Tag: GP Coleman

Home>News>GP Coleman

Brothers and sisters,

I’m writing as we approach the end of the year — and everything that comes with it. In the United States, we recently celebrated Thanksgiving, along with Veterans Day and, in Canada, Remembrance Day in early November. By the time you read this, members across our union will have celebrated various holiday traditions — Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve and many others — and will be looking forward as we begin 2026.

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Veterans Day, Remembrance Day — all these holidays mean different things for different people. But to me, they have powerful things in common.

For one, they all carry a message of gratitude. Veterans Day and Remembrance Day remind us to be thankful for the selflessness, the service and the sacrifice of military heroes in the United States and Canada; the people who fought, in the name of something bigger than themselves, to bring us the freedoms we enjoy today. And whatever faith you hold or tradition you recognize, holidays like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah also remind us to be grateful: for our communities and for each other.

They also remind us to be thankful for our union. For so many of us, our SMART membership is the reason we have the ability to give gifts to family, spend time with loved ones, gather with those we haven’t seen in a while. Those things weren’t given to us. They were earned. They were won by us, working Americans and Canadians, when we came together and used our collective voice to make change.

And that is why, as we take on the first weeks and months of 2026, I’m also filled with determination.

There’s no point in sugarcoating it, brothers and sisters: 2025 was tough. The cost of living has continued to climb. Trade policies at the government level impacted members in both of our nations. In the U.S., legislation passed that will threaten our members’ jobs — in fact, there has already been a negative impact — and will raise the costs of our health care plans. The rich continued to get richer, all while we fight so the people who power North America get the pay and respect they deserve.

But that’s the thing about our union. We are defined by our solidarity. We fight collectively. We bargain as one. We stand together as hundreds of thousands of working people across our two nations, ready to defend each other and fight for our families. As I look back on 2025 — at the way we worked tire­lessly, even in the face of challenges, to win better contracts, safety on the job, and good lives for our families — I know our future is brighter than the past.

Lastly, I want to make sure to note something. The holiday season isn’t always the easiest, even when our societies make it seem like it’s simply a time for joy and celebration. In that spirit, I hope all of you know that your union, your brothers and sisters, are here for you. We have support systems and resources available to members, from the SMOHIT Helpline to Union EAP. We have your back.

When we stand with one another, we know what we can achieve. Let’s continue to do exactly that in the year ahead.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

As SMART workers, many of us have direct expe­rience with the tactic known as “divide and conquer.”

Anyone who’s been part of an organizing campaign knows what I’m talking about. Bad-faith employers, rather than respecting their employees’ decision to join our union, will try to divide workers against one another. They try to split organizing workers apart so they forget their common ground — the reason they’re organizing — and, as a result, lose the chance to collectively bargain.

We sometimes see it during contract negotiations, too. I know it happened recently for our SMART-TD railroaders working for the Alabama Port Authority, but it can also take place in production shops, when bargaining first contracts with newly organized contrac­tors, and beyond. Rather than bargain in good faith, employers will try to exploit our differences — whether it’s seniority, what language we’re most comfortable speaking, pay differences in previous contracts, you name it — to try to break our unity and win an agree­ment that doesn’t give members what they deserve.

SMART-TD Local 598 members in Alabama refused to be divided based on previously existing pay structures, winning a strong agreement that benefited everyone. And that’s the example every single one of us should follow: on the job, at the bargaining table and in everyday life.

Because brothers and sisters, I believe we are facing constant attempts to divide us — and to conquer our union.

The truth is, when we bargain collectively, we are a pain in the ass for the rich, the powerful, the greedy corpora­tions of the world. Why? Because together, we are stronger. Together, we win contracts that allow our families not just to get by, but to thrive. Together, we achieve real political victories, like the Federal Railroad Administration’s two-person crew rule. Together, we force the hand of transit companies, working to get real change on our buses and passenger trains, not just lip service.

The rich and powerful — the one percent — they don’t like that. Because enough is never enough for them. They need more wealth, more shares, more profit. And so they work overtime to try to destroy our movement.

The ways they try to do that take many forms, including the recently passed spending bill in the United States, which will drive up our health care costs, cancel construction projects and take from our neighbors who are struggling to get by, all while benefiting the richest people in the country. But the playbook they rely on the most is, you guessed it, divide and conquer.

These people will do everything they can, using all their money and influence, to try to make us afraid of each other. They want us to be scared of our neighbors, our fellow workers — hell, even our SMART brothers and sisters — based on all kinds of arbitrary categories. Race, gender, what we believe in, where we were born, etc. We’re all familiar with it.

And of course, we do have differences.

But it doesn’t matter who you voted for, what language you speak best, what you like to do in your free time. We all have so much more in common with each other than we ever will with the billionaires who dominate our news feeds.

Our solidarity is our power, brothers and sisters. And in the fight for our jobs, our families and our future, it’s OUR power, our unity, that matters the most.

As your union brother, I urge all of us to keep sticking together as we move forward.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

SMART General President Michael Coleman has published a number of videos in recent months — aiming to cut through the noise of corporate media and partisan influencers, and to make sure SMART members are informed about the issues affect­ing their jobs, their futures and their families.

In an August video, General President Coleman briefly discussed the California high-speed rail project. The Department of Transportation pulled $4 billion from the project — funds that were already committed.

“I believe they’re playing politics with our members’ jobs,” Coleman said.

“This project is covered by a project labor agreement and has already created over 15,000 jobs, many of which are building trades jobs, and it’s going to create even more jobs in the future, and these are jobs for SMART members,” he added. “The California High-Speed Rail Authority also has an agreement with SMART to cover SMART railroaders. And these jobs are covered by the Railway Labor Act, the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act.”

“This project is not only an investment for our members now, but for our members in the future,” Coleman concluded. “This administration should stand with our members and recommit to this project.”

Watch the full video here.

The Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMO­HIT) provides resources to protect union sheet metal workers on the job, at union halls and at training centers across the United States and Canada. SMO­HIT provided automatic external defibrillators (AED) and bleed kits to all locations five years ago, and continues to help members become certified in CPR.

Providing naloxone is no different.

Every SMART union hall and training center is eligible to receive one cabinet with four boxes, or eight doses, of naloxone, a synthetic, potent antagonist for opioid drugs, including morphine and fentanyl. Boxes contain detailed, illustrated instructions on how to administer the drug in case of suspected over­dose, which is as easy as spraying the dose inside the patient’s nose. The metal cabinets, offered to sheet metal union halls and training facilities as a member benefit, are not alarmed and are meant to be hung in highly visible areas, said Jeff Bradley, SMOHIT program administrator.

“We wanted to make it accessible to as many people as possible,” he said. “If they run out, they can always order more from us at no direct cost.”

Once hung on the wall at a training center or union hall, the cabinet’s doses are available for whoever needs them, whether the suspected overdose occurs inside a union building or elsewhere. Members can take a box if they’re concerned about a family member or take one to keep at the jobsite. If an opioid drug is in the medicine cabinet at their house, they should have naloxone on hand. Senior citizens are often prescribed naloxone in addition to any opioid medication in case of accidental overdose. With children, even teens, in the home, naloxone is a good thing to have on hand in case the unthinkable happens.

Opioid overdose can happen to anyone who is taking the medication or who purchases any kind of medi­cation from anywhere other than a licensed pharmacy, including social media and the internet. Workers who share medications or teenagers who buy anxiety medications from social media ads are all at risk — because counterfeit opioids look just like the real thing, said Chris Carlough, SMART director of wellness and mental health support.

“The cabinets and doses were purchased to help members save lives, inside and outside of union build­ings,” Bradley added. “An overdose can happen to anyone, anywhere, and it’s good to be prepared no matter the circumstances.”

Construction workers build their careers in dangerous situations. Even with every safety measure in place, injuries happen, and when they do, 55% of injured construc­tion workers receive a prescription opioid to manage the pain. Of those injured workers, 29% received two or more opioid prescriptions, according to a study from the Workers Compensation Research Institute.

The risk of overdose is a present danger, and that danger differs across populations and industries. Although the rate of overdose deaths in the United States decreased almost 27% from 2023 to 2024, union construction workers are 10 times more likely to develop an opioid use disorder if given a long-term prescription, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“The primary reason we’ve experi­enced a significant drop in opioid overdoses has been the presence of naloxone, so it’s vital we make sure it is visible and available throughout our industry,” Carlough said.

The Belonging and Excellence for All initiative, or BE4ALL, is a joint effort by SMART, SMACNA and the International Training Institute (ITI) designed with one goal in mind: strengthening the unionized sheet metal industry. By boosting recruitment and retention, among other things, BE4ALL aims to bring in and keep the best of the best in the industry, benefiting both local unions and signatory contractors.

Even with that goal, though, members have expressed confusion about BE4ALL. Some think of it as a diver­sity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiative. Some think it’s a program put on by just SMART, or just SMACNA. Others don’t know about BE4ALL whatsoever.

That’s why, on July 17, 2025, SMART General President Michael Coleman and SMACNA President Tom Martin hosted the first-ever BE4ALL Town Hall at the Local 33 union hall in Cleveland, Ohio, discussing the initiative and taking questions from the more than 160 in-person attendees and viewers across North America watching via livestream.

In a powerful conversation moderated by Dushaw Hockett, General President Coleman and President Martin discussed actionable strategies for recruiting and supporting the next generation of sheet metal workers. From communication and mentorship to foreperson training and open-door leadership, they highlighted how BE4ALL is raising the standard for both workers and workplaces — benefiting every single member in the process.

“I spoke before about making our industry more competitive and more attractive to end users. We’re able to bring in more members and train more members, and we’re able to retain those members, if we’re out there supporting [each other],” Coleman said. “We all know the more members we bring in and the more that we retain, [that] builds our pensions, helps with our health insurance cost.”

“If you build confidence, you have respect, you have good culture within your organization, your association or your individual contractor, it helps the bottom line,” added Martin.

Both leaders talked about specific accomplishments achieved by BE4ALL so far. Coleman highlighted the Rapid Response Protocol, a guide to preventing and responding to incidents of bias, harassment or harm, calling it “one of the best documents I have ever read in this industry.” Martin, meanwhile, touched on the BE4ALL website, beforall.org, which has best practices, Toolbox Talks and other resources readily available.

In addition to their moderated discussion, Coleman and Martin took questions from viewers and in-person attendees. Questions spanned a range of topics, including how SMART and SMACNA are working to recruit high school students; how we can better retain the members we recruit, particularly when we know that one bad experience is enough to deter many other potential members in a given community; how we can continue to prioritize mentorship in our industry; and how rank-and-file members can get involved with BE4ALL.

In a defining moment, one virtual attendee asked if BE4ALL was lowering the standards of quality and craftsmanship in the industry.

“Absolutely not,” General President Coleman responded. “In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s about raising the standards for everybody. Along with the support comes the expectation that you’re going to be the best you can be in this industry. That’s what this is about … it makes us all better, it gives us that competitive edge.”

As I write this, I and the rest of your International leadership are preparing for the 2025 SMART Leadership Conference. Each year, these confer­ences bring together local union officers from across North America and across our union, with both sheet metal and TD leaders gathering to do the hard work of strengthening SMART.

That is the most valuable part of these conferences: the fact that every single officer in our union — regardless of craft, trade, state, province or country — is in one place, doing the work that needs to be done for our common purpose.

That purpose? Fighting for SMART members.

That’s what we do in this union, whether on the jobsite, at the hall, on buses or trains, in government or beyond. It’s what ALL of us do: International officers, local union leaders, shop stewards and the hundreds of thousands of men and women who build and move our nation. And it’s what we’ve done throughout the history of our union, our movement and our two nations. The gains we’ve made — whether it’s pay, benefits, workplace safety, job-creating laws, you name it — we have made by fighting together for what matters.

SMART is YOU, the members — and I know all of us are dedicated to doing whatever we can to make sure the interests of you, the members, come first.

Across our union, we’ve won some huge victories recently. In Mobile, Alabama, members of SMART-TD Local 598 resisted the Alabama Port Authority’s attempts to divide members and secured an agreement that ensures major gains in wages, benefits and crew consist protections. In New Mexico and Connecticut, Local 49 and Local 38 won laws that expand prevailing wage to include custom offsite fabrication workers, creating jobs for SMART members and our neighbors. In Kansas, SMART-TD won state-level funding to expand passenger rail service. In Colorado, SMART Local 9 helped win the passage of the HVAC Improvements for Public Schools law, which will put our members to work statewide.

We’ve also been fighting for SMART members at the national level, in any arena that we can. One example: When the Department of Defense tried to end the use of project labor agreements (PLAs) on large-scale construc­tion projects, it was a direct threat to SMART members’ jobs. This wasn’t something Congress could fix, so North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), which includes SMART and 13 other unions, took the fight to court. Together, we won a key victory: A federal judge ordered the Department of Defense to go back to using PLAs, putting union members and working Americans back on the job.

Another example, this one from Canada: The new prime minister announced a Federal Major Projects Office, designed to cut project approval times from five years to just two — a move that would create more jobs for skilled workers, including sheet metal workers and roofers.

From the local to the national, in the United States and Canada, that’s what our fight looks like. And it’s important to remember: SMART isn’t blue, SMART isn’t red. SMART is YOU, the members — and I know all of us are dedicated to doing whatever we can to make sure the interests of you, the members, come first. We will work with anyone, regardless of political party, and we will fight in Congress, in Parliament, in the courts, in local governments and at the bargaining table to protect members’ jobs, livelihoods and families. You have my word.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

I’ve talked a lot about the importance of solidarity recently. It’s our foundation, our core value and our strength; it’s the guiding principle that has carried us through generations of challenges, whether we’re at work, at the bargaining table or on the picket line.

Much of the conversation around our solidarity has been in response to political events in the United States. Recent developments, from the unprecedented firings at the U.S. National Labor Relations Board to the shifting policies on tariffs, have sent ripples through our industries. These decisions have real consequences for working people — our people.

But make no mistake, brothers and sisters: Our union solidarity spans all of North America, from Hawaii to Vancouver, Florida to St. John’s; whether we’re on the shop floor, the jobsite, the railroad or the bus terminal.

Amid all the noise encompassing our nations’ governments, I want to focus on the hard-working citizens of our two nations that make up our membership: We have far more in common than we have differences. Skilled SMART sheet metal workers perform top-notch craftsmanship on jobsites and in production shops across both of our two nations. Organizing in British Columbia, Ontario and everywhere in between strengthens our union in the states just like it does in the provinces, and vice versa. And political developments in Ottawa and Washington have ramifications for every single one of us.

“Our union solidarity spans all of North America, from Hawaii to Vancouver, Florida to St. John’s; whether we’re on the shop floor, the jobsite, the railroad or the bus terminal.”

As SMART members, we want the same thing, regardless of which country we call home: good, family-sustaining jobs, stellar pay, a retirement with dignity. And our union organizes across North America for those exact goals — recently, in both of our nations, winning extraordinary growth. Regardless of the political climate, no matter who holds power in Washington or Ottawa, we will continue to fight for the betterment of this union: no member left behind.

The history of SMART spans over 200 combined years of organizing, tradition, mentorship and solidarity. We’ve faced adversity, fought countless battles and secured life-changing victories for workers across North America. Every victory we’ve achieved stems from our unity and the principle that an injury to one is an injury to all.

I want to emphasize something, though. That collective power doesn’t simply appear when we pay our dues. We, the members, are the union. We need to be engaged, involved and ACTIVE in our locals. That’s how we organize new manufacturing plants and contractors, like Evergreen Sheet Metal in B.C. That’s how we secure local laws that bring in more work for members, like project labor agreements in Southern California. That’s how we develop new tools to help keep our SMART-TD bus members safe. All this is only possible when we proactively flex our collective strength.

We continue to see anti-worker entities, whether bad-faith employers or antagonistic governments, attempt to divide us. They want us to fight each other instead of fighting the rich and powerful. They want to pit Canadians versus Americans, railroaders versus sheet metal workers; they want workers against workers.

Brothers and sisters, we must reject that division and choose solidarity instead. Let’s stand together, not just in the face of political challenges, but for the future we believe in. When we are united across the United States and Canada, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

On Thursday, April 10, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision that backed a federal judge’s order requiring the government to facilitate the return of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia to the United States. SMART General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement in response:

“Since last week, our demand has been a simple one — one that echoed the calls of Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia’s family, community and allies: Bring Kilmar home and give him the due process that is his right.

“It’s been weeks since Kilmar, a sheet metal apprentice working hard to pursue the American dream, was mistakenly deported. Over those weeks, in what has been a heartbreaking and terrifying time for Kilmar’s family, we have seen Americans from coast to coast raise their voices against Kilmar’s deportation. And in the midst of that outcry, the United States justice system instructed the government, again and again, to bring Kilmar back to the U.S.

“In court last Friday, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Erez Reuveni admitted that there was nothing in the record to support ICE apprehending and deporting Abrego Garcia. The federal district court judge who heard Kilmar’s case stated she ‘[hadn’t] been given any evidence’ to support the government’s allegation of gang affiliation and ordered the government to bring Kilmar home. On Monday, a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit unanimously denied the government’s request for a stay. And yesterday, the United States Supreme Court reaffirmed the government’s responsibility to facilitate Kilmar’s return from El Salvador.

“Our call is unchanged, and it is now backed by the Supreme Court: The government must bring Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia home and grant him due process. We are overjoyed for Kilmar and his family, and we look forward to the Trump administration taking immediate steps to bring him back to the U.S.”

Last fall, I had the immense privilege of meeting many of you face-to-face for the first time.

In the leadup to Election Day 2024, I traveled to local unions in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, where I attended get-out-the-vote events, spoke to you at union meetings and got to hear, firsthand, about what’s important to you and your families.

“As long as we have each other’s back, we will continue our forward march to secure the rights and dignity of every worker in this great nation.”

The focus of many of our conversations was, unsurprisingly, the election. But looking back, I don’t find myself thinking about presidential candidates, legislative districts or policymaking. The theme that emerges stronger than any other is one simple fact: No matter who leads our nation, we remain brothers and sisters in this union.

“As long as we have each other’s back, we will continue our forward march to secure the rights and dignity of every worker in this great nation.”

At this point, it’s been months since Donald Trump won his reelection bid for president of the United States. As all of you know, SMART endorsed his opponent, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. These two candidates each had long records detailing the actions they have taken on behalf of SMART members and working families, and they had plans to build on the incredible victories we won under the Biden-Harris administration: securing union pensions, laws that created union jobs, two-person train crews and more.

Countless members across the U.S. — from California and Nevada to Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania and beyond — mobilized to elect a bipartisan group of pro-worker champions. They knocked doors, wrote postcards, made calls, sent texts and talked to their fellow members about the importance of voting for those who support us. The stats show us that these efforts worked: Union members supported the Harris-Walz ticket by a double-digit margin. But the American people have spoken, and we need to respect our democratic institutions.

Let me be clear: Regardless of party, SMART will work with any elected leaders to advance the interests of members and their families. That has always been the case, and that won’t stop now.

I also want to make sure every single member always knows this: No matter what happens under a Trump-Vance administration, SMART will continue to fight tirelessly on behalf of every single member and their families. Regardless of where you live, who you voted for, your race, your gender identity, who you love, your religious belief, where you were born or anything else.

These days, elections sow division like never before — and I’m sure many of you experienced the painful aftereffects of that division firsthand. I know I did. But we can never, ever forget the defining principle of our union: solidarity. I have your back, and you have mine. You are my union family, and I am yours. I talked about that frequently in the leadup to this election, and I’ll continue to champion that principle, regardless of who occupies the White House.

Sisters and brothers, I don’t know what the future will bring. But I know that it’s more important than ever for all of us to stand together, united, as one union. As long as we have each other’s back, we will continue our forward march to secure the rights and dignity of every worker in this great nation.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

Over the summer, thousands of delegates, staff, leaders and guests gathered in Las Vegas, Nev., for our union’s Third General Convention. We spent Monday through Friday in session, with our TD brothers and sisters convening for their convention the previous Sunday — working to consider and pass various resolutions, amendments and other motions that will strengthen this union for the long haul.

I am immensely proud of the delegates you elected to represent you at this convention; the solidarity on display inspired everyone who had the chance to witness it. Now, it’s time to get to work.

“All of us want what’s right for our families, our jobs and our union. So please join me in taking action to secure our future this November.

As union members, we know the most important thing for our well-being is each other. But we also know that outside forces, particularly anti-labor politicians, will stop at nothing to constrict and even entirely get rid of our ability to do just that. For that reason, your elected convention delegates made the important decision to endorse Vice President Kamala Harris for president and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz for vice president in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Just like every other election season, there is a lot of noise out there right now, brothers and sisters, and a lot of powerful people and corporations doing their best to keep us distracted. But throughout our country’s history, one thing has always been true: The laws and policies that strengthen the labor movement always benefit our country.

Vice President Harris and Governor Walz want to help your union grow, create more jobs for SMART members and uplift working families. Their actions prove it. Vice President Harris’s tie-breaking votes to pass the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act saved union members’ pensions and invested in the jobs of our future. As Minnesota governor, Walz passed a state two-person crew law, an air ventilation program to put sheet metal members to work, funded Amtrak, expanded prevailing wage, banned anti-union captive audience meetings, and became the first and only governor in the nation to legislate yardmasters’ hours of service.

Harris’s and Walz’s actions speak louder than words. They stood, and they continue to stand, with SMART members and our families.

The other candidate in this election has an anti-union record that imitates the robber-barons of the past, with plans to outdo himself. His administration rescinded a proposed two-person crew rule, tried to gut union apprenticeships with Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs, prioritized tax cuts for the wealthy over job-creating laws for SMART members — I could go on and on. And his Project 2025 agenda details his intent to attack us even more in the future.

Brothers and sisters, I know we don’t agree on everything in the political arena. But one thing I’m absolutely, 100% certain of is this: All of us want what’s right for our families, our jobs and our union. So please join me in taking action to secure our future this November.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman