New policies around federal funding are hitting home for sheet metal workers in San Diego, where cuts to funding from the National Institutes of Health led to the pausing of two huge construction projects and dozens of sheet metal workers losing out on pending jobs.
Following a veto of similar legislation in 2024, SMART Local 9 worked to win a law that will put Colorado sheet metal members to work on HVAC in public schools.
On June 12, the White House budget office encouraged federal agencies to use project labor agreements on construction jobs. The guidance includes potential exceptions to avoid the use of PLAs and does not require PLAs on projects over $35 million.
“These major energy projects were creating jobs for SMART members and American construction workers. Now, after the Department of Energy’s announcement, those jobs have been taken away,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “That’s bad for our members, our families and our country. We’re urging the Department of Energy to reverse this decision and put American workers back on the job.”
The Department of Energy recently canceled $3.7 billion in awards for various energy projects, including a project in Mitchell, Indiana, that had employed Local 20 sheet metal workers. “These major energy projects were creating jobs for SMART members and American construction workers. Now, after the Department of Energy’s announcement, those jobs have been taken away,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “That’s bad for our members, our families and our country. We’re urging the Department of Energy to reverse this decision and put American workers back on the job.”
SMART union leaders often need to communicate important information to a wide variety of parties — politicians, business owners, fellow workers and reporters, to name a few — when fighting to better the lives of SMART members. That’s why the SMART Education Department held its Effective Communication II class in Pittsburgh, Pa., during the week of June 3, 2025.
Following reporting by ABC News that Kilmar Abrego Garcia is being returned to the United States from El Salvador, SMART General President Michael Coleman released the following statement: “Since March, our demand has not changed: Kilmar Abrego Garcia must be returned to the [...]
The Spring 2025 BE4ALL Challenge raffle winners detailed the many ways union membership has changed their lives for the better, from health care and home ownership, to pride in the workplace.
Roofers, as skilled trades professionals, play a critical role in building and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps our communities safe and resilient. This week is an opportunity to celebrate the legacy projects that span coast to coast to coast