It’s not just federal elections that have an impact on working families. As we were reminded all too well in places like Wisconsin and Michigan, state and local elections can have far reaching consequences.
For the past six years, working families have been placed on the defensive by a flurry of state and local measures looking to break the power of collective bargaining all across this country.
Despite ongoing losses, unions are gaining strength, fighting back—and winning—with new approaches, emphasizing a renewed focus on the grassroots and building awareness of legislative issues.
We are starting to notch the victories that will eventually turn the tide against these right-wing attacks. Below are recent examples—be they wins or temporary setbacks—from three states where the battle for working families is being waged.
WEST VIRGINIA
Union-busting by override
Despite a long, hard-fought battle, West Virginia became the nation’s 26th Right-to-Work for less state earlier this year. West Virginia stands out for the historic and bloody battles workers waged there for generations. West Virginia’s coal miners were at the forefront of the fights that brought better pay, safety, unionization and solidarity to working families in the early half of the 20th century.
The final right-to-work vote resulted from the Republican legislature’s override of a veto from Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (D), who opposes right-to-work. West Virginia Republicans also voted to eliminate that state’s prevailing wage law—and overrode Gov. Tomblin’s veto of that bill as well.
While the events in West Virginia outline another temporary setback, working families have once again won the day in New Mexico.
NEW MEXICO
Union win shocks opponents
The 2016 legislative session was an unqualified success for New Mexico’s Sheet Metal Local 49. With anti-worker legislation whipping through the country, New Mexico has shown itself to be an emerging labor stronghold—with tactics and pro-worker forces to be reckoned with.
With damaging bills such as those designed to strip workers (both union and non-union) of their union-negotiated prevailing wages, and the so called, Right-to-Work bill (the “Employee Preference Act”) being pushed by the Republicans, workers’ rights in New Mexico are under serious threat.
Yet, SM Local 49 members were able to defeat this legislation and keep it from reaching the Governor’s desk. The winning effort saw Local 49 work in collaboration with the New Mexico Building and Constructions Trades Council, the New Mexico Federation of Labor, and many other labor organizations.
Grassroots effort plus research for our allies
Labor’s victory has left the state’s Republican-controlled House in shock—and now aware of our political influence in the Capitol.
SM Local 49 has been a crucial asset and resource in this defeat of the attack on “little Davis-Bacon,” providing our Democratic decision makers with facts and research on public works projects. The backup material was used to discredit claims made by the partisan New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions, which is staffed by antiworker zealots.
Along with the research support, a special thank-you for the members who sent handwritten letters to their legislators in opposition of these bills as well as for all the other SM Local 49 members, staff, family and friends who gave so much of their time and effort to secure the future of New Mexican workers.
This fight is not over, but with everyone pulling together through this 2016 election to support candidates who support us, we will be more than ready when the attack inevitably begins again in the 2017 Session. This battle proves that together, we can make things happen!
KENTUCKY
Resurgence puts RTW on hold
In Kentucky, labor-backed candidates won three of four special House elections in March, culminating a comeback that left right-to-work for dead in that state. For now.
Right-to-work was very much alive last fall and through the winter as Republican Matt Bevin was elected Governor on a platform that included right-to-work as a feature. The state Senate has a strong Republican majority that favors right-to-work.
Gov. Bevin’s election, however, left the Kentucky House of Representatives, then held by Democrats by a slim margin, as the only obstacle blocking right-to-work from being the law of the land in Kentucky. And four seats had special elections ahead of an anticipated vote.
The GOP was expected to sweep all four special elections, to gain a House majority. Further, a GOP sweep—or even wins in three of the races—would have given the Republicans significant momentum going into this fall’s elections. Their pro-right to work stance alienated them from Kentucky’s working families who saw the GOP’s anti-worker agenda exposed for all to see. Now momentum seems to be with the Democrats.
ELECTION YEAR: EACH OF US MUST STEP UP
Events in each of these states shows the importance each of our votes have in swaying the lives of millions of working families. Whether we vote, and the decisions we make when we do vote, will determine the course of future attempts by anti-worker politicians and their wealthy benefactors to cut wages and benefits so they can suck up every last bit of corporate profit.
The labor movement stands as the last line of defense against those efforts. VOTE UNION! From State offices to the U.S. Senate to President, if we to stand united like they did in New Mexico, we can beat back these assaults on working families and reverse the anti-labor tide that is eroding our jobs, livelihoods and families’ futures.
Author: paul
SMART is part of Jobs to Move America (JMA), a coalition of six international unions and more than 40 major community groups. JMA works with officials, agencies, and businesses to make sure that the nation’s more than $5.7 billion in annual transportation manufacturing work is built union—and in America. And that includes building the facilities, too.For the nation, that $5.7 billion goes to upgrading America’s transit network with clean, efficient trains and buses. For workers, JMA can help communities to harness those huge taxpayer dollars to create good jobs.
SMART members will get those jobs just through the eventual manufacturing work but also through Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on related construction work for new or expanding facilities.
Jobs to Move America is working to make sure all of this well-funded, ongoing work is done right here in America by fairly treated and decently paid union workers.
History reborn: Rail cars will be built in Chicago
More than a century ago, rail cars represented an industry where sheet metal and transportation workers had close ties across a single industry: making, repairing, and operating rail stock for a growing America. Now SMART members will work on—and in—Chicago’s first new rail-car assembly plant in 35 years.
City officials and the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) awarded a contract for the largest rail car order in CTA history—846 7000-series cars to be built by CSR Sifang America. CSR’s winning bid pledged to build a brand-new rail car assembly facility in Chicago, representing an investment of $40 million and expected to open with 170 jobs:
• SMART sheet metal workers and other trades will build the new plant under a PLA.
• Rail cars will be produced by SMART members and those of the IBEW.
“With this agreement, CTA riders will get state-of-the-art rail cars and Chicago returns to our roots as the place where the next generation of rail cars are built [and operated], providing good jobs for our residents. That is a classic win-win for Chicago,” said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Praise for JMA, agencies and collaborative efforts
“This historic agreement was the result of strong collaboration between the City, our federal partners, the Chicago Federation of Labor, and Jobs to Move America (JMA),” Emanuel continued. “I cannot thank them enough for their partnership in making it possible.”
This model approach centers on a “U.S. Employment” provision: bidders had to provide the number and type of new jobs they planned to create related to the production of the new rail cars, as well as an outline of their job recruitment and workforce training strategies.
Union and community officials nationwide are understandably optimistic about the JMA model, which leverages requirements for U.S. employment and union-level wages to create good jobs.
“This is the result that comes from when we work together, not only within the union but with elected officials and the entire labor movement,” said Rocco Terranova, SM Local 73 Business Manager and SMART’s Eighth General Vice President.
“With our with our Brothers and Sisters in the SMART Transportation Division we will bring back good, high paying jobs home and make sure our members lead the way in operating the next generation of transit here in Chicago and across the country.”
For the past nine months, members of SMART SM Local 66 (Seattle, WA) have been battling in a labor dispute with Northshore Sheet Metal. This strike originally started with a dispute at the bargaining table over wage equalization, work preservation and language related to travel.
Those issues are at the heart of what SMART fights for every day, so every member and every local should follow the Local 66 battle—and offer whatever support they can.
Asked to be signatory locally but open shop elsewhere
Northshore had proposed being signatory in Local 66’s Western Washington jurisdictional area while remaining non-signatory everywhere else that they bid work.
The company wants to take their own crews on the road, pay them non-contract wages wherever they do work, and refuse to equalize wages for installing products fabricated elsewhere. Allowing this would dangerously undermine the basic principles in the Standard Form of Union Agreement (SFUA).
Local 66 and its membership understand this and are taking this stand to prevent the erosion of well-established working conditions, something each of us would do to protect the basic principles our forefathers fought to attain.
Making them feel the heat
Northshore seems to have lost a large chunk of existing business. When the strike began, roughly 125 members worked in the shop; current reports estimate that they are down to 15–20 working regularly. In comparison, every single Northshore employee who honored the strike is currently working temporarily at another signatory contractor.
During this dispute, Northshore filed an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) against Local 66 with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The company was attempting to get the NLRB to declare the Local’s pickets illegal, but Region 19 of the NLRB dismissed all these charges.
Courage calls for our coast-to-coast support
These brave members who are taking a stand for all of us have received and continue to receive support from their Brothers and Sisters in Seattle and across the United States.
When it became necessary for the Local to create a strike fund in support of these members, not a single person spoke against its passage. Several locals, such as SM Local 104 in Northern California and Local 293 in Hawaii have donated $25,000 and $20,000, respectively, to the strike fund.
You can also take a personal stand to support your Brothers and Sisters at Northshore. If you see the company’s “Northclad” products at your own jobsite, report them to your Business Manager. You can also sign up for updates through the SMART Action Network (www.smartaction.org) for information on how you can take a stand with these members.
Members standing up with each other and for each other: that’s what Unionism is all about.
Over 3,000 delegates attended the opening session of the two-day, 2016 Legislative Conference of North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU).
In a rousing opening keynote address, NABTU President Sean McGarvey noted the continued and steady growth that has occurred under the Obama Administration since the 2008 economic recession. He emphasized that continued success and growth will require partnerships with businesses and whole industry segments and with the expansion of apprenticeship programs.
On Tuesday, April 19, Secretary Hillary Clinton addressed convention delegates and noted the work she has done in promoting apprenticeships and securing new work opportunities. Clinton has already been endorsed by the Building Trades.
“There is only one candidate who has taken the time to understand us and our values,” said McGarvey. “And not just in 2016, but for decades. And that candidate is Hillary Clinton. Every candidate for president may think they know the building trades, but only one candidate has shown respect for Building Trades members, their jobs, and their families. And that’s Hillary Clinton.”
During the Monday session, delegates heard from Chris Crane, President and Chief Executive Officer of Exelon; The Honorable Gina Raimondo, Governor of the great state of Rhode Island; and the Honorable Donald Norcross (D-NJ), US House of Representatives.
On Tuesday, April 19 delegates paid tribute to the building trades members who volunteered their time and energy to assist the residents of Flint, MI with the installation of new equipment and water systems in their residences. After that they heard from Secretary Hillary Clinton who gave a rousing speech detailing her plans to help address America’s infrastructure and energy needs along with her detailed plan to promote union apprenticeship programs.
Clinton rebuked Donald Trump, the Republican front runner, for saying wages were too low and called out Ted Cruz for supporting a nationwide right-to-work law. She promised attendees that organized labor would have a seat at the table in her White House and affirmed support for the Davis-Bacon federal prevailing wage law and project labor agreements, which establish working conditions and wages on specific construction sites. She also detailed her plans to refurbish America’s crumbling infrastructure and discussed how she was going to address energy efficiency in her infrastructure plans.
The phrase “lifelong learning” is a common one, but it can be especially important for the men and women whose work—and work-hours— can change all the time. Gaining special skills and certifying your expertise can be a vital mechanism to keep up with— and keep working in—the varied sheet metal industries.
In our fast-moving trade, the materials, tools and techniques evolve every day and the need for skilled labor does, too. As with anyone entering today’s volatile job market, the most highly-sought workers are those who not only master a subject or trade, but also continue learning so they expand their skills and keep the knowledge of their chosen career up to date.
For sheet metal workers, that ongoing education is as important for journeymen as it is for apprentices.
“No time on the bench.”
Jason Bowers is four years into his five-year apprenticeship at SM Local 206 in San Diego. He is eager to learn all facets of the trade, which means he takes as many classes—and earns as many certifications—as he can. He treats certifications like upper-level and graduate courses in college.
“It’s free, and it’s obviously a strength,” Bowers said. “It’s a good thing to have. It’s just as good, if not better, than college.”
Bowers currently is a certified Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB) technician and holds certifications in both AutoCAD and Title 24, California Acceptance Testing.
With nationwide demand soaring, he also is brushing up on his welding skills, because the work class for various specific certifications.
Bowers was working for an architectural sheet metal company when hours began to wane. Because he also holds TABB certifications, he was able to jump ship and go right to work for a local TABB firm.
“I want to lead by example,” he said. “I don’t spend any time on the bench, laid off.”
“As valuable as possible.”
John Roberts, currently the balancing division manager for APS Air Balancing, a division of Art Push and Sons, Inc. in Omaha, NE, started out as a sheet metal apprentice in Los Angeles, where he learned first-hand how certifications can not only save your job, but also jumpstart your career.
More than a decade ago, Roberts had been laid off from two jobs when he transferred to SM Local 3 as a third-year apprentice. Determined to never be laid off again, he took the opportunity to earn every available certification.
“I wanted to make myself as valuable to an employer as possible,” Roberts said. “If I was to get laid off or if the company was to fail, I would go back and take whatever was available. Whatever class I could take, I took. And it worked. I haven’t been laid off in nine years.”
Valuable for employers
Today, as a manager, Roberts also knows the employer’s perspective.
“If a contractor is looking at two equally qualified people, they aren’t going to lay off the person with a pile of certifications compared to the person without them,” he said.
“I don’t like our technicians to be pigeon-holed. The more certifications they have, the more valuable they are. That way, no matter what job comes up, I can take any guy on my crew and send him on any job. So I encourage people to get as many certifications as possible.”
Even as a manager, he hasn’t grown complacent about maintaining his own skills and certifications.
“If something happens, you could be back on the street with 50 other air balancers,” Roberts added. “I always want to stand out.”
“More and more jobs require more and more certifications.”
Even when work is slow, most contractors say they don’t enjoy laying off their workers. They want the work. They want the employees. So when contractors have a good reason to keep them, all the better.
“It gives our union sheet metal workers better opportunities to keep their jobs,” said Tim Martin, President of T.H. Martin, Inc. in Cleveland. “We always tell our employees the more certifications you have, the more likely you are to keep and maintain your position.
“From welding to safety to fire life safety,” he added, “more and more jobs are requiring more and more certifications. It’s advantageous of them to continue their educations.”
“The way things have been done is changing course.”
One highly visible example is how energy efficiency is now being required by code. Pat Pico, veteran TABB instructor for SM Local 104 in Northern California, said the way things have always been done is changing course. There now is a driving force behind certifications that was absent a decade ago.
“If you don’t take these classes and earn these certifications, you’re a sheet metal worker with one tool in your tool box,” he said. “Why not have more tools?”
When Pico took up the trade 25 years ago, there was one TABB certification. Today, there are 14: eight specialized certifications for technicians and six for supervisors. The certifications most in demand are Fire Life Safety Technician, Levels I and II; Energy Audit Technician; and Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician (MATT). Although required for California only, the latter is being examined for adoption in other states across the country, Pico said.
“You definitely want to get it now,” he said of the MATT certification. “Once the opportunity shows up, you’re ready to go.”
Some certifications take less time than others. A journeyman sheet metal worker can complete an HVAC Fire Life Safety class in 8 to 16 hours, while the MATT program can take 20–160 hours of training, depending on experience, before the certification exam. After that, continuing education units are required to verify a technician or supervisor remains current in the industry.
“Keeping up to stay current and in peak performance.”
“A lot of these certifications can help generate more hours, more jobs,” Pico said. “Having certifications has allowed me opportunities to get more work. They’re door openers. You get [on a job] and you can find [other] issues that allow for job opportunities and increased hours. You can turn a 10-hour job into 100 hours” on multiple jobs.
Another booming market is health care. Curriculum and certification is currently being developed for Infectious Control Risk Assessment (ICRA), used in construction active areas where patients are nearby. ICRA standards were born out of high client demand for an ICRA‑certified work force.
“As the industry evolves, people are keeping up in order to stay current out there and in peak performance,” Pico said. “Who is going to go after the opportunities and do this work?”
Just because Donald Trump has tapped into the “justifiable anger” of the working class, doesn’t mean he is, or ever will be, a champion of the working class, warns Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO. “Trump isn’t interested in solving our problems,” said Trumka. (Read the complete story here.)
Trumka’s remarks came during a meeting of leaders of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO at that state’s convention, three weeks before that state’s voters will cast their ballots in that state’s increasingly important vote.
AFL-CIO Convention participants will also be hearing from both Democratic Presidential contenders this week as Hillary Clinton will address members today, April 6, to be followed by Senator Bernie Sanders the next day.
Two workers are dead and dozens are injured after an Amtrak train struck a backhoe in Chester, Pennsylvania.
After suspending all service on the Northeast Corridor between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Amtrak announced Sunday afternoon it will resume full service on Monday with some residual delays. Officials said 330 passengers and seven crew members were on board at the time of the accident.
Of those 300 passengers, 30 have been hospitalized for unknown injuries. A locomotive engineer has also been hospitalized. There was no word on their conditions.
The workers killed were a backhoe operator and supervisor who were at or in the vicinity of the crash when it occurred. Both were Amtrak employees.
The SMART mobile app won the Campaigns and Elections magazine’s Reed Award on February 18 for Best Mobile App of 2015. This is an industry award for political, non-profit and Government Affairs agencies that vendors submit on behalf of their clients. The vendor in this case was Revolution Messaging who worked with SMART staff in designing and building the new app.
The SMART Union App is available for download through both apple and android stores.
Apple – https://appsto.re/us/I6tz7.i
Android – : https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.smart_union.smart
In college, students take classes to achieve their degrees, and after graduation often participate in workshops and earn additional degrees and certifications to keep the knowledge of their chosen career fresh and current. It’s should be no different for sheet metal workers.
In a post-recession world when contractors can scale back when the work is low and hire when the demand is high, continuing education could be the key to employment.
Jason Bowers is four years into his five-year apprenticeship at Sheet Metal Workers’ Local 206 in San Diego and is eager to learn all facets of the trade, which includes taking as many classes, and earning as many certifications, as he can. He treats earning certifications like specialty classes needed to complete a major in college.
He currently holds certifications as a testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) technician, AutoCAD and Title 24, California Acceptance Testing. He also is brushing up on his welding skills.
“It’s free, and it’s obviously a strength,” Bowers said. “It’s a good thing to have. It’s just as good, if not better, than college.”
Bowers was working for an architectural sheet metal company when work began to wane. Because he also holds TAB certifications, he was able to jump ship and go right to work for a local TAB firm.
“I want to lead by example,” he said. “I don’t spend any time on the bench, laid off.”
John Roberts, currently the balancing division manager for APS Air Balancing, a division of Art Push and Sons, Inc. in Omaha, Nebraska, started out as a sheet metal apprentice in Los Angeles, where he learned first-hand how certifications can not only save your job, but they can jump start your career.
More than a decade ago, Roberts had been laid off from two jobs when he transferred to Local No. 3 as a third-year apprentice. Ready to not ever be laid off again, he set off to take every opportunity to earn every certification available to him.
“I wanted to make myself as valuable to an employer as possible,” he said. “If I was to get laid off or if the company was to fail, I would be left to go back and take whatever was available. So, whatever class I could take, I took. And it worked. I haven’t been laid off in nine years.”
Today, as a manager, Roberts sees it from the employer’s perspective.
“If a contractor is looking at two equally qualified people, they aren’t going to lay off the person with a pile of certifications compared to the person without them,” he said. “I don’t like our technicians to be pigeon-holed. The more certifications they have, the more valuable they are. That way, no matter what job comes up, I can take any guy on my crew and send him on any job. So, I encourage people to get as many certifications as possible.”
Even as a manager, he hasn’t grown complacent.
“If something happens, you could be standing out on the street with 50 other air balancers,” Roberts added. “I always wanted to stand out.”
When work is slow, a company’s bottom line is at stake, which causes them to scale back the work force. Most contractors will say they don’t enjoy laying off their workers. They want the work. They want the employees. And when contractors have a reason to keep them, all the better.
“It gives our union sheet metal workers better opportunities to keep their jobs,” said Tim Martin, president of T.H. Martin, Inc. in Cleveland. “We always tell our employees the more certifications you have, the more likely you are to keep and maintain your position. From welding to safety to fire life safety, more and more jobs are requiring more and more certifications. It’s advantageous of them to continue their educations.”
With energy efficiency being required by code, Pat Pico, veteran TAB instructor for Local No. 104 in Northern California, said the way things have always been done is changing course. There is a driving force behind certifications absent a decade ago.
“If you don’t take these classes and earn these certifications, you’re a sheet metal worker with one tool in your tool box,” he said. “Why not have more tools?”
Twenty-five years ago, when Pico started in the trade, there was one TAB certification. Today, there are eight specialized certifications available for technicians and six for supervisors. The most in demand certifications are Fire Life Safety Technician Levels I and II, Energy Audit Technician and Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician. Although it’s required for California only, the latter is being examined for adoption in other states across the country, Pico said.
“You definitely want to get it now,” he said of the Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician certification. “Once the opportunity shows up, you’re ready to go.”
Some certifications are less time-consuming than others. A journeyman sheet metal worker can complete an HVAC Fire Life Safety class in eight to 16 hours. However, the Mechanical Acceptance Testing Technician certification, for instance, can take 20 to 160 hours of training, depending on experience, leading up to the certification exam. Once a certification is earned, continuing education units are required to verify a technician or supervisor remains current in the industry.
“A lot of these certifications can help generate more hours, more jobs,” Pico said. “Having certifications has allowed me opportunities to get more work. They’re door openers. You get in and you can find issues that allow for job opportunities and increased hours. You can turn a 10-hour job into a 100-hour job.”
Curriculum and certification is currently being developed for 2016 for Infectious Control Risk Assessment (ICRA), born out of high demand from clients seeking a skilled and certified work force to complete the work.
“As the industry evolves, people are keeping up in order to stay current out there and in peak performance,” Pico said. “Who is going to go after the opportunities and do this work?”