SMART Sheet Metal Workers in Toronto, London, Hamilton, Thunder Bay, Niagara, and Ottawa — among others — have gone on strike as a response to the status of talks between the union and the Ontario Sheet Metal Contractors Association. The talks are not based around money, but about working conditions for people employed by Ontario contractors.
The previous three-year contract ran out May 1.
Author: paul
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced up to $33.5 million for early-stage research and development of advanced building construction techniques to reduce energy bills. Combined, America’s 118 million homes and 5.6 million commercial buildings account for approximately 40% of the nation’s total energy demand and use 75% of its electricity. Furthermore, about half of America’s homes and commercial buildings were built before 1980 when most of today’s more efficient products and building construction practices did not yet exist.
The Advanced Building Construction with Energy-Efficient Technologies & Practices (ABC) Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) aims to develop deep energy retrofit and new construction technologies that tackle a combination of envelope, heating, cooling, water heating, and ventilation issues.
This type of work will have an impact on the sheet metal industry as it can lead to the development of new emerging markets in a consistently growing sector of the economy. The Department is looking to focus on integrating technologies to achieve more affordable, deep energy savings in existing buildings. This includes encouraging usage of light and durable highly insulated panels, combined heating and cooling, and hot water systems). Up to 75% energy reduction is sought for major building loads such a space heating and cooling, water heating, and ventilation.
The DOE is also looking at new construction technologies with a focus on building design, construction, and installation along with a look at new innovative technologies and building practices, workforce training, and service delivery methods suited to regional and local needs.
This past weekend, SMART SM Local 206 held their 100-year anniversary celebration in San Diego where SMART General Secretary Treasurer Richard McClees and the McClees family were honored with the naming of the hall on Saturday.
Additionally, GST McClees, a former Local 206 Business Manager/FST, was awarded his 50-year pin. To the best of everyone’s knowledge in attendance, he may be the first and only member in International history to receive his 50-year pin while still working as a dues-paying member.
The SMART Local 206 Hall was also named after the McClees family. Rich and his brothers, Chuck and Mike, all followed their father Mac into the sheet metal trade. Local 206’s hall, now McClees Hall, will forever be named after this great family and their over 200 years of service.
On March 27, sheet metal workers in New Mexico saw the culmination of years of effort when SB 143 was signed by Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham. This legislation makes New Mexico the first state in the nation to ensure that fire and smoke dampers and smoke control systems are properly tested and inspected in accordance with National Fire Protection Association standards. These life-saving requirements will apply to public buildings, storage facilities and multifamily dwellings.
During an event such as a fire or other emergency that introduces pollutants into the air, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) ductwork can act as a “freeway,” by circulating smoke and toxins throughout a structure, even to rooms far away from the flashpoint.
The successful operations of fire life safety building systems could mean the difference between a nuisance fire and an out of control catastrophe. But smoke and fire dampers experience a failure rate of up to 60%. Most of them could be found, repaired and prevented by a proper hands-on inspection performed by ICB/TABB certified ANSI-accredited professionals.
In recent years, numerous localities and cities such as Cleveland, Pittsburgh and most recently Philadelphia have passed similar legislation. New Mexico sets a precedent by becoming the first state to do so.
SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Jr. congratulated SMART Sheet Metal Local 49 leaders and members in New Mexico, by noting that “these new regulations will go a long way in ensuring the safety of New Mexico families. Local 49 has demonstrated its leadership in trailblazing a path forward for the sheet metal industry.”
The Internal Revenue Service will provide a free online, web-based information session in two languages on Thursday, March 28, 2019, to help people understand how to do a ‘Paycheck Checkup.’
Doing a Paycheck Checkup means checking tax withholding using the IRS Withholding Calculator and making any necessary adjustments to avoid having too little or too much tax withheld from paychecks.
The webinar is part of a continuing effort by the IRS to share information with taxpayers and partners to help people review their tax withholding, especially if they have already filed and noticed a significant change to their tax refund or amount owed brought about by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017. The TCJA lowered tax rates, increased standard deductions, suspended personal exemptions, increased the Child Tax Credit and limited or discontinued deductions.
Sooner is better
The IRS urges all taxpayers to do a “Paycheck Checkup” now so that if a withholding adjustment is needed, there is more time for withholding to happen evenly during the rest of the year. Waiting means there are less pay periods to withhold the necessary federal tax – so the change in withholding from each remaining paycheck will be more.
Reviewing withholding is especially important if people did a Paycheck Checkup in 2018 and adjusted their withholding during the middle or late in the year. Another review early this year can help make sure they’re having the right amount withheld for the rest of 2019.
The Withholding Calculator is an accurate, simple way for most taxpayers to determine their correct withholding amount. The tool allows taxpayers to enter their expected 2019 income, deductions, adjustments and credits – including the Child Tax Credit.
Webinar helps diagnose who needs a ‘Paycheck Checkup’
The two 60-minute webinars, one in English and one in Spanish, include a special Q&A session. The sessions cover the basics of using the online IRS Withholding Calculator and detail the different situations that may require taxpayers to adjust their withholding, including those who:
- Had a large tax refund or tax bill for 2018 when they filed their tax return this year.
- Adjusted their tax withholding in the middle or later part of 2018.
- Had a major life change this year.
- Are a two-income family.
- Have two or more jobs at the same time or only work part of the year.
- Claim credits like the Child Tax Credit.
- Have dependents age 17 or older.
- Itemized deductions in the past.
- Have high income or a complex tax return.
- Have a large tax refund or tax bill for 2018.
Register to attend either language version of this webinar on March 28; the Spanish webinar starts at 11 a.m. Eastern, and the English webinar begins at 2 p.m. Eastern. It is recommended attendees log in 10 minutes prior to the start time. Closed captioning will be available. Find previous archived webinars on www.irsvideos.gov.
One of the ancillary benefits SMOHIT brings to SMART members is the opportunity to be apart of a little friendly competition — the STEPS Challenge.
The benefits of walking are extensive, you will want to experience it.
The next STEPS Challenge will start March 15, 2019.
Visit here to get started.
Kicking off the annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams, the Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers of the ongoing threat of internet phishing scams that lead to tax-related fraud and identity theft.
The IRS warns taxpayers, businesses and tax professionals to be alert for a continuing surge of fake emails, text messages, websites and social media attempts to steal personal information. These attacks tend to increase during tax season and remain a major danger of identity theft.
To help protect taxpayers against these and other threats, the IRS highlights one scam on 12 consecutive week days to help raise awareness. Phishing schemes are the first of the 2019 “Dirty Dozen” scams.
“Taxpayers should be on constant guard for these phishing schemes, which can be tricky and cleverly disguised to look like it’s the IRS,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “Watch out for emails and other scams posing as the IRS, promising a big refund or personally threatening people. Don’t open attachments and click on links in emails. Don’t fall victim to phishing or other common scams.”
The IRS also urges taxpayers to learn how to protect themselves by reviewing safety tips prepared by the Security Summit, a collaborative effort between the IRS, state revenue departments and the private-sector tax community.
“Taking some basic security steps and being cautious can help protect people and their sensitive tax and financial data,” Rettig said.
New variations on phishing schemes
The IRS continues to see a steady stream of new and evolving phishing schemes as criminals work to victimize taxpayers throughout the year. Whether through legitimate-looking emails with fake, but convincing website landing pages, or social media approaches, perhaps using a shortened URL, the end goal is the same for these con artists: stealing personal information.
In one variation, taxpayers are victimized by a creative scheme that involves their own bank account. After stealing personal data and filing fraudulent tax returns, criminals use taxpayers’ bank accounts to direct deposit tax refunds. Thieves then use various tactics to reclaim the refund from the taxpayer, including falsely claiming to be from a collection agency or the IRS. The IRS encourages taxpayers to review some basic tips if they see an unexpected deposit in their bank account.
Schemes aimed at tax pros, payroll offices, human resources personnel
The IRS has also seen more advanced phishing schemes targeting the personal or financial information available in the files of tax professionals, payroll professionals, human resources personnel, schools and organizations such as Form W-2 information. These targeted scams are known as business email compromise (BEC) or business email spoofing (BES) scams.
Depending on the variation of the scam (and there are several), criminals will pose as:
- a business asking the recipient to pay a fake invoice
- as an employee seeking to re-route a direct deposit
- or as someone the taxpayer trusts or recognizes, such as an executive, to initiate a wire transfer.
The IRS warned of the direct deposit variation of the BEC/BES scam in December 2018, and continues to receive reports of direct deposit scams reported to phishing@irs.gov. The Direct Deposit and other BEC/BES variations should be forwarded to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IRS requests that Form W-2 scams be reported to: phishing@irs.gov (Subject: W-2 Scam).
Criminals may use the email credentials from a successful phishing attack, known as an email account compromise, to send phishing emails to the victim’s email contacts. Tax preparers should be wary of unsolicited email from personal or business contacts especially the more commonly observed scams, like new client solicitations.
Malicious emails and websites can infect a taxpayer’s computer with malware without the user knowing it. The malware downloads in the background, giving the criminal access to the device, enabling them to access any sensitive files or even track keyboard strokes, exposing login victim’s information.
For those participating in these schemes, such activity can lead to significant penalties and possible criminal prosecution. Both the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), which handles scams involving IRS impersonation, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division work closely with the Department of Justice to shut down scams and prosecute the criminals behind them.
Tax professional alert
Numerous data breaches across the country mean the tax preparation community must be on high alert to unusual activity, particularly during the tax filing season. Criminals increasingly target tax professionals, deploying various types of phishing emails in an attempt to access client data. Thieves may use this data to impersonate taxpayers and file fraudulent tax returns for refunds.
As part of the Security Summit initiative, the IRS has joined with representatives of the software industry, tax preparation firms, payroll and tax financial product processors and state tax administrators to combat identity theft refund fraud to protect the nation’s taxpayers.
The Security Summit partners encourage tax practitioners to be wary of communicating solely by email with potential or existing clients, especially if unusual requests are made. Data breach thefts have given thieves millions of identity data points including names, addresses, Social Security numbers and email addresses. If in doubt, tax practitioners should call to confirm a client’s identity.
Reporting phishing attempts
If a taxpayer receives an unsolicited email or social media attempt that appears to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), they should report it by sending it to phishing@irs.gov. Learn more by going to the Report Phishing and Online Scams page on IRS.gov.
Tax professionals who receive unsolicited and suspicious emails that appear to be from the IRS and/or are tax-related (like those related to the e-Services program) also should report it to: phishing@irs.gov.
The IRS generally does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels
Visit the Sheet Metal Job Bank for new welding positions available in the Southeast.
Union employees from BYD Coach & Bus conducted their first toy drive this year, and it was a success, as employees donated about 800 toys and clothing.
They distributed the gifts Friday morning at the Penny Lane Center. Penny Lane is a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic residential services, foster family home placements, adoption services, transitional and affordable housing, family preservation, intensive services and mental health services for children youth and families throughout Los Angeles County.
“I think we could not have picked a better place than Penny Lane,” union organizer Willy Solorzano said.
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