In late September, SMART announced a brand-new maternity leave benefit fund — part of our union’s wholesale commitment to supporting, welcoming and retaining women and new mothers in the sheet metal industry.
The benefit fund, jointly funded with SMACNA as part of the Sheet Metal Industry Labor-Management Cooperation Fund, is designed as a reimbursement for local unions participating in health and welfare funds. During pregnancy, the fund will reimburse up to $800 per week beginning in the second trimester; after pregnancy, the benefit will reimburse up to $800 per week for six weeks (with two additional weeks — eight total — available for Cesarean deliveries). In total, the benefit provides for a combined reimbursement of 26 weeks.
“We believe this will empower SMART tradeswomen, so they no longer feel that they need to choose between having children and having a career in our industry,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman. “I’m proud of everyone involved for their tireless work on this important initiative, which will help bring more sisters into our union and our trade.”
“We all realize this is an important commitment to make to the industry, so we’re happy to partner with SMART to try to make the world a little bit better,” added SMACNA CEO Aaron Hilger during a webinar announcing the benefit fund in late September.
Along with childcare, pregnancy and childbirth are regularly cited by women in the building trades as major obstacles — both when starting their careers, and for staying in the trade. Local 265 (Carol Stream, Ill.) journeyperson Danielle Wilson, the first recipient of a maternity leave program at her local union, believes the new International maternity leave benefit fund will help strengthen and grow SMART for years to come.
“I think it’s going to be a huge selling point,” Wilson said. “We’re so well paid and our benefits are amazing, and our retirement’s so good, but the U.S. is one of only a handful [of countries] … that don’t have maternity leave.”
“To know that this is a profession that has maternity leave, I think it’s going to be a huge, huge point on bringing more women in,” she added. “To know that our unions are looking out for us by saying, ‘hey, not only do you have this great pay, these great benefits in retirement, but if you decide to have a family, we have your back for that, too.’”
The maternity leave benefit fund launched January 1, 2025. For more information, please contact SMART Director of Special Projects Louise Medina.
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