMT Offshore Wind Development (Virginia)

When the Big Beautiful Bill was passed in July, workers governed by the Railway Labor Act were not included in a tax break on overtime pay. But on Friday, September 19, a bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress to include rail workers in the tax exemption. If the bill passes and is signed into law, overtime worked by railroaders will qualify for the same federal tax deduction that millions of other workers will receive starting next year.

“When the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed earlier this year, one of the only possible bright spots for union workers was the tax deduction benefit on qualifying overtime pay. But that benefit excluded the people who work day in and day out to keep our country moving: SMART-TD and SMART-MD rail workers,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “That wasn’t acceptable. We started working right away to fix that problem, and now, we have legislation that would do just that. I want to note that this is a bipartisan bill. That’s important, because our issues aren’t red or blue. They’re about our members having the pay, benefits and respect that they deserve. They are American issues.

“SMART members work tirelessly to serve the American people, and they deserve the same shot at tax savings as other workers. All of us at SMART thank Representatives Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Tom Suozzi (NY-3), Nick LaLota (NY-1), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) and Steven Horsford (NV-4) for introducing this bill, and we encourage any lawmaker who stands with rail workers to move this legislation forward.”

The SMART Education Department and Production Workers Department held the third annual Production Institute in Indianapolis, Ind., during the week of August 25, 2025 — bringing together union officials from across North America, including rank-and-file stewards, to train on how to effectively represent SMART production members.

The Production Institute is a three-year, progressive-format class, with attendees from last year advancing to the second round of courses. A new first-year class attended in 2025, along with the returning 2023 and 2024 groups. The first years studied the basics of labo(u)r history, steward training and collective bargaining. The second-year class was focused on a more in-depth investigation of organizing, steward training and collective bargaining. Finally, the third-year class prepared for and role-played a mock grievance arbitration and collective bargaining sessions.

“Each day, all three classes were brought together to talk about subjects like right to work and knowing your rights for the U.S. participants, while the Canadians discussed top-down organizing strategies in the production sector,” said SMART Director of Education Eli Baccus. “Congratulations to the third-year class for being the first-ever students to graduate from the Production Institute!”

SMART Local 104 and the Bay Area Industry Training Fund hosted the Western States Apprentice Contest on July 18-19, 2025, at its Livermore, California, training center. Sixteen apprentices from five locals participated in the first contest in the region since 2011. Another first: the addition of the project management category, which made its debut for the first time at any regional contest.

Nate Vennarucci, training coordinator, speaking with Local 104 apprentice Rebecca Suen

California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii make up the SMART Western States Region, and apprentices and coordinators from Local 104, Local 105 in Southern California, Local 206 in San Diego, Local 359 in Phoenix, Arizona, and Local 26 in Sparks, Nevada, were represented at the contest. Each training program was allowed to send one competitor per 300 apprentices.

The competition projects were divided into four categories: architectural, HVAC, industrial/welding and project management, which tested apprentices on their organizational skills and attention to detail in a leadership position.

To compete, apprentices worked long days designing a gutter system, fabricating and installing a duct system, and performing field verification and site measurement. Working side by side, then decompressing together after tasks, they were forging connections with other future industry leaders.

In the new project management category, Austin Cummings, a third-year apprentice at Local 105, placed first, with Alex Giroux of Local 104 earning second place and Rebecca Suen of Local 104 placing third.

In the architectural category, Esteban Mercado, a third-year apprentice at Local 104, took first place, and there was a three-way tie for second place: Trevor Baker of Local 104, along with Dillon Uhern and Richard Morrison, both of Local 105. Giroux came in third.

In the HVAC category, there was a tie for first place between Mercado and Morrison. Baker took second, and Uhern came in third.

For the industrial/welding category, Uhern took first place with Suen in second and Tristan Haynes of Local 104 in third place.

Scores from all categories were combined to award the overall winners, and the honor of first place overall went to Morrison, with Cummings in second place and Uhern in third.

“Coming out of it, I thought I did all right but didn’t expect this,” Morrison said. “I prayed a lot.”

After years with no regional contest, this one came together thanks to an apprentice contest grant from the International Training Institute (ITI). Milwaukee Tool, a longtime partner with the sheet metal industry, generously donated an array of prizes.

Tim Myres, administrator for Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 104 and Bay Area Industry Training Fund, was a driving force behind restarting this contest, and training coordinator Nate Vennarucci and instructor Ben Alva, both from Local 104, put in the work to create and test the projects used in the contest, a process that began in October 2024.

Jason Ferguson, ITI field representative, was on hand to support the event and meet face-to-face with coordinators. He said the sense of accomplishment you feel as an instructor or coordinator, watching your apprentices succeed, is even greater than winning yourself.

“These apprentices are your future leaders, and today they’re getting to know others in the industry,” Ferguson said. “Intentional or not, they’re collaborating, they’re strengthening those relationships.”

After the SMART Railroad, Mechanical and Engineering Department (SMART-MD) reached a tentative agreement for SMART-MD members working on Union Pacific Railroad (UP), the American Arbitration Association has finalized the vote count and advised that members ratified their agreement unanimously.

The agreement is based on the terms of the agreements reached with other freight rail carriers and provides a variety of improvements including:

  • Annual general wage increases effective July 1st of each calendar year, totaling 17.5% (over 18.75% when compounded).
  • Paid vacation days for new-hire employees and accelerated qualification and accrual of paid vacation for tenured employees. 
  • Substantial increases for vision frame allowances from $115 to $250 every two years and the orthodontia lifetime maximum benefit increased from $1,000 to $2,500 per covered individual. 
  • Optional high-deductible health plan with lower monthly cost-share contribution that will be available in 2026. 
  • Increased Opt-Out Payment of $200 per month for employees who select not to have health insurance. 

SMART-MD members should expect backpay issued by UP within sixty (60) days of August 29, 2025 (October 24, 2025).

“Our Railroad, Mechanical and Engineering Department dedicated themselves to reaching an agreement that met the demands of our members. With this 100% ratification vote, SMART members at Union Pacific made one thing clear: this is an agreement they can be proud of, and that recognizes their work,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “SMART members keep our economy moving, and they deserve a contract that rewards them for that. I’m proud of every member who stood up for what they have earned, and I congratulate the SMART-MD negotiating team for securing real gains for our members.”

“This ratification is a clear victory for our UP members,” said SMART General Committee 2 Directing Chairperson John McCloskey. “It reflects their unity and commitment to securing a stronger future. Thank you to every member that voted to make this agreement possible.”

“The ratified agreement provides real wage increases, plus substantial improvements to paid time off and health and welfare benefits with an added benefit option for those that want it in 2026,” added SMART-MD Director Peter Kennedy. “It is a respectable agreement, and I appreciate the members taking the time to review their ratification packet and vote their conscience.” 

Labour Day is a time to honour the Canadian labour movement’s victories for workers, and recommit ourselves to continuing that work.

The labour movement fought for the eight-hour workday, safe job sites, fair wages, meaningful benefits, and the dignity and respect every worker deserves. These necessities were achieved through the collective strength, solidarity and determination of working people who stood together in the pursuit of fairness.

Thanks to their efforts, our industry can enjoy protections that many only dreamed of. And just as past generations fought to make our working lives safer and fairer, we have a responsibility to do the same for future generations.

At SMART Canada, we remain committed to defending the rights of our workers, inspiring every member and building an inclusive, respectful workplace for all. The work of the labour movement is not done, but together, we will continue to raise the bar for progress.

Happy Labour Day.

In solidarity,

Jack Wall
Director of Canadian Affairs
SMART

“I committed early on that I would call balls and strikes with this administration. Not everything this administration has done, or will do moving forward, is going to be harmful to our members. But this is CLEARLY a ball.”

On August 28, 2025, United States Surface Transportation Board member Robert Primus was removed after his position as a member of the board was “terminated.” SMART General President Michael Coleman responded:

“Our SMART-TD railroaders work long, hard hours, day in and day out, to keep our country moving. And they count on public servants like Robert Primus and the Surface Transportation Board to hold the carriers accountable, and to make certain that headcounts are kept adequate and that customers are provided reasonable service. During his time on the board, Mr. Primus has done exactly that. And that’s why his removal from the STB makes absolutely no sense.

“As our SMART-TD leaders pointed out earlier today, Mr. Primus has been a solid supporter of service over efficiencies, challenging Precision Scheduled Railroading and taking on Class I CEOs for unjustifiable job cuts. He was the only board member to oppose the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroad merger, and he was a champion for our members during the recent STB hearings. Now, he has been kicked off the STB — the board in charge of either approving or denying the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern merger. That is something we can’t just ignore. And, to be quite honest, it is a five-alarm fire for anyone who believes corporations shouldn’t just get their way because they say so.

“Let me be 100% clear: SMART will always stand up for our rail members. That’s why we stand with Robert Primus. We call for him to be restored to his position so he can continue to serve railroads, shippers, SMART-TD members and the American people, as he has done so well.”

In 2022, after President Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Congress set aside funds created by the law for a grants program at the Department of Energy that would help public schools perform energy efficiency improvements.

Thanks to the strong labor standards included in the infrastructure law, that program — titled Renew America’s Schools — helped put SMART members to work across the country, taking on energy efficiency jobs in places like Alabama and Oregon.  

And by law, the grant funding and resulting job opportunities for SMART members are supposed to continue through the end of the 2026 fiscal year. Each year since fiscal year 2022, Congress appropriated funding to the Department of Energy to carry out the Renew America’s Schools program. Just like other years, the DOE announced a third round of funding opportunity in fiscal year 2025. Submissions from school districts were due on April 3, 2025.

Watch the first episode of SMART News for coverage of IAQ work in Washington schools.

However, following President Trump’s January executive orders regarding funds from the infrastructure law, the DOE delayed funding awards to conduct a review for alignment with the new administration’s policies. So far, it is unclear whether the Department of Energy has resumed committing FY 2025 funds for the program.

So, what does that all mean?

It means that as of January 2025, schools aren’t getting the funds they need to improve their facilities, and SMART sheet metal members are losing out on potential work.

“For the last few years, sheet metal workers have done energy efficiency work at public schools across our country, thanks in large part to this program,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “The Renew America’s Schools program is just common sense. It makes schools better, it benefits kids and teachers, and it helps SMART members support themselves and their families.”

“It doesn’t matter who you voted for — I can’t think of anyone who wanted this program, which already has money set aside for it, to be paused,” he added.

Governmental Accountability Office finds DOE violated federal law

The United States Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) is a nonpartisan institution that, according to its website, “provides Congress, the heads of executive agencies, and the public with timely, fact-based, non-partisan information that can be used to improve government and save taxpayers billions of dollars.” Part of that role includes protecting Congress’s “power of the purse,” a phrase that refers to the Constitution laying out that Congress has authority over government spending.

Unless Congress has passed a law that changes how funding is distributed, the GAO noted in its report, executive branch officials and agencies like the Department of Energy need to follow through on awarding appropriated funds when funding is made available. That’s what “power of the purse” means in practice.

“The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA) allows the President to withhold funds from obligation, but only under strictly limited circumstances and only in a manner consistent with that Act. The ICA was enacted to ensure that legislation passed by Congress and signed by the President is faithfully executed,” the GAO wrote. 

“We find that DOE violated the ICA,” the office added. “Considering that the funds were withheld for policy reasons and the uncertainty of whether DOE has or will resume obligating FY 2025 funds for the Schools Program, we conclude DOE violated the ICA when it delayed the obligation of FY 2025 Schools Program funds.”

In other words, it’s not just the fact that funding for the Renew America’s Schools program is in no man’s land, taking potential SMART jobs with it. According to the GAO, the Department of Energy is actually violating federal law by delaying those funds.

“There’s really no good reason for this funding to be delayed,” General President Coleman concluded. “It’s bad for our schools, our kids and our educators, and it’s bad for our members. We hope President Trump will stand up for SMART members and make sure his Department of Energy awards funding through the Renew America’s Schools program.”

On Monday, August 25, Kilmar Abrego Garcia attended a mandatory check-in with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement in Baltimore, where he was detained. In response, SMART General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement:

“On Monday morning, just days after he finally saw his family again, Kilmar followed the law by attending a mandatory check-in with ICE — and he was detained. According to his lawyers, ICE did not say why they are detaining Kilmar or where they are taking him.

“At SMART, we fight for the principle of due process every single day. We stand for the fundamental American value that all our members, and everyone in this country, are innocent until proven guilty. Let’s be very clear: Kilmar deserves his day in court. And if the government wants to send him to jail, they need to prove his guilt in court.  

“As of this morning, Kilmar has filed a lawsuit challenging his detention and deportation, ‘unless and until he [has] a fair trial in an immigration court, as well as his full appeal rights.’ We stand with Kilmar’s family and supporters in demanding he receive a fair trial and the chance to make his case in court.”