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Members of SMART SM Local 206 joined fellow union workers from the San Diego Building Trades on September 26 to usher through a historic victory for workers in the area, with La Mesa, Calif., becoming the first city in San Diego County to pass a citywide project labor agreement (PLA).

The PLA, negotiated between the city of La Mesa and the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, was approved unanimously, and will ensure union pay, benefits and protections for all construction workers on city of La Mesa public works projects.

“Personal politics aside, most of our members know and understand that our local will only endorse and support labor-friendly candidates and legislation,” said Local 206 Business Manager Dave Gauthier. “When we support those that support livable wages and a full family benefit package, our members and our communities do better as a whole.”

“When we support those that support livable wages and a full family benefit package, our members and our communities do better as a whole.”

– SMART Local 206 Business Manager Dave Gauthier

Project labor agreements benefit workers, contractors, project owners and citizens alike by organizing complex construction projects, creating jobs for local community members, providing the necessary skilled trades workforce for complicated jobs. They also help bring projects in on time and under budget – ultimately saving taxpayer money. By providing union-protected wages and benefits for all workers, project labor agreements help lift area residents – including historically disadvantaged and underrepresented communities – into the middle class. They also benefit local unions, with many PLAs including union hiring hall requirements.

Local 206 members and other building trades workers showed up to the September 26 La Mesa City Council meeting to speak in favor of the La Mesa PLA – illustrating the difference it makes when SMART members get involved in the political process. Such activism will continue to be crucial as local unions work to take advantage of a union-friendly political climate and funding from federal legislation signed into law by President Biden. Additionally, Gauthier added, pushing for pro-labor legislation like PLAs helps demonstrate the union advantage to working people everywhere.  

“Explaining the benefits of local hire and project labor agreements is actually pretty easy when speaking to working-class people,” he said. “When you tell folks that these agreements benefit their neighbors who wake up early every morning and lace up their work boots, and when they understand that their tax dollars are then being redistributed in the local economy, you can really see the light come on in their eyes. They get it, and then they get what we in labor are all about.”

Local 17 (Boston, Mass.) members are preparing to begin work on one of the largest real estate projects in Boston history, as well as the largest-ever project labor agreement (PLA)-covered job in Massachusetts: the redevelopment of Suffolk Downs, a former horse racing site on the border of east Boston and neighboring Revere. The 20-year buildout is set to create pipelines to family-sustaining union careers for thousands of local community members, as well as construct affordable housing in the area.

According to the development firm heading the project, HYM Investment Group, “the redevelopment will transform 161 acres into a new resilient mixed-use neighborhood served by two stops on the MBTA Blue Line. Suffolk Downs will create 10,000 new units of housing to meet critical demand in the market, and will provide a mix of senior, workforce, family and young professional housing, including over 900 affordable units.”

And thanks to the PLA negotiated between HYM, its general contractor, John Moriarty & Associates and both the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters and Boston’s Building and Construction Trades Council, the Suffolk Downs project will be completely union-built and create 14,000 jobs across every sector of the building trades.

The initial project phase will include approximately 1.39 million square feet of development consisting of the Phase 1 Project (520,000 square feet of corporate use and amenity space); three residential buildings; a portion of the townhomes proposed along Waldemar Avenue totaling over 800 housing units; and construction of the Horseshoe Pond landscaped wetland enhancements and Belle Isle Square public plaza, with over 100,000 square feet of ground floor retail.

“It will be a city within a city,” said SMART Northeast Regional Council Labor Management Representative John Cody. “The local community will benefit from new affordable housing and pathways to new careers, whether it be in retail, hospitality, bio life science or the Boston building trades unions. And for our current members of Local 17, we are starting from a blank canvas, so the many hours of work generated by this project will sustain the quality of life for the families of Local 17 and other trades.”

The power of a union-negotiated project labor agreement is on full display with the Suffolk Downs job: Labor, with the help of former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh and Mass. State Senator (former City Councilor) Lydia Edwards, worked hard to ensure strong equity and local hire requirements are included in the project’s short- and long-term future.

As part of the PLA, HYM committed to providing $2 million in investments to support employment pipelines that will help local residents enter family-sustaining, union careers, both during construction and as part of Suffolk Downs’ future workforce. That includes $1 million in new funding to support the Building Pathways pre-apprenticeship program, in which 90% of enrollees are people of color and 43% are women, and allows direct employment of graduates from Building Pathways.

“Having this PLA in place will help with the growth of the local,” Cody concluded. “Through community standards in place within the PLA, our involvement with various community groups in the area, our outreach to trade schools and career fairs in the city and even on the grounds of the project itself provided by the developer and our partnership with them throughout this whole process. We are hitting the streets and visiting workers, letting them know what a union is all about.”

Rail rodeo participants, left to right: Josiah Lewis, Richard
Montano, Hector Rivera, Jesse Lopez, Marina Mancilla, Steven
Ramirez, Omar Vivente, Gilbert Jaurequi and Eden Vazquez.
Not pictured: Norma Marlowe.

On Saturday, November 4, SMART-TD Local 1565 members working at Los Angeles Metro participated in the Monrovia division rail rodeo, competing with other transit rail workers and showing off the skills they use to transport passengers safely and efficiently every day. In addition to the skills competition, SMART-TD members and families showed out to support their union family, and Local 1565 set up a table representing SMART to fellow transit workers and potential members.

Rail rodeo participant Gilbert Jaurequi
Third place: Jesse Lopez
Second place: Marina Mancilla
First place: Steven Ramirez

Carl Hackerott, a dedicated member of SM Local 16 (Portland, Ore.), passed away shortly before reaching the remarkable milestone of 70 years of service to his union. In honor of his many years of devoted trade unionism, Local 16 presented Hackerott’s 70-year service award to his wife.

“Not only was Carl a skilled and accomplished sheet metal worker, but he also found joy in reviving antique sheet metal equipment. In honor of his memory, the Hackerott family decided to generously donate a meticulously restored, 1896, four-foot wooden hand brake to the training center. It is on display in the lobby of our Portland campus,” the Sheet Metal Institute — Local 16’s training center — wrote on Facebook. “During the heartfelt presentation of this cherished artifact, Mrs. Hackerott was deeply moved as she received her late husband’s well-deserved 70-year pin.” 

Pictured, left to right: The Sheet Metal Institute’s Ben Wood, training coordinator, and Rob Postma, executive administrator of training; Mrs. Hackerott; and Jerry Galarneau, past training coordinator

Local 68 (Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas) hosted its JATC Graduation and Pin Recipients Banquet on July 28, 2023, where local union leadership recognized the dedication of long-serving members and celebrated the newest journeyworkers in our union. Importantly, the ceremony gave newly graduated apprentices the chance to witness the lifelong benefits that SMART membership provides. Great work, Local 68.

Phil Newman, 50-year pin recipient, describes the many opportunities he found as a Local 68 member.
Local 68 Apprentice Coordinator Jay Huckabee and Business Manager Calvin Jennings host the JATC Graduation and Pin Recipients Banquet.
From left to right: Business Manager Calvin Jennings with pin recipients Curtis Cantrell (15 years), Phil Newman (50 years), Kenneth Moon (25 years) and Jose Salinas (25 years).
Class of 2023 JATC graduates, from left to right: Ashley Lattin, Daman Thatcher, Edwin Olvera, Apprentice Coordinator Jay Huckabee, Justin Enyart, Edward Perry, Chad Lyles, David Gray, Martin Ned, Christian Breit, Nathan Newman, Tate Patton, Per Eichenberger, Eloy Solorzano and Gene Visor.
Local 68 President Frank Robinson addressing the JATC graduates and pin recipients.

Unions in the United States have championed workplace safety from the beginning. In the 1870s, organized labor championed “State factory safety and health laws” — the predecessor of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) a century later. Whether it’s freight rail, bus or transit, workplace safety remains the foundation of everything we strive toward.

Our organization and labor have made tremendous headway, but as was clear over the summer, there is progress yet to be made and fights left to be won. We had two trainmen trainees killed in Maryland railyards.

We have been screaming into the megaphone to FRA, STB, NTSB, Congress, the White House, people in the media — frankly anyone else who will listen — that we will not stand for the current state of training on America’s Class I railroads. Please follow this link to read SMART-TD’s statement regarding the safety of our trainmen trainees, as well as the safety advisory we issued in hopes of directly speaking to our newly hired brothers and sisters and the conductors who mentor or train them.

It is our hope that our internal safety advisories will be a jumping-off point to inspire productive conversations. If carriers think they can get away with insufficient and unsafe training without SMART-TD opposing it, they are very much mistaken. Please take the time to read these materials.

While on the topic of safety, I want to proudly announce the formation of a new committee at SMART-TD focused on ending the epidemic of physical assault on our bus and transit membership. SMART-TD‘s Bus/Transit Assault Prevention and Safety (BTAPS) Committee was established at the SMART Leadership Conference in Washington, DC this August. It was born from the courage of Legislative Representative Christine Ivey of Local 1785 (Santa Monica, Calif.), who brought up the long-overdue idea that SMART-TD needed to form a committee to lead the charge for the transportation workers of this country — researching workable solutions to the increasing violence against on-duty members.

I agreed with the message Ivey eloquently and passionately shared and called for a vote on the formation of the committee on the spot, naming Sister Ivey as chairperson of the BTAPS Committee. It is not in this union’s DNA to sit idly by while our members’ safety and personal well-being are at risk.

Please read SMART-TD’s statement regarding the safety of our trainmen trainees, as well as the safety advisory we issued in hopes of directly speaking to our newly hired brothers and sisters and the conductors who mentor or train them

The BTAPS Committee and Chairperson Ivey have my full support and confidence as they strive for increased mandatory sentences for those who assault transit workers and craft the legislative language to protect our brothers and sisters. I thank her for her leadership on this important topic. BTAPS is looking for both bus and transit members to volunteer to serve. To be considered for an appointment to BTAPS, or if you know of someone we should be considering, please contact her at Chrissie.ivey.smtd.1785@gmail.com, or Dan Banks in our Cleveland office, at dbanks@smart-union.org.

On another positive note, I am happy to announce the retirement of SMART-TD Vice President Calvin Studivant, senior VP from our Bus Department. Calvin has dedicated his life to advocating for the safety, compensation and respect our bus operators and mechanics deserve. He has led the department since being elected VP in 2014. Along with VP Alvy Hughes, Studivant has led SMART-TD’s Bus Department to unparalleled success. We all wish Brother Studivant a long and happy retirement, and I thank him for all his years of dedicated service to our members.

As we wish Calvin the best, we are encouraged that he leaves our Bus Department in the capable hands of VP Hughes and James Sandoval from Local 23 in Santa Cruz, California, who has been elevated to VP. Brother Sandoval has served multiple roles in his career, and I have every confidence in his ability. The TD Board of Directors has approved General Chairperson Markeisha Haynes of Local 1785 as our new alternate vice president of the Bus Department. When sworn in, she will be the first Black woman to serve our union at this level of leadership. I am very proud to have Sister Haynes in the SMART-TD leadership team!

September marked the beginning of elections in most SMART-TD locals. Not only does this union need these leadership positions to be filled to function well, but they need to be filled with dedicated brothers and sisters willing to work to better the lives and careers of our members. This is not a top-down organization — it is supported and maintains its strength from the bottom up. The local leaders of today will spearhead the future of this organization and this movement. The first step is getting involved.

Please engage in your local and become well-informed about who is running. Make wise decisions in your leadership — these leaders have a hand in your safety and your family’s well-being.

Thank you for your continued support, and I want you all to have a great fall. Please don’t let the distractions of a new school year, football season and all the trappings take away from focusing on the safety of you and those you work with.

In Solidarity,

Jeremy R. Ferguson
President, Transportation Division

The rallying cry of the 2023 SMART Leadership Conference, “This is Our Time,” goes beyond mere words: It captures the moment of transformation we find ourselves in. The construction industry, ever-changing, presents an environment ripe for our impact. With a steadfast annual growth of 2% in construction employment, our share in the sheet metal market is positioned for a significant surge. This growth empowers us at the negotiation table, enabling us to shape various facets of the industry in unprecedented ways.

However, growth alone won’t suffice. As large-scale projects materialize, one thing is clear: We must intensify our commitment. By aligning with the vision of General President Coleman, we can not only secure a place in these substantial projects but also strengthen our foothold in essential areas like HVAC and architectural work, central to what sheet metal workers contribute to our communities and our nations.

Our advancement is evident across borders and industries, within both the sheet metal and transportation sectors. The Transportation Division stands as a prime example of collective resilience. Despite adversities, its membership grew remarkably, a testament to our members’ unwavering dedication. In the midst of challenges in freight rail, transit, bus and passenger rail industries, your determination to stand united demonstrates the true essence of the labor movement — the power of solidarity in surmounting obstacles.

SMART sheet metal and Transportation Division workers stand up for good jobs and safety in California.

The past decade has been a period marked by trials, each fueling our evolution into the union we are today: one primed to seize the opportunities that lie ahead. From the hurdles posed by a pandemic to tough negotiations and assaults on crew consist, our steadfast commitment to progress is undeniable. The time is now to capitalize on our momentum. The majority of the American and Canadian public recognizes the significance of the labor movement, perhaps more so than at any time since the Great Depression. Our communities stand beside us, advocating for change and acknowledging our role in shaping a prosperous future. They’ve witnessed alternatives that prioritize cost-cutting, resulting in job losses and disasters like the events in East Palestine earlier this year.

Our unity, tireless effort and unwavering devotion provide a solid foundation for a future filled with even more promise.

Our unity, tireless effort and unwavering devotion provide a solid foundation for a future filled with even more promise. Collectively, we stand ready to shape our industries, our communities, and secure a legacy that resonates with future generations. Fueled by unyielding determination, we echo the resounding call: “This is Our Time!”

In solidarity,

Joseph Powell
SMART General Secretary Treasurer

On September 4, SMART members joined our fellow brothers and sisters from across the labor movement to celebrate Labor Day. From New Brunswick, Canada, to Los Angeles, California — and everywhere in between — we hit the pavement to show our unity and recognize the working men and women who fought for the workplace protections Americans and Canadians enjoy today.

Labor Day is more than just a long weekend that signals the unofficial end of summer. It is the only holiday that honors us. It is the one day that specifically pays tribute to the men and women who built our two countries — and who continue to do so.

As SMART members, we know that we stand on the shoulders of giants. Generations ago, the founding members of our predecessor unions — the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMWIA) and the United Transportation Unions (UTU) — came together around the principles of solidarity and equality for all, uniting with their fellow workers for safety on the job, fair pay, quality healthcare and a stable retirement. Our union has fought on behalf of members, our families and workers all over the United States and Canada ever since. Together with our fellow sisters and brothers in labor, we are part of a movement that has been at the forefront of justice and equality, from the fight for the eight-hour workday to the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The legacy established by the trade unionists who came before us continues to this day. Whether passing two-person crew legislation in states across America or securing job-creating federal legislation for sheet metal workers across both of our nations, we have built upon the progress that our predecessors won. Now, our time has come to seize this moment and grow our union.

We live in an era of opportunity — the kind we have not seen in generations. From strong labor language in Canada’s proposed federal budget, to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act in the U.S., federal legislation is creating unheard-of workforce opportunities — requiring local unions to add more apprenticeship classes and organize like never before. Just recently, the Biden administration reintroduced a Davis-Bacon provision that was removed under the Reagan administration and lay dormant ever since. Now it is back and will create even more high-paying jobs for union construction workers across the U.S. by ensuring OUR wage rates set the standard on federally funded projects.

We live in an era of opportunity — the kind we have not seen in generations.

Media attention on railroad and transit safety is bringing our issues to the American public, providing our union with new momentum as we fight for laws and regulations that protect members. Recently released data revealed that 71% of Americans approve of unions, including 88% of Americans under 30. The workers of the future DEMAND the protections and rights that only we can offer.

So, brothers and sisters, let’s take advantage of this moment. Just like the founders of our unions fought for the basic rights and protections we enjoy today, let’s organize. Let’s bring everyone into our union, no matter their gender, their race or their creed. Let’s elect leaders who act on our behalf. And let’s secure the future for those who will remember us tomorrow.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

Brothers and sisters, I want to start by saying that it is the honor of my lifetime to represent you, the men and women of SMART.

This great union has given me and my family everything we have; I promise to dedicate myself to ensuring every member, current and future, has the same opportunity. And make no mistake: Thanks in no small part to General President Sellers, this is a time of unprecedented opportunity for workers in North America

In the sheet metal industry, we are seeing an extraordinary amount of new work across our two nations: dozens of megaprojects with strong labor standards, the return of manufacturing in America, a new emphasis on indoor air quality and more.

Following the disaster in East Palestine and increased media pressure, the SMART Transportation Division is seeing real movement on rail safety for the first time in years, both at the state level and with the steady progress of the federal Railway Safety Act.

Transit operator safety is making headlines in states across the country, from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, providing the public awareness and momentum to finally secure real change to the unacceptable status quo.

The actions we take today will determine the future for our communities, our families and our union for decades to come. The time is now — let’s take advantage of it.

This is our moment. But only if we act.

The time is now to grow:

Megaprojects are creating workforce demands that are nearly unheard of — and that’s not even mentioning our core work. On both the International and the local level, we need to ensure that we are recruiting and welcoming people from all the communities in which we live and work: women, people of color, LGBTQ+ workers, veterans, the formerly incarcerated and more.

The time is now to get involved:

SMART-TD is on offense. But momentum and media attention are not constant; we cannot wait to make our presence felt in our communities and in the offices of our elected officials. Push your elected representatives and U.S. Senators to vote for a strong, pro-worker Railway Safety Act, and connect with your local union to find out what legislation, regulation or organizing is happening in your area. One example: On April 26, the Federal Transportation Agency (FTA) posted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) regarding public transportation agency safety plans; SMART-TD has worked with bus members and vice presidents to submit a compelling argument on members’ behalf.

The time is now to organize:

We cannot expect to apprentice our way into the growth we need to secure our future. By organizing nonunion workers across all crafts and industries into SMART, we will bolster our collective bargaining power, increase our market share and help communities across our two nations realize the value of union membership: family-sustaining pay, meaningful benefits, a strong pension and dignity on the job.

Brothers and sisters, the actions we take today will determine the future for our communities, our families and our union for decades to come. The time is now — let’s take advantage of it.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

I want to begin by congratulating Michael Coleman on his election by the SMART General Executive Council to serve as our General President. I have worked with Mike for years and look forward to where he will lead us as we move forward together, in solidarity.

In this pivotal moment, we stand at the crossroads of opportunity and challenge. The 2024 election looms ahead, presenting us with a chance to continue to shape the course of our nation’s future. At the same time, rapid technological advancements are revolutionizing the way we live, work and connect. We must seize this moment to prepare for the upcoming election, embrace the promise of technological innovation and position our union to navigate the changes that lie ahead.

The 2024 election will influence our nation for decades to come. We need to elect allies who stand by our union and work with us to improve the lives of SMART members, our industries and our families. There is too much at stake for us to turn back to an administration when we were constantly defending ourselves from attack after attack on the standards we set for generations of Americans.

Now is the time to engage in active political participation, to become informed about the issues that matter most to us as union members and to exercise our right to vote. By understanding the platforms and policies of political candidates, we can make informed choices that align with our union values. This means voting for those who stand with us on rail safety, new work opportunities for sheet metal workers, bringing back domestic jobs and ensuring working people are treated fairly.

Now is our time to act and position our union for a future of progress and prosperity. Let us come together, transcend differences and work towards a common goal: a dynamic union that thrives amidst change, that embraces innovation, and that uplifts each and every one of its members.

In parallel, technological innovation has become an integral part of our daily lives, transforming industries and societies alike — and we must prepare ourselves for what lies ahead. Investing in training for the sheet metal industry of tomorrow is crucial for SMART to remain at the forefront of innovation. By promoting our role in rebuilding America’s infrastructure through new data centers, electric battery plants and microchip plants and improving the quality of air in our schools, we will ensure our union is equipped to tackle the challenges and embrace the opportunities that the future holds.

Lastly, we must strive to build a united and inclusive union. Nurturing our solidarity through programs like I Got Your Back and embracing diversity and inclusion are vital to our growth, our competitiveness and our collective efforts to fulfill the core goal of our union — representation for all members. Doing this puts us on the forefront of creating a society that is fair and just for all, addressing systemic issues and securing equal opportunities for everyone.

Now is the time to act and position our union for a future of progress and prosperity. Let us come together, transcend differences and work towards a common goal: a dynamic union that thrives amidst change, that embraces innovation, and that uplifts each and every one of its members.

In solidarity,

Joseph Powell
SMART General Secretary Treasurer