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After operations at Ketchikan Shipyard in Alaska were transferred from Vigor to JAG, workers suddenly found themselves in limbo. Just like they did in 2022, the shipyard workers voted to join SMART Local 23, again demonstrating their unity, solidarity and collective power.

Back in June 2022, workers at Ketchikan Shipyard in Alaska organized and won a wall-to-wall election to join SMART Local 23, bringing workers at the third-largest employer in Ketchikan into our union. Local 23 and Vigor eventually reached a three-year agreement scheduled to expire in April 2026. The agreement included wage increases totaling 12%, participation in a union health and welfare plan, just cause protection from arbitrary discipline, and other written working conditions and protections.

Video coverage of workers’ successful campaign in 2022

In early 2025, those members were still working for Vigor under their first collective bargaining agreement (CBA) when they learned that Vigor would no longer operate the shipyard after November 30, 2025. That announcement from the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) created uncertainty about their jobs, their contract and the working conditions they had fought to put in writing. Workers did not cause the change in operators, but they and their families carried the consequences. They faced layoffs, uncertainty about returning to work and questions about whether the conditions they had negotiated would survive.

The uncertainty became real on July 7 and 8, 2025, when Vigor laid off approximately 40 Local 23-represented workers. Additional layoffs were expected as Vigor moved toward ending its Ketchikan operation. Some members were unemployed for around two months. During that period, Local 23 and the SMART Northwest Regional Council (NWRC) provided supplemental unemployment benefits, demonstrating that representation did not end when workers were off the clock or temporarily out of work.

Then, on July 15, workers learned that Vigor and JAG had reached a tentative agreement to transfer operation of the shipyard to JAG. AIDEA formally approved the transfer on August 15, and JAG became the operator on September 19, 2025.

When JAG took over the Ketchikan Shipyard, Local 23 maintained that JAG was a successor employer with a legal obligation to recognize and bargain with the union. JAG disputed that position, stating that it was not a successor employer and was not bound by Vigor’s agreement. Local 23 filed unfair labor practice charges alleging that JAG refused to recognize or bargain with the union and changed working conditions without bargaining, including increasing employee healthcare costs, eliminating “dirty pay,” adding mandatory overtime and changing work shifts. Those charges remain pending before the National Labor Relations Board.

From September 2025 through September 2026, Local 23 representatives and Ketchikan Shipyard workers remained in regular communication about conditions in the yard. They held meetings and monitored changes involving pay, paid time off, overtime and healthcare. On February 11, Local 23 held a rally that received strong support from the community. Despite a rainy Ketchikan day, workers and supporters came together, shared pizza and showed their solidarity. (JAG also held an unexpected pizza gathering and made claims that SMART members were not outside.) Throughout this period, workers continued seeking information about a promised 401(k) plan that they had been told would be available by April.

Rather than waiting indefinitely for the successorship case, workers pursued another representation election. Local 23 filed the election petition in late August 2026, and the election was held September 22. Workers voted 27–7 for representation. Sixteen additional ballots were challenged, but the NLRB reports that those challenges were not numerous enough to change the result. Current JAG employees were given the opportunity to make their own decision, and they chose Local 23 by a decisive margin.

The workers at Ketchikan Shipyard made this happen. They shared information with one another and had the conversations necessary to build support. Randy Golding, Phil Berg and Justin Carpenter, the staff of Local 23, helped coordinate the campaign. The NWRC provided boots on the ground, including Devin Leingang, Justin Bourgault, Paul Williams, Alex Lorenzo, Kal Rohde of Local 66 (Western Washington), as well as Justin Miller of Local 16 (Portland, Oregon). The Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) helped communicate with Tagalog-speaking workers. IBEW Local 1547 members joined the rally in support, holding signs, sharing information with the community, and updating members during union meetings. Shipyard workers whose classifications were excluded from the voting unit also participated and supported the effort, as did the shipyard organizing committee.

Now that the workers have voted, Local 23 and JAG have an opportunity to build a productive, safe and stable shipyard together. JAG has announced that it secured a second federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contract, with each contract valued at nearly $100 million. Completing that work will require skilled employees, retention of local workers, training and dependable working conditions.

Workers are not asking to run the company. They want important conditions in writing — conditions that provide consistency for employees while helping the shipyard retain a skilled and dependable workforce.

The workers have chosen representation twice. The next chapter is about making the Ketchikan Shipyard one of the premier places to send ships and boats to be built or repaired. Local 23, the employees and JAG can now work toward negotiating a fair agreement that protects workers, strengthens the local workforce and helps the Ketchikan Shipyard succeed.

SMART members who decide to represent their fellow brothers and sisters as local union business managers take on one of the greatest responsibilities in our union. Running for elected office is the lifeblood of our organization; however, being in a local leadership role also has plenty of challenges.

For that reason, the SMART Education Department held its New Business Managers class in Ottawa, Ont., during the week of September 21st, 2026. The class focuses on management of the local by looking at all the parts and functions of the local union: leadership, staff, representation, resources, trust funds, organizing and community relationships.

In addition to the Education Department, International staff provided valuable insights for attendees. SMART House Counsel Luke Rebecchi, Chief International Representative Dave Bernett, International Representatives Chris Griffey and Bobby Butler, and Communications Specialist Aidan Strickland each taught on topics within their department’s purview.

“One each of the five days of the class, participants created strategic action plans based on the topics covered in the training, and at the end of the week presented their top priorities and next steps,” said SMART Director of Education Eli Baccus. “We hope attendees left the class feeling excited and prepared for their local’s future.”

Local unions like SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local 54 in Houston, Texas, constantly advocate for policies that benefit both union members and all workers in our communities. That advocacy has real, concrete results for working people across North America — a fact Local 54 has been demonstrating throughout 2026.

Local 54 is fighting to make sure workers on a prevailing wage hospital project in Houston get paid the strong, union-won prevailing wages that they have earned for their labor.

SMART International Organizer Rico Sanchez on Fox 26 discussing alleged wage theft

In 2023, subcontractor McCorvey Sheet Metal Works was one of several companies awarded work on the $1.6 billion Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital expansion project. The project is still under construction today, employing approximately 130 sheet metal workers as part of a new 12-story building with a Level 1 trauma center, expected to open in 2028. According to the Houston Press, the project has been championed by Harris County officials as “an opportunity to expand and modernize Harris Health, the public hospital system serving Harris County’s uninsured and underinsured residents.”

The hospital project, funded by taxpayers, has strong labor standards and prevailing wage requirements in place — ensuring that the public’s money goes towards good, family-supporting jobs for local workers. But in May, workers alleged that they haven’t been paid the wages and benefits that they are owed — and they said that they faced retaliation for trying to get the pay they earned.

“These people are working in fear of losing their jobs or speaking up. This is a prevailing wage project. Why does our community have to go through that?” said [SMART International Organizer] Rico Sanchez during a press conference in May, according to Fox 26 Houston. “The ask that we have is: pay these workers full. Pay them the restitution, treat them correctly.” 

Local 54 didn’t just make that ask. Our union organized to make those workers whole. Local 54 Organizer Rafael Rivas has gathered substantial evidence for the county’s review, working with trusted county commissioners and the county judge to pursue accountability.

That work has led to tangible results.

Sanchez recently reported that through Local 54’s efforts, McCorvey has already paid more than $480,000 related to wage violations and is expected to pay over $1.8 million in total back wages.

“Harris County is also pursuing penalties of $60 per day for each affected worker,” Sanchez said.

That’s what our union does. SMART locals like 54 don’t pursue prevailing wages on projects just for the sake of it. We do it so we can enforce those labor standards and make sure every worker gets the compensation that they deserve. Local 54 is helping workers recover the wages they earned while sending a clear message in Houston: Contractors receiving public funds must follow prevailing wage laws and treat workers fairly.

SMART members’ ability to win steady job opportunities depends largely on how much of a local area’s sheet metal work is performed by union contractors — AKA, a local union’s market share. In Georgia, SMART Local 85 recently visited jobsites across the Atlanta area to help recruit workers and build our union’s power ahead of expected workforce demands.

In March 2026, SMART Local 85 heard from the local contractors’ association that in order to take on the work that members depend on, contractors expected to need hundreds of additional sheet metal workers by the end of the year.

In response, Local 85 and SMART International staff planned a large-scale recruiting effort. The result was a three-day jobsite recruiting blitz across 18 counties around Atlanta, with SMART organizers visiting workers to tell them about the union difference and career opportunities with Local 85.

Before hitting the streets, organizers spent a day training: reviewing the geographic target area, major non-union contractors, target project route assignments and the message from Local 85 to non-union sheet metal workers. Then, they got to work.

Over the next three days, teams of organizers visited more than 300 construction projects. They also stopped at HVAC supply houses, talked with technicians spotted in service vans and checked other projects they encountered along their routes. If an unlisted project appeared to be in duct installation phase, the team stopped and talked to workers there.

The amount of territory covered over the three days would have taken the local organizer several months to cover. But the real value of the blitz went beyond the number of jobsites visited. The campaign added to Local 85’s person of interest list, creating a larger pool of workers to fill immediate job opportunities.

Some of the strongest contacts came from workers at a large non-union sheet metal duct fabrication facility, and continued outreach has already produced results. Multiple duct fabricators were recruited to fill positions for union contractor shops, helping those shops expand their fabrication capacity as their field operations grow and showing those fabricators the union difference.

Still, a three-day blitz will not grow a local union’s market share by itself. A blitz can generate leads, recruit workers, uncover organizing opportunities, gather market intelligence and help a local organizer cover months of ground in a few days. Growing market share takes steady presence throughout the year.

That means knowing where non-union contractors are working, visiting those sites regularly, meeting workers face to face and giving skilled sheet metal workers a clear path into union careers. When done consistently, that work can increase the workforce available to union contractors — and change people’s lives in the local community.

The Atlanta blitz showed what focused field organizing can accomplish: more than 300 projects visited in three days, new prospects in the recruiting pipeline, experienced fabricators moving into union jobs, new organizing opportunities uncovered and stronger field skills among new organizers. That is how recruiting becomes more than filling today’s workforce demand. It becomes a market share growth strategy that benefits workers for the long term.

If we want to rebuild worker power, we also must grow our presence in the market. That means going where the non-union workforce is, week after week and jobsite after jobsite, and making sure every worker knows about the opportunity our union can provide.

One of the biggest threats to SMART members’ work opportunities — and their ability to provide for themselves and their families — is the presence of bad-faith contractors in their local areas. Whether entering the market or simply operating within it, those contractors take on work that might otherwise be performed by union sheet metal workers.

SMART leaders trained to protect members from such threats in the Education Department’s Pressure Campaign Organizing class, held the week of September 14-18 in St. Louis, Mo. The class focused on developing pressure campaigns, a strategy used primarily to push a contractor out of a market that the union would like a larger share of, to keep that contractor out of a market the union currently works in, or to sign a collective bargaining agreement.

The main focus of the class was to practice developing a campaign in groups. Participants were broken up into six fictional “locals” and shuffled throughout the week so that they could learn how different organizers approach the same problems. Attendees learned to develop SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analyses, put together a campaign timeline, utilize tactics to disrupt relationships at the target contractor and to adjust on the fly when new information comes to light. 

“Locals would go one-on-one and develop a campaign for the same contractor,” explained International Instructor Andre Mayes. “They would present the campaign to the four locals that did not have their contractor, and the individuals in those locals would vote on which group did better.”

This was done three times, using nine example contractors that were brought to the class by individual participants. The winners for the week were Taylor Franco (Local 66) in third place; Brian Waymire (Local 214) in second place; and Alexander Lorenzo (Local 66) in first place. 

“We hope all of the participants had fun, learned some valuable insights and came away with connections that they will use in their careers and in life,” said Mayes.

A proactive jobsite visit has turned into a significant work opportunity for SMART Local 58 members on a major new development at Syracuse University — showing the real, concrete difference that organizing makes for working families.

Local 58 Marketing Representative Charles Haaf stopped at the project while it was still coming out of the ground on the Syracuse University hill. The project, overseen by LeChase on behalf of Syracuse University, will become the Graduate by Hilton Syracuse, a 13-story, 200-room hotel featuring a full service restaurant and rooftop bar.

During his visit, Haaf learned from the project superintendent that the mechanical contract had been awarded to Burns Bros., which at the time planned to use a nonunion contractor for the sheet metal work.

Haaf also learned that a food service contractor had not yet been selected.

Rather than simply documenting the information and moving on, Haaf saw an opportunity to make sure the project team understood what Local 58 and its signatory contractors could offer. He provided the superintendent with a contractor list and highlighted a qualified Local 58 food service contractor with fabrication capabilities, located right in Syracuse.

He also pointed to Local 58’s performance on The Standard, another major project nearby, where Local 58 and its workforce helped provide the skilled workers necessary to get the project back on schedule.

The message was simple. If the project needed quality contractors and a skilled workforce capable of delivering, Local 58 was ready to help.

Haaf left the information without knowing whether anything would come from the conversation.

Then the call came.

A Local 58 signatory contractor notified the union that it had been awarded the sheet metal work from Burns Bros. The project is expected to provide approximately eight months of work for about 10 SMART members, with the possibility of additional workers being needed.

There is no way to know whether Haaf’s initial visit directly influenced the decision to change sheet metal contractors. What is certain is that Local 58 made its capabilities known early, demonstrated the value its contractors and workforce could provide, and ultimately secured union sheet metal work on the project.

There may be another opportunity still ahead. The food service package remains a potential source of additional work for a Local 58 signatory contractor.

For Local 58, the Graduate by Hilton Syracuse project demonstrates the value of being present before a problem develops. Sometimes creating an opportunity starts with walking onto a project, asking questions, offering solutions, and making sure decision-makers know exactly what SMART can deliver.

And thanks to that proactive effort, SMART members and their families will benefit.

A union apprenticeship program isn’t just about the top-notch training apprentices receive. It’s about providing apprentices and journeyworkers with all the perks of union membership, right from the start: better pay, strong benefits and retirement, mentorship and solidarity.

In Eastern Washington, SMART Local 55 is organizing to make sure every worker has access to those opportunities, whether they come through the union’s apprenticeship program or arrive via another path.

One of those paths is the Construction Industry Training Council of Washington (CITC), based in Western Washington, which provides multi-craft construction training throughout the state. CITC offers state-approved registered apprenticeship programs — including sheet metal training — to clients representing the nonunion sector of the construction industry.

Over time, the Council expanded its operations to include a training facility in Pasco, Washington, where sheet metal and other trades are taught — and where Local 55 is headquartered.  

Local 55 and its team of organizers and regional representatives have consistently emphasized the importance of organizing skilled workers from the nonunion sector of our industry. In April 2026, the local put that principle into action. After networking with employees of a local non-signatory contractor that uses CITC training, the organizing team connected with Zyrian Laube. In addition to working in the non-union sheet metal industry, Laube was the sheet metal instructor at CITC’s Eastern Washington training center in Pasco.

Following this introduction, Local 55 successfully organized Brother Laube and dispatched him to a union-signatory contractor that had a pressing need for skilled workers.

By organizing key industry professionals, Local 55 has demonstrated its ability to strengthen its position in the market while reducing the capacity of a competing, state-recognized apprenticeship program.

SMART Local 55 remains dedicated to organizing the sheet metal industry and creating opportunities for workers to build better futures.

After years of effort and more than three decades in business, All Air Sheet Metal Inc. is now a union contractor, signed with SMART Local 17 (Boston). The company will now experience the union difference — growth through partnership and a skilled, trained workforce — and All Air workers are set to benefit from the stronger pay, better benefits and reliable opportunities that come from collective bargaining.

All Air signing with Local 17 at the union hall

The Massachusetts-based commercial HVAC contractor, partnered with Ultra Services Inc. (USI), has operated since 1992. Local 17 had worked for years to establish a relationship with the company, but the breakthrough ultimately began with a simple, unannounced visit from a new organizer.

On October 7, 2025, Paul Conners was just one month into his role as an organizer when he stopped by All Air’s office in Billerica, Massachusetts. His goal was straightforward: introduce himself, start a conversation and open the door to a potential relationship between the company and Local 17.

Owner Geoff Farinha was not in the office that day, so Conners left his card with an associate named Tyler.

Farinha called the next day.

That phone call led to an October 27 meeting at the Local 17 hall, where the two began discussing the company, Local 17 and what a potential partnership could offer both sides.

But the relationship was not built on business alone.

As Conners and Farinha got to know each other, they discovered they had experienced similar health scares. That shared experience created a personal connection and helped establish trust between the two. What started as an organizing conversation developed into a relationship built through communication, understanding and a willingness to find common ground.

Over the following months, those conversations continued. And on May 26, 2026, they produced a result years in the making, when All Air Sheet Metal officially signed with Local 17.

The agreement gives Local 17 an opportunity to support All Air as the company continues to grow and compete, simultaneously creating a new partnership that both sides can build on for the future.

The signing also marked an important milestone for Conners. Less than a year after starting as an organizer, All Air became the first shop he organized. Conners credits Local 17’s Pat Donlan, John Cody and Steve Kovatsi for providing the guidance and support that helped him navigate the process and bring the agreement across the finish line.

For Local 17, the signing is a reminder that some of the biggest successes do not begin with a formal meeting or a complicated campaign. Sometimes they begin by walking through a door, introducing yourself and starting a conversation.

For All Air Sheet Metal and its employees, that conversation will make a real impact for years to come.

In North Carolina, new Local 5 member Andres is not only reaping the benefits of union membership — better pay, safety on the job, health care and more. He is actively helping the union with its organizing efforts, strengthening Local 5 as it aims to take on increasing workforce demands.

When Andres moved to the United States 10 years ago, he had never worked before. He started as a sheet metal apprentice and was fortunate to learn from skilled tradespeople who taught him every detail of the trade. Through years of hard work and dedication, he sharpened his skills until he became a foreman.

Despite his success, Andres felt that many companies failed to appreciate his experience, intelligence and craftmanship. After years of searching for a company where he could build a long-term career, he was considering leaving the trade altogether.

SMART organizers had been keeping an eye on the project Andres was working on, a $1.25 billion casino project in Kings Mountain, for more than a year. In March 2026, after a few phone calls, Andres set up a meeting with Local 5 Organizer Steven Ruger and former SMART International Organizer Andrew Maute at a restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina. Andres also brought his coworker, Lewys, from the casino project.

They came prepared with questions. Andrew and Steven had answers, discussing how Local 5 operates, the benefits of union membership, health insurance, pension, representation and the opportunities available to skilled sheet metal workers.

Andres, left, pictured with Organizer Steven Ruger (middle) and another worker

Health insurance was one of the biggest reasons Andres and his crew wanted to make a change. They were looking for stability, better benefits for their families and a place where skilled workers are respected. A common complaint among the workforce focused on the harsh conditions they were forced to work under.

With all those factors in mind, Andres made the decision to go union. That decision has paid off for both our new brother and the local.

Since joining the union, Andres has become a tremendous asset to Local 5’s organizing efforts. He has helped recruit over 20 members into Local 5 so far, including experienced forepersons and journeypersons. They are all currently employed with McKenney’s, Inc.

“These workers are the real deal,” said Steve Smith, executive vice president for McKenney’s Carolinas Division, adding that “Local 5 is knocking it out of the park” with its recruiting efforts.

Andres has gone the extra mile, not only securing his own opportunity but also helping his former coworkers on the casino project. He assisted SMART organizers with identifying most of the 70-plus employees still on the job who are ready to leave and eager to work for the union.

Additionally, as a result of contacts Andres provided, SMART organizers have been able to connect with other Spanish-speaking workers at companies in North Carolina, helping them experience the union difference and strengthening the local’s workforce development.

Andres with his family

That is the power of solidarity, and that is what SMART Local 5 is building every day across North Carolina: an intricate network of workers who are ready to take on the jobs of tomorrow. Because of Andres and the coworkers he brought with him, Local 5 is in better shape to address the enormous workload they face in the future.

“Local 5 and Steven are doing such a great job in North Carolina, and my crew and I want to be part of it for a long time,” Andres said.  

Welcome to our union, brother!

SMART members who step up to become local union representatives take on a vital responsibility in our union and in our movement — proving that we, the members, are the union, and showcasing the true worker democracy that defines SMART and organized labor. But transitioning to representation often presents a steep learning curve for new officials.

For that reason, the SMART Education Department held its New Representatives class in St. Louis, Mo., during the week of August 24, 2026. The class focused on representation skills by diving into responsibilities under the SMART Constitution and Ritual, researching labo(u)r laws, practicing conflict resolution, differentiating grievances from complaints, practicing full and fair investigations (including member charges), claiming work at a pre-job meeting, and preventing a decertification attempt.

The class featured a number of guest presenters from across our union. SMART Director of Organizing Jason Benson covered organizing basics. Dale Clark from the International Training Institute presented on Bias and Belonging. Louise Medina, director of the Special Projects Department, and Will Scott, Special Projects International field representative, discussed the department and initiatives available for members. Chris Carlough, director of Wellness and Mental Health Support, covered self-care and gave an introduction to the Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT). House Counsel Luke Rebecchi presented on trials and fiduciary responsibility. Finally, Tim Miller and Don Dunne, International representatives from the Jurisdiction Department, covered jurisdictional disputes, national agreements and pre-job meetings.  

On each of the five days of the class, participants honed their representational skills with role-play exercises, alternating between acting as representatives of a local and as members working at a fictitious company, which helped them to understand both sides of the conflict. Groups worked together throughout the week, and a point system was in place. 

“Congratulations to Colin Beere (Local 10), Rob Harris (Local 33), Jason Gilbreath (Local 66), Jeremy Ures (Local 104) and Justin Wingard (Local 399) — ‘Local 5’ in class — for being recognized by their peers as the top group in the class,” said SMART Director of Education Eli Baccus.

“Local 5”