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Sharon Walker is from Georgetown, Ohio. She was hired by Dualite, Inc. in 1985 and joined Sheet Metal Workers Local 183 that same year. As a member of Local 183 she served on the executive board from 2005–2008, the year Local 183 merged with Local 24 — covering 49 counties in Ohio, 30 counties in Kentucky, five counties in West Virginia and four counties in Indiana. She also served as a member of the CBA negotiating committee at Dualite

In March 2018, Sister Walker was elected as the production business representative for Local 24, becoming the first female officer of the local. Since being elected to that position, she has been appointed as the recording secretary of the Standing Production Committee and later became the chairperson of that committee.

Current title/position?

SMART Local 24 Business Representative

Years in the trade?

35

What unique strengths do you bring to your trade?

Leadership skills and organizational skills to meet deadlines and production schedules.

What do you love to do when you’re not at work?

When not at work, I love sports (especially baseball), crafting and antique shopping.

Have you been in a leadership position?

I have been on the executive board of our local union and a member of the collective bargaining agreement negotiating committee while working at Dualite. Since becoming a business representative I have been the recording secretary of the Standing Production Committee, and I am currently the chairperson of that committee. I was appointed to the Union Labels Committee at the 2019 SMART Second General Convention. I am the production vice president of the SMART Recruitment and Retention Council, vice president at-large of the SMART Production Workers’ & Sign Council, chairperson of the SMART Local 24 Women’s Committee, project coordinator of Local 24 for SMART Mentoring Women’s Project and a member of the SMART IA Women’s Committee.

Have you been in a union position?

Production business representative for SMART Local 24 since March 2018.

Goals in the future — any ambitions or changes to your career, growth or education?

I would love to educate more members on the benefits of becoming a union member and a leader within their local, and get them more involved in union activities.

What surprised you about your trade?

How many long-time employees and friends I would meet while on this journey.

What do you find frustrating about your job/trade?

How little some members know about the benefits of being a union member.

What’s the coolest job you’ve worked on?

When I worked at Dualite we were the official sign company for the Cincinnati Reds. I did installation work and made signs for Great American Ballpark.

What traits do you think a good sheet metal/production worker has?

Good attendance and willingness to learn as many different jobs and skills as possible.

Why sheet metal/production?

I came from an art background and thought it would be interesting to work in a sign shop.

Tool you can’t live without?

Definitely a tape measure. I don’t work in the shop anymore, but I still carry a tape measure in my purse.

Best advice for an apprentice?

Look at the long-term benefits and not the short-term.

What are your feelings on mentoring?

I feel that mentoring is very important. In today’s world there are so many young people who need someone to guide them in the right direction, not just at work but in life.

Tell us about your women’s committee

Local 24’s Women’s Committee is a combination of production and building trades members. I feel this is a benefit because the members get the chance to learn how things work in both sectors of our local.

It seems that SMART is very supportive of women joining (and staying) in their union. Do you agree?

I agree 100%. SMART has formed the Recruitment and Retention Council to address these issues for women and minorities.

Are you involved in career fairs, SMART Army, volunteering…?

I have attended career fairs with our JATC coordinators and worked on SMART Army projects in conjunction with our local’s Women’s Committee.

SMART Army members across the United States held their annual event in honor of fallen service members by joining thousands across the country to lay wreaths at the final resting place of service members at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at over 2,500 sites across the country. The event, through Wreaths Across America, pursues the objective of remembering the fallen, honoring their sacrifices and teaching future generations of Americans about those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their freedom.

Samara Sampson is an apprentice at Local 285 in Toronto, Ont. who has been in the trade for five years. The SMART Women’s Committee sat down with Samara to learn more about her and the work she does. You can visit www.SMART-Women.org to read her story and the stories of her fellow sisters.

What unique strengths do you bring to your trade?

I am a forward thinker and good at working under pressure.

What do you love to do when you’re not at work?

When I am not at work, I love packing a day bag, some food, and my dog into my truck and driving out to a new conservation area to explore.

Goals in the future — any ambitions or changes to your career, growth or education?

I have big dreams and goals for myself with SMART, and I look forward to a very long, prosperous career wherever it might take me.

What surprised you about your trade?

How much you can do in the trade: you can design, fabricate, weld, install, test, etc.

What do you find frustrating about your job/trade?

The most frustrating part about my job has got to be a tie between running out of material and unsolicited spectators.

What’s the coolest job you’ve worked on?

I worked on a huge mansion, complete with a theater, billiard room, huge hanger garage and — best of all — the lift in the driveway that takes the vehicles down to the underground garage.

What traits do you think a good sheet metal worker has?

I think a good sheet metal worker is reliable, efficient, good at math and ready to work.

Why sheet metal?

Metal work and welding has always been an interest of mine, and after taking the welding program in college, Local 285 made me see how much opportunity and growth there is within the union.

Tool you can’t live without?

The tool I can’t live without has got to be my hands, for sure.

Best advice you got as an apprentice?

The best advice I’ve gotten as an apprentice is to “get good first, get fast second.” This is also advice I would give to new apprentices.

What are your thoughts about Tradeswomen Build Nations (TWBN)?

I think that TWBN is a great opportunity for tradeswomen to meet each other. We are often the only one in the classroom as an apprentice and the only one on the jobsite. Any opportunity to meet and network is truly awesome. Unfortunately, due to COVID I have only taken part virtually, but I can’t wait to be a part of the next TWBN in person. I will be there!

Career fairs, SMART Army, volunteering?

I am involved with a provincial tradeswomen committee, and I lead a group of tradeswomen in a Lean In Circle. Any opportunity I have to meet other tradeswomen, especially SMART women, I will take it!

WINNERS HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENT AND UNION VALUES

Washington, D.C. – Union Plus recently awarded $250,000 in scholarships to 199 students representing 37 unions, including eight winners representing SMART. The SMART winners are:

Noah Berning of Monroeville, Indiana

Berning, whose father, Mark Berning, is a member of SMART Local 20, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Evan Bock of Rantoul, Illinois

Bock, whose father, Christopher Bock, is a member of SMART Local 1358, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Grace Brodarick of Southold, New York

Brodarick, whose father, Christopher Brodarick, is a member of SMART Local 645, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Miranda Garcia of Fresno, California

Garcia, whose father, Angelo Garcia, is a member of SMART Local 104, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Kaysa Kurtz-Merwin of Rocky Ford, Colorado

Kurtz-Merwin, whose father, Anthony Merwin, is a member of SMART Local 0945, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Nathan Roelse of Cleveland, Wisconsin

Roelse, whose father, William Roelse, is a member of SMART Local 18, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Logan VanLaanen of Green Bay, Wisconsin

VanLaanen, whose father, Jesse VanLaanen, is a member of SMART Local 18, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Billi Vavra of Prescott, Iowa

Vavra, who is a member of SMART Local 199, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

Meet some of the 2021 SMART honorees

Noah Berning
Purdue University
Heritage Junior-Senior High School (HHS)
Monroeville, Indiana (2019)

Noah recently completed his first year at Purdue, where he is an agricultural systems management and agricultural economics major. He hopes to enter the agriculture industry and will soon intern for Co-Alliance Cooperative in northwest Indiana. Throughout high school, Noah served as the Indiana FFA national officer candidate and state treasurer, as well as chapter and district president. He also attended the National Young Farmer Educational Association Agriculture’s Promise advocacy program in Washington, D.C.

Noah proudly hails from a union family; his father has been a SMART member for more than 20 years. “This allows him to do what he loves, knowing that he can work in a safe environment with fair pay,” Noah said. “I am extremely thankful to SMART and the labor movement because it provided my family with financial stability so that I could have the chance to follow my dream career and attend my dream university.”

Evan Bock
Rantoul Township High School (RTHS)
Rantoul, Illinois (2021)

Evan will begin college this fall and plans to major in engineering, with the ultimate goal of working for NASA. In 2019, Evan was selected as an Illinois state delegate at the Congress of Future Physicians and Medical Scientists in Boston, and he is an ambassador for Shriners Hospitals for Children. He and two family members battle a genetic bone disease, which makes him thankful for his father’s SMART membership. “My family would not be able to afford the medical treatments we need without SMART,” Evan said. “SMART is a lifeline for many workers and their families.”

“Evan’s commitment and enthusiasm to aerospace engineering, problem solving and learning allow him to stand out and succeed,” said RTHS science teacher Kristin Walerowicz. “His character will lead him to succeed in whatever he does while uplifting those around him.”

Grace Brodarick
Southold High School (SHS)
New York (2021)

Grace will begin college this fall and plans to major in nursing, following in her mother’s footsteps. She is thankful for her father’s SMART membership and the benefits it provides. “SMART’s hard work and negotiations allow members to thoroughly enjoy the fruits of their labor,” Grace said. “I am forever grateful for all that SMART has provided my father and my family.”

Last fall, Grace shadowed Dr. Vishnu Seodat for an internship with New York Health. “Grace showed keen interest in medicine and was eager to learn,” Seodat said. “She asked questions about every diagnosis and was very interested in the process of physical examination. Grace will be an asset to the medical profession.”

Miranda Garcia
Cal State University, Fresno (FSU)
Fowler High School (FHS)
California (2019)

Miranda is a psychology major at FSU and expects to complete her bachelor’s degree in May 2023. Her dream is to be a counselor, specializing in domestic violence and anger management. Miranda works at Charis Educational Center, a Fresno social services organization that offers anger management and parenting classes.

“Miranda consistently shows a determination to improve herself, her school environment and the people around her,” said FHS Learning/Activities Director Mike McColm. “She is quick to look for ways to help people around her and always willing to take on a challenge. Miranda is highly motivated, conscientious and a pleasure to be around.”

The Union Plus Scholarship Program

The Union Plus Scholarship Program awards scholarships based on outstanding academic achievement, personal character, financial need and commitment to the values of organized labor. The program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation.

Since starting the program in 1991, Union Plus has awarded more than $5 million in educational funding to more than 3,400 union members, spouses and dependent children. Union Plus Scholarship awards are granted to students attending a two-year college, four-year college, graduate school, or recognized technical or trade school. The selection process is very competitive, and this year 5,008 applications were received from 67 unions and all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, two U.S. territories and six Canadian provinces.

Visit www.unionplus.org/scholarship for applications and benefit eligibility.

About Union Plus

Union Plus, founded by the AFL-CIO in 1986, uses the collective buying power of America’s 12.5 million union members to deliver top-quality benefits and services at competitive prices to working families. In addition to the scholarship program, Union Plus offers the Free College program, which makes it possible for union members and their families to earn an associate degree completely online at no cost. As a complement to the Free College program, Union Plus offers the Bachelor’s Degree Completion program, providing union members and their families a no-cost option to complete their bachelor’s degree completely online. Union Plus also provides a wide range of money-saving programs, including discounts on wireless services from AT&T, the only nationwide unionized wireless carrier; insurance protection; savings on travel and recreation; and more. For additional information, visit unionplus.org.

Brodarick, whose father, Christopher Brodarick, is a member of SMART Local 645, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship.

SMART launched its brandnew website, smart-union. org, in February 2022, providing members with a revamped online hub for news, resources and up-to-date, personalized information — including the Sheet Metal Job Bank, Transportation Division employment opportunities, safety reports and more.

By rebuilding its website, SMART aims to meet the needs of union members and their families, as well as potential future members and other website visitors, with a userfriendly experience that presents valuable information in an easy-tonavigate format. Clearly marked sections of the new site provide information on what SMART is, the history of our union, how and why to join SMART, policy priorities, resources for union and nonunion workers alike, an action center for members and a variety of additional materials — delivering a comprehensive overview on how our union is fighting for working families across North America.

Most importantly, the website’s overhauled Member Portal is a one-stop shop for a range of information that SMART members will find useful, from pension benefit updates and personalized news, to job postings and video messages from the general president. Instructions on how to log into the Member Portal are below:

Sheet metal member instructions

Visit the Member Portal page (smartunion.org/members and enter your preferred email address, IA Number (number on your dues receipt) and the last four digits of your Social Security number to verify your membership. (Please note: If your Social Security number is not on file with the union, you will not be able to log in. To get that information placed on file, contact either your local financial secretary-treasurer or SMART International Headquarters in Washington, D.C. at 202-662-0800

You can also email info@smartunion.org. You will then be prompted to create a personal password of at least 12 characters for future logins.

Once complete, you will receive an email confirming your registration with a link in the body of the message. After visiting that link, your account will be activated and verified, and you will be able to explore and customize those union resources that are most important for you.

TD member instructions

Visit the Member Portal page (smart-union.org/members) and enter your preferred email address, the number of your TD local (if the local number is below 1000, the lead zeroes are optional) and the last four digits of your Social Security number to verify your membership. (Please note: If your Social Security number is not on file with the union, you will not be able to log in. To get that information placed on file, contact either your local secretary or the Transportation Division office in Cleveland at 216-228-9400.

You will then be prompted to create a personal password of at least 12 characters to log in in the future.

Once complete, you will receive an email confirming your registration with a link in the body of the message. After visiting that link, your account will be activated and verified, and you will be able to explore and customize those union resources that are most important for you.

Customize your experience

Depending on your craft, role and degree of involvement in your union, numerous resources are available for sheet metal and TD members alike to customize your website experience in the Member Portal. On your first few visits, take the time to browse through or search the index of informational resources provided — by doing so, you can select your favorites, which will then be accessible for you every time you visit the portal. Available categories of resources include: financial, educational, retirement, recruitment, leadership, benefits, health, legal, safety, community and many more. Choose those categories that mean the most to you, and they will be readily available and up to date whenever you log in. If you don’t find a resource you are looking for, contact the SMART Communications Department, and your suggestion will be considered!

The new website is ready for you to explore — visit smart-union.org to get started.

From March 6–11, SMART once again celebrated Women in Construction Week, hosting a series of virtual events and distributing various videos to recognize the SMART sisters who make our union strong. The women of our union consistently strive to empower SMART and advocate on behalf of women and all workers — whether fighting against discrimination on the job or bargaining to include maternity leave in local benefits packages.

Women in Construction Week kicked off on Sunday, March 6, with a video message from SMART General President Joseph Sellers. During his address, General President Sellers used his time to both celebrate our union sisters and speak to the work currently being undertaken — and the work that still needs to be done — to make our union a leader in recruitment and retention for future generations.

“We are taking time this week to celebrate your valued contributions to our great union and to advance our plan of inclusion, diversity and equity for all members.”

– SMART General President Joseph Sellers

“We are taking time this week to celebrate your valued contributions to our great union and to advance our plan of inclusion, diversity and equity for all members,” he said. “With your dedication and professionalism, we will lead the way for future generations of SMART members.”

On Monday, SMART shared a video featuring Shamaiah Turner — a sheet metal worker out of Local 17 (Boston, Mass.) and a member of the women’s committee — and Mary Vogel, the executive director of Building Pathways, SMART’s sponsored organization for Women in Construction Week 2022. Building
Pathways connects workers in underserved communities with family-sustaining careers in the construction industry; a mission of vital importance for the future of unionized sheet metal.

On Wednesday, SMART released a video featuring Emily Wigre of Local 66 (Seattle, Wash.), who spoke about how her passion for boxing has complemented her sheet metal career and contributed to a healthy work-life balance. As part of the Women in Construction Week festivities, SMART sisters were given access to a free BRWL boxing class.

Throughout the week, numerous women of SMART were featured in Sister Tips videos, offering a range of advice for their fellow union sisters. The Sister Tips varied widely in length, topic and location. Local 285 (Toronto, Ont.) member Emily Blacktopp shared her experienc– completing her apprenticeship as a full-time mom, as well as the importance of the support she’s received from her union brothers as a tradeswoman; Jay Matos of SM Local 63 (Western Mass.) spoke about self-respect and standing up for oneself; and multiple women, including members from Local 28 (New York) and Local 265 (Northern Ill.), spoke about the importance of knowing your union and taking advantage of all that your local has to offer. Despite the vast scope of the subject matter, a common theme emerged throughout the videos: the strength and importance of union sisterhood.

Women in Construction Week culminated in the SMART Women’s Committee’s Friday night happy hour and bingo event, where SMART sisters across North America came together for bingo, drinks and camaraderie, and the winners of the Kids Drawing and Sister Spotlight raffle were announced. The end of the happy hour marked the end of Women in Construction Week 2022 — another successful celebration of the sisters who make our union one of the most dynamic and diverse in North America. The advocacy and solidarity SMART members displayed throughout the week did not end, though. That continues, no matter the week.

View the Women in Construction Week 2022 portal page, with links to all the videos and related content shared during the week.

SMART TD hosted a round-table in January 2022 at the University of Kansas Medical Center campus with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, local elected officials, labor leaders and community members to spotlight how the bipartisan infrastructure law will create local jobs and spur economic growth across Kansas’ Third Congressional District, including in communities that are frequently overlooked.

The group was later joined by Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Julie Lorenz, Kansas City Mayor Tyrone Garner, Rep. Sharice Davids and Secretary Buttigieg at the Rock Island and Cesar Chavez Bridges for an event highlighting the bridges’ complementary purposes as infrastructure and economic projects in the Kansas Third. Among the attendees were local labor and business community leaders, elected officials and transportation authorities.

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is innovative legislation that will bring thousands of jobs to the state of Kansas.”

– SMART TD Kansas State Legislative Director Ty Dragoo

“The bipartisan infrastructure law is innovative legislation that will bring thousands of jobs to the state of Kansas,” said SMART TD Kansas State Legislative Director Ty Dragoo. “My organization is uniquely qualified to reap its benefits because we are the men and women that physically transport the products created by our great unions and building trades. We are moving from the great resignation to the great innovation. From SMART members building new HVAC systems for our nation’s schools and hospitals, to SMART TD members transporting the much-needed resources to build and innovate this country: We get it done! Representative Davids was there when this much-needed legislation was drafted, and she voted to pass it into law. I am proud of both her and Secretary Buttigieg’s work to high-light the new law’s benefits.”

“It’s no accident when federal agencies call on our state directors to be at the table when these events happen,” added Dragoo. “Our legislative team is second to none in D.C. Director [Greg] Hynes and Alternate Director [Jared] Cassity are making great connections and advancing our cause in Congress. It’s proof when we get these calls: SMART is a key stakeholder in D.C. and throughout the country.”

US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg in Kansas City. Photo by Christopher Smith for the USDOT.

SMART Local 66 member Vanessa Carman, left, operates a Trimble to do layout for Hermanson Company at the Harrison Hospital Acute Care project in Silverdale, Wash., in 2019. 

In January 2022, journeyperson Vanessa Carman of SMART Local 66 (Seattle, Wash.) won the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) Tradeswomen Heroes Award — a monthly recognition of tradeswomen who lead by example and perform their duties at an outstanding level.

“It is a great honor to nominate Sister Vanessa Carman, member of SMART Local 66, for the NABTU Tradeswomen Heroes Award,” read the press release announcing Carman’s nomination. “Sister Carman is a consummate trades-woman leader and a tireless advocate for her sisters.”

Vanessa Carman

A detailer with Hermanson Company in Kent, Wash., Carman has worked in sheet metal for 18 years, advancing quickly from apprentice to journeyperson to foreperson after discovering her interest in the trades while helping her brothers repair a furnace. Along with her skill and experience on the job, Carman helped create the SMART Local 66 Women’s Committee and advocated for the implementation of a mentoring program for women sheet metal workers in her local union — an initiative that gives women in the trade, especially apprentices, a reliable support system. The mentoring program has led to significant growth in the number of women in Local 66.

Carman is also a trustee on the Western Washington Sheet Metal JATC and a member of the SMART Women’s Committee, where she has worked to champion constitutional amendments and resolutions to combat discrimination and harassment; to promote the recruitment and retention of women members; and to support a mentoring study for apprenticeship programs similar to the one at Local 66. As a complement to those efforts, Carman works as a trustee of the SMART Recruitment and Retention Council, helping SMART better recruit, retain and promote diverse groups at all levels in our union.

“Due to her drive, generosity, and courage, [Sister Carman] is a role model for many women in SMART and has made a tremendous impact on this union.”

– NABTU press release

Carman’s commitment extends to career fairs and outreach events, where she volunteers to recruit more workers into the sheet metal trade, and to community service. Throughout it all, she manages to find time for powerlifting, walking her dog and raising her three sons.

“Due to her drive, generosity, and courage, [Sister Carman] is a role model for many women in SMART and has made a tremendous impact on this union,” the NABTU press release concluded. “SMART is indebted to her for all of the selfless work she does to improve the conditions for all of our sisters in SMART — we are incredibly fortunate to have her as a leader and member.”

Kimberly Mann

Another SMART member won the Tradeswomen Heroes Award in October 2021: Kimberly Mann of SM Local 20 (Indianapolis, Ind.), a journeyperson at Poynter Sheet Metal with more than 35 years of experience in the trade.

“Kim is a great honoree for this award because she never backed down from any adversity that she faced as a minority in her field,” read the press release announcing Mann’s nomination. “In fact, she flourished as a leader and business owner.”

Sister Mann began her career in the Local 20 pre-apprenticeship program in 1985, before serving an apprenticeship and graduating at the top of her class in 1994. Shortly afterwards, her perseverance and hard work earned Mann a leadership role as a site supervisor at Apex Industries, where — as she has done throughout her career — she gained the respect of contractors, operations teams, end users, journeymen and the apprentices and pre-apprentices she continues to mentor to this day.

In 2001, Mann formed her own company, K&M, which she successfully ran until 2014. During that time, Mann took on a variety of notable projects, working as one of the installing contractors on Indianapolis’s crown jewel and home of the Indianapolis Colts, Lucas Oil Stadium, during the initial build, and working as fabricator and installer on portions of the award-winning Indianapolis International Airport. After closing her business, Mann joined Poynter, where she is currently leading the HVAC sheet metal installation on a new hospital in Bloomington, Ind., valued at $460 million.

“Even with such an incredible resume, Kim remains humble in her accomplishments. She is generous with not only her knowledge and willingness to teach anyone about our industry, she also has a giving nature to anyone who needs a hand-up,” the NABTU press release added. “Kim is the total package!”

In December of last year, SMART, SMACNA and the International Training Institute (ITI) launched the Belonging and Excellence for All Campaign (BE 4 ALL).

We know that many of you have questions about this work, so we’ve taken the time to share a few answers.

Think of this article as a formal introduction. Brothers, sisters and siblings, please welcome BE 4 ALL.

1. What is BE 4 ALL?

BE 4 ALL is a joint effort of SMACNA, SMART and the ITI. The vision for the work is twofold:

A. To create a diverse and inclusive unionized sheet metal industry that is welcoming and fosters belonging for ALL people; and

B. To sustain a thriving industry in which:

  • We recruit, train and retain the best talent; and
  • Workers and contractors strive to achieve the highest standards of performance and excellence in their technical skills and crafts.

2. The term “belonging” is new to me. What does it mean? And how is it different from diversity and inclusion?

Here’s a helpful way to think about the difference between the three terms:

A. Diversity means that everyone – regardless of their race, gender identity, age or other identity strands — is invited to participate in and benefit from our industry.

B. Inclusion means that everyone has a seat at the table and a way to make their voices heard

C. Belonging goes much deeper than diversity and inclusion. It means two things:

  • That when people come to the table, they feel that they can bring their full, authentic self – ALL parts of who they are as a human being; and
  • Belonging is also about building the table together. It’s about co-creation. To put it another way, transforming our industry and ensuring that we remain relevant and competitive will take all-hands-on-deck. We will only be successful if we’re working on this endeavor TOGETHER. BE 4 ALL is the vehicle for how we do this.

3. BE 4 ALL is a fancy name. It sounds good on paper. What exactly will the initiative do on a day-to-day basis?

For 2022–23, we have a four-part agenda for our work. The four parts are as follows:

A. Assessment — Survey and interview members and leaders across the industry to better understand their hopes, wants, needs and fears related to the BE 4 ALL work.

B. Awareness — Conduct training sessions for International staff and JATC coordinators focused on strategies for reducing bias and increasing belonging.

C. Alignment — Work with SMART’s newly formed BE 4 ALL Committee to convert findings from the assessment process into concrete action steps, and meet quarterly with SMACNA and the ITI to explore ways to collaborate across the industry.

D. Act — Begin implementation of the action steps.

4. Is BE 4 ALL only for women and people of color? How do ALL members benefit?

Without question, BE 4 ALL is for ALL members and contractors. We believe that EVERY human being (with an emphasis on the word “every”) should experience belonging (see the definition under bullet #2), regardless of your race, gender identity, etc. But we also know that this is not currently the case for some groups. So BE 4 ALL may need to tailor and target programs and strategies to ensure that particular groups have what they need to reach the universal goal of belonging. But make no mistakes about it, BE 4 ALL is for the benefit of ALL members.<

5. Is this work about attacking white people?

The short answer is no. We’ve all heard the reports. Across our countries, meetings turning into shouting matches. People blaming and shaming each other. This is NOT what BE 4 ALL is about. Yes, the work of belonging requires us to have hard conversations sometimes. But it also requires that we treat each other with dignity, respect and compassion. It requires that we see our common humanity in other people.

6. Talk to me about results. What do we hope will be different as a result of this work?

We’re still in the planning stages. But over the next few years, we expect to begin seeing results in five key areas. They are:<

A. Expansion — Expanding and diversifying the pool of people from which we recruit.

B. Recruitment — Proactively recruiting new members into our organizations.

C. Training — Equipping members with the skills, tools and values they need to be successful.

D. Retention — Creating the type of work and business environments where people want to stay — and where they can imagine a long career of service and contribution.

E. Advancement — Helping members climb the ladder into leadership positions or other opportunities.

7. How long will it take for BE 4 ALL to achieve its goals?

BE 4 ALL is not a quick fix project. As one person recently put it, this is “forever work.” That said, to truly transform an entire industry will take years. However, we plan to set annual benchmarks to ensure that we’re making progress along the way. Stay tuned for our plan for 2022–23, which will include measurable goals.

8. What’s the structure of BE 4 ALL? How is it organized?

BE 4 ALL is guided by a diverse committee of members and leaders from throughout SMART, including apprentices, journey-level members and union officials. The committee makes recommendations to General President Sellers and General Secretary Treasurer Powell.

SMACNA has a similar structure.

The leadership and committees for both SMACNA and SMART, along with the ITI, meet quarterly to plan and coordinate BE 4 ALL activities across the industry.

9. Is this work about “lowering standards” or hiring people who are “unqualified?”

Absolutely not. At the recent Partners In Progress (PINP) Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tim Carter, Northwest Regional Council president, and Julie Mueller, executive director for SMACNA’s Western Region, shared that they’ve seen a “dramatic reduction” in the apprentice wash out rates for women and people of color. They reported that they achieved this by “raising the bar,” not lowering it. Specifically, they improved the quality of training and support provided to apprentices to ensure that each person had what they needed to perform at the highest standards of excellence. Their approach reinforced two things: a) this work is NOT about lowering standards; and b) the work of belonging does not view people as inadequate or deficient. It sees talent and potential in all human beings. And it’s our job to nurture it.

10. Why are we even focused on this work? Can’t we just treat each other like human beings?

This is an excellent question. Yes, in the long term, the goal is to build workplaces (and a society) where we celebrate our shared humanity and where we appreciate ALL the ways that human beings are diverse or different. But in order to reach this goal, we have to remove the barriers that get in the way. These include the biases and stereotypes about each other that we’ve ALL internalized (oftentimes unconsciously) over the course of our lives. These biases and stereotypes may stem from the places where we grew up. Or the schools we attended. Or the families in which we were raised. So yes, getting to the point where we treat each other like human beings is the ultimate goal. BE 4 ALL is the pathway for how we get there.

11. If I want to get involved or support the work of BE 4 ALL, how do I do that?

If you want to learn more about BE 4 ALL, or if you’re looking to get involved, please reach out to Donna Silverman, assistant to the general president, at dsilverman@smart-union.org.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) added the Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB) as a third certification body for certifying personnel and contractors who perform testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) on heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); water balancing; and sound and vibration equipment testing. The addition was effective Nov. 1, 2021.

With endorsements and acceptance/ inclusion from the VA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) and construction companies nationwide, TABB is the professional’s choice for the testing, adjusting and balancing of HVAC systems.

“Certification provides assurance to building owners that a particular contractor will meet a specified level of quality. The need for highly skilled technicians has increased with the complexity of HVAC systems.”

– From a 2020 white paper released the University of California, Davis, Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC)

The decision was based, in part, on a white paper released in 2020 by the University of California, Davis, Western Cooling Efficiency Center (WCEC) — “Testing, Adjusting and Balancing HVAC Systems: An Overview of Certification Agencies” — which examined the benefits of using certified contractors and favorably positioned TABB as the first and only personnel-certifying body accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in this field. The paper also stated TABB conforms to ISO/IEC 17024, an internationally recognized standard for personnel certification bodies.

TABB has developed certifications to serve as verification that technicians and supervisors have the knowledge and experience needed to complete the job tasks at hand. A well-balanced HVAC system isn’t just efficient; it’s also safer due to enhanced ventilation rates and overall indoor air quality.

“Certification provides assurance to building owners that a particular contractor will meet a specified level of quality,” the white paper explained. “The need for highly skilled technicians has increased with the complexity of HVAC systems.”

TABB is the first program to gain ANSI accreditation for certification in the testing, adjusting and balancing industry. Certification is a statement that the technician, supervisor and contractor demonstrate the highest level of professional expertise