Author: paul

Please contact your Congressman and urge them to support a clean version of H.R. 749 the Passenger Rail Reform and Infrastructure Act. (PRRIA)
This important legislation funds and sustains a key component of our national transportation system.
We fully support this legislation despite having concerns that the bill does not provide Amtrak with the funding levels it needs to make needed repairs and upgrades to an aging system. As Amtrak’s annual budget requests have established, its aging fleet needs replacing and the system faces significant and disruptive renovations to tracks, bridges, tunnels, and other infrastructure in the coming years.
This bill is an important step in bringing long-term stability and investment to America’s passenger rail operations. Once again, we urge you to support a clean PRRIA bill and look forward to working with you to create the transportation network that Americans want and deserve.
To contact your Congressman click here

Tens of thousands of union members and supporters turned out for a massive rally in the Wisconsin state capital of Madison on Saturday February 28th.  Among them were hundreds of SMART members and family members who will be effected by the Wisconsin GOP’s attack on organized labor.
After stating numerous times that he had no intention of considering right to work (for less) legislation, Scott Walker indicated in late February that he would sign a right to work bill once it came to his desk.  At and appearance at CPAC (the Conservative Political Action Committee) on February 26, Walker not only iterated that he would sign the bill, but also bragged about his role in turning Wisconsin into what is expected to become the 25th right work state in America.
 

Rallies against Right to Work for less and the repeal of the prevailing wage are currently being planned across Wisconsin.  On Monday, February 23rd, a rally is scheduled in Milwaukee at 5pm in Zeidler Park while two more are scheduled for the State Capitol in Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday (February 24th and 25th) both at noon.
These come in response to the Wisconsin GOP’s plans to introduce a right to work bill this week in the state legislature.  Last year, House and Senate Republicans refused to discuss plans for any right to work legislation in Wisconsin and the Governor himself even called any potential legislation a “distraction” that he had no desire for.

Prevailing wage (Davis-Bacon) laws ensure that we have a highly skilled construction workforce and that our infrastructure is built safely under local area standards.  This skilled workforce produces higher productivity, better efficiency, and superior workmanship, which reduces cost while ensuring taxpayers benefit from quality projects. Because local wage rates are set as prevailing on local publicly funded projects, local workers are protected and the money spent on those projects go right back into the local economy through money spent at local businesses and through income tax revenue.
Right now, across the United States, a big push is being made by deep pocketed financial interests and anti-union groups like the Associated Builders and Contractors to eliminate the prevailing wage from local and state funded projects.  They are doing this under the misleading perception that paying less for low cost labor will result in cost savings for local contractors, when time after time again, in studies and in real world examples, those ideas have been found to be wrong.  In fact, the elimination of prevailing wage laws have led to massive increases in cost overruns and expensive change orders.
Your state senators and house members need to hear from their constituents, urging them to NOT repeal the prevailing wage.
You, your family, friends and co-workers can make an enormous difference by taking five minutes and sending a message to your state lawmakers about the importance and the benefits of the prevailing wage.  
Click here to take action.

Valentine’s Day is this Saturday.  Are you prepared?
Give your loved ones the very best this Valentine’s Day with this list of union made sweets and treats.
Visit the list compiled by Labor 411, the union business directory from the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, for a complete list of products made by union members.
Don’t forget, Union members receive a 20% discount on all Teleflora flowers and GiftTree gift baskets when they browse arrangements and order online at UnionPlus.org/Flowers or call 1-888-667-7779.

With the recommendation of General President Nigro, the General Executive Council has confirmed the appointment of Gary Masino, Business Manager/President of Local 19-Philadelphia, as the 11^th General Vice President. Gary is filling the vacancy on the GEC created when Joe Powell came on staff as Assistant to the General President.
Brother Masino, 49, resides in Northeast Philadelphia and has lived in Philadelphia his entire life.  He is a third-generation sheet metal worker with a proud family contribution to the sheet metal industry.  For nearly 33 years he has been an active member and committed to the advancement of Local 19.  He was elected to President/Business Manager in 2011.  He started his rise to the top by being elected to the Executive Board in 2000 and held that until 2002 when he was unanimously elected to the position of Organizer.  He was an Organizer until 2006 when he was elected as Business Representative.
Gary has received respect from many in the industry and is currently President of the Pennsylvania State Council of Sheet Metal Workers, and Vice President of the Metropolitan Association of Presidents & Business Representatives, Philadelphia AFL-CIO, Mechanical Trades District Council of Delaware Valley and an Executive Board Member of the Pennsylvania State Building Trades and the Pennsylvania State AFL-CIO.  He is also the Co-Chairman of the Health & Welfare Funds, Joint Apprentice and Training Council, the Scholarship Fund and the Sheet Metal Industry Advancement Committee of Local 19.
He was appointed to the License & Inspection Appeals Board for the City of Philadelphia in September of 2012 and was appointed to the Philadelphia Zoning board in March of 2014 by Mayor Nutter.  Recently, (January 2015), he was appointed to the Governors Transition Committee for Labor & Industry for the State of Pennsylvania.
Gary is a proud father of 2 sons, Gary & Eric.  Gary was a graduate of Roman Catholic High School and recently graduated from Widener University and Eric is a junior at The Art Institute of Philadelphia.  He is married to his wife Karen and is a step father to her 3 children Brynn, Bobby & Joey.

Even with the evolution of technology, sometimes the flow of communication from the workers on the front lines to the decision makers in the offices can move slowly. To make sure workers’ voices were heard, the International Training Institute (ITI) established an Advisory Committee in 2012 to bridge the communication gap.
After an open discussion with training coordinators during the 2012 Business Agents meeting, General President Joe Nigro suggested the creation of the Advisory Committee, made up of 13 training coordinators, one elected to represent each region of the United States and Canada.
The committee attends two meetings annually, in April and October, and brings to the table concerns collected from each region’s training coordinators. Training centers across the country take turns hosting the meetings. To date, the committee has met in San Jose, California; St. Louis; Washington, D.C. and Portland, Oregon. The next meeting will take place in April in Cleveland.
“We needed a voice. We needed to be heard. If an issue comes up, we need to address it. If we’re having a problem in the field, we need to have a voice,” said Bob Dutra, Advisory Committee chairman and training director for Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 38.
“Before this committee, there would be the coordinators conference where there would be open discussion when all the coordinators were there, but no one wants to be the guy who’s singled out. Here, we bring it to them as a group. And it’s working.”
Questions and concerns about policies, to solutions, to current problems have all been discussed during committee meetings. Last year, members collectively reviewed the ITI’s Accreditation Criteria and made suggestions on changes to the trustees.
“They appreciate the fact trustees listened and made adjustments accordingly,” said Tim Myres, Advisory Committee secretary and training coordinator for Sheet Metal Workers No. 20 in Indianapolis. “It gets the word of the training center coordinators to the trustees, so they understand what we feel the issues are, and they’re listening. I think that’s a huge accomplishment.”
At first, coordinators across the country didn’t offer up much information about what was going on at their centers. Once they realized they were being listened to, that all changed, Dutra said.
“You can see how it unfolds as you’re sitting there,” he added.
“It does change. I think they’re getting more comfortable as they see things happen,” Myres said.
“You get a group of individuals together, and you can bounce ideas off each other. They listen to what’s going on in all areas of the country. The Advisory Committee is a great group. Everyone steps in and isn’t afraid to say what they think or ask a question without hurting anyone’s feelings. It’s refreshing.”

Few people know what sheet metal workers do. The SMACNA-SMART Labor Management Partnership Trust is giving its members a chance to highlight their trade in creative, short videos—up to 90 seconds long—and earn a prize of up to $500 in the process.
Videos can highlight labor-management success stories, technical skills, recruiting, training or other subjects related to the industry. Only current members of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers (SMART) or employees of a contractor affiliated with the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), SMACNA-SMART Joint Apprenticeship Training Center, or SMACNA chapter may participate.
Entrants must visit the Partners in Progress Facebook page, choose Video Contest, provide their full name; Union number, SMACNA chapter, or affiliated contractor name; valid email address, and the YouTube URL for the video. The Sheet Metal Challenge Video Contest is open for entries from February 1 through March 15. One entry per person.
Beginning March 16, voting will open on Facebook to select the best. Cash prizes for the entries receiving the most votes are $500, $300, and $200 for first through third place.
Outstanding entries will be used on SMACNA’s and SMART’s Web sites, in advertising, and on social media.
Full contest rules available at pinpmagazine.org/contest/videocontest01rules.htm or they may be requested via an email to editor@pinpmagazine.org.