Organizing is the foundation of our union and the labor movement, and recent years have seen an explosion of union organizing across America. From Starbucks stores and the Amazon Labor Union, to SMART campaigns in Washington state and New Jersey, workers have shown that they are eager to unionize – and unions like SMART are ready to answer the call.
Eli Baccus
Our featured guest in the August 2022 episode of Talking SMART was Eli Baccus, an organizer and director of partnership development at SM Local 33 (Northern Ohio). An Army veteran whose primary experiences before joining Local 33 were in residential construction and as a labor attorney, Eli has helped the union experience great success in its organizing, with 14 contractors signing with Local 33 in 2015 alone.
He spoke on the importance of organizing, different strategic approaches, and more: “When we are able to bring in more members and produce more man-hours,” said Baccus, “it gives us more strength at the bargaining table to help negotiate a higher wage rate for our members.”
At the end of this episode, listen for the open mic segment with SMART General President Joseph Sellers. He responds to a question about what types of new work and large projects are on the horizon for members in our industries.
Talking SMART is a member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network — working people’s voices, broadcasting worldwide 24 hours a day.
Since our founding, we have fought for basic worker protection on the job — at SMART, our predecessor unions and across the labor movement. Over the years, we have achieved many victories and suffered through turmoil and struggle in our constant effort to represent our members, who are the lifeblood of this union. Through it all, we have not lost sight of our basic purpose: to represent the workers who came together to protect and build a path to a better future for themselves and their families.
We continue that work today. Retirement security, Project Labor Agreements, community benefit agreements, strong labor standards, infrastructure investments for our communities, investments in public transit, two-person crew laws, operator safety — all of these we have fought for in recent years. When the last administration and its allies were in power, they kept us at a distance.
Today, the landscape has changed. Our work with our allies in Congress and in states and communities across the country brought Project Labor Agreements that will put you to work on all federal projects that cost more than $35 million. The American Rescue Plan put workers on the agenda and resulted in historic pension relief. A bipartisan infrastructure bill, which specifically includes indoor air quality, HVAC and other work for SMART sheet metal workers and the largest ever investment in public transit, means more work and stronger protections, with a real study on long trains.
The American Rescue Plan put workers on the agenda and resulted in historic pension relief.
In addition, the National Mediation Board recently released rail unions that are part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) from mediation, and the SMART Mechanical and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Coalition received a proffer of arbitration from the National Mediation Board.
None of this was possible under the previous administration — and make no mistake, all our gains will come under attack if they are allowed to come back to power. We continue to work with the current administration, which has rewarded workers with an unprecedented open-door policy: They listen to and ACT on SMART’s legislative priorities, which we put in place to work for YOU!
In Canada, our hard work with elected labour-friendly allies yielded the long-sought Labour Mobility Tax Credit.
Besides our legislative progress, we still have work to do to fulfill our bedrock purpose of representing all workers.
The Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4All) Committee is working to expand our recruitment efforts by proactively reaching out to new members, implementing training to equip members with the necessary skills, tools and values of being in SMART, and creating an environment where people can advance and feel a sense of belonging — regardless of race, creed, ethnic origin, gender or sexuality.
The sheet metal industry is rapidly growing, with 45,000 new openings expected in the coming years. We will work together to be a part of that expansion.
We need to capture growth across North America, in every sector and emerging market. For instance, the sheet metal industry is rapidly growing, with 45,000 new openings expected in the coming years. We will work together to be a part of that expansion, representing the growing workforce and strengthening our union and collective bargaining.
Each of us has a choice in how we engage with our fellow members to shape our union’s future. As a labor organization, formed by workers to protect and pursue gains at work, it would go against everything SMART stands for if we did not welcome all of our union brothers and sisters, including potential new members, so they can enjoy good, union, middle-class jobs for generations to come. These are the union jobs that everyone who came before us stood up for, and we benefit from what they built to this day.
You will hear more about the work of the BE4All Committee in the coming months and years. Only when we stand united across all sectors of our union will we be able to realize our full potential for ourselves, our union and the future of our families. Stay safe!
Fraternally and in unity,
SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Jr.
Russian war, corporate greed and rail carrier policies that disrupt supply chains are key factors behind rising prices
Brothers and Sisters,
We’ve all experienced the bruising effects of rising inflation in recent months, from high grocery store bills to extreme prices at the pump. Contrary to the talking points of anti-labor politicians, this is not a result of rising wages or corrective boosts to our nation’s economy. Russian aggression and the war’s subsequent impact has pinched global food and oil supply chains, and that has only been exacerbated by the actions of CEOs hell-bent on squeezing every last cent from consumers’ pockets. For example: The last time the price of oil was $118 per barrel —which was the price in early June — gas cost $3.83/gallon at the pump. This time around? An inexcusable national average of $5/gallon.
To make things worse, railroad CEOs — who have refused for years to offer our railroad members a fair contract — continue to implement anti-worker policies that drive higher inflation.
To make things worse, railroad CEOs — who have refused for years to offer our railroad members a fair contract — continue to implement anti-worker policies that drive higher inflation. By continuously cutting the labor force and relentlessly pursuing Precision Scheduled Railroading, the major carriers have caused more and more disruptions to our nation’s supply chain — which means delays and higher prices for ordinary people.
We know what it takes to handle inflation. We need higher wages to meet the cost of living. We need a supply chain that prioritizes the workers who keep goods running from coast to coast. We need to manufacture and build American, so that we aren’t held captive by global events.
Thanks to legislative achievements like the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a surge of upcoming mega projects, SMART members have an extraordinary amount of work in the pipeline.
That being said, we need to pay close attention to the politicians who fight for us, versus those who only pay us lip service. The last administration and its allies said they were on our side, then turned around and tried to gut our apprenticeship programs and pensions. With the current administration and Congress, we’ve been able to get pro-labor legislation passed — such as Project Labor Agreements on federal projects over $35 million and huge investments in public transit — and we are confident that we can push for more, like the passage of the PRO Act. Chip plant manufacturing, the majority of which was performed overseas, is now coming home, with massive new plants breaking ground in places like New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.
Elections matter, as do our votes; this November, I urge you to only reward candidates who walk the walk for SMART members.
Fraternally,
Joseph Powell SMART General Secretary Treasurer
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
On April 26, I testified before the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to shed light on the devastating effects Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has had on rail labor and rail customers. Joining me in testifying on behalf of your union were General Chairperson Matt Burkart (GCA-341 – BNSF), Local Chairperson Steve Groat (Local 329 – Boone, Iowa) and Local Chairperson Chris Bond (Local 513 – Gainesville, Texas). These men did an outstanding job in describing to the STB just how egregious the effects of the Class I railroads’ PSR scheme have been on rail customers and employees.
At the hearing, I testified that the Class I carriers are a main contributor to the supply-chain issues plaguing the country. From the appalling attendance policies to the carriers’ refusal to recall furloughed employees, to their glacial pace of bringing locomotives and equipment out of storage to meet the demands of their customers, the railroads have hamstrung themselves into a service and workforce nightmare that has contributed to inflation and hurt our nation’s economy.
The carriers say that longer trains will fix the problem. However, longer trains ARE part of the problem. When a train is so long that it does not fit in a siding and causes congestion in an area, blocking public crossings for hours on end, then that is a problem. When a train is too long and will not fit into yards without multiple moves, that is a problem. When a train has an issue en route and the conductor and engineer cannot communicate via radio because they are not designed to function at these extended lengths, then THAT IS A PROBLEM. Not only that, but it’s a problem that is easily fixed by one of these three options – 1. The carriers operate trains that properly fit in the pre-existing track structure; 2. They build longer sidings and yard tracks; or 3. The government creates and enforces regulations that makes it illegal to run trains that do not fit current rail infrastructure, generate enormous delays and safety issues for the general public by blocking crossings and that do not exceed the operating limits of safety equipment, including handheld radios, end-of-train devices and braking systems to name but a few. These common-sense solutions we put forth at the STB could help relieve congestion and enable goods to get from Point A to Point B much quicker. With the current bottlenecks that carriers have caused, goods are held up for days or longer while the delays wreak havoc on businesses and the economy. More than 20 shippers and affiliated groups echoed our testimony to the board, bringing more evidence that PSR is terrible for our nation.
View highlights of the April 2022 testimony by SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson and other TD members, union railroaders, shippers and more before the Surface Transportation Board (STB).
What’s more, at a time when the vast majority of U.S. employers are providing incentives and changes to retain and recruit employees, the rail carriers institute backwards attendance policies that have made life so unbearable for our members that they are leaving in droves.
What was once the gold-standard of middle-class jobs can no longer compete with places that pay less, but the quality of life is improved. It used to be unheard of for a vested railroader to leave the industry mid-career. Now it is starting to become the norm. New hires? They see what is going on and leave, sometimes before they even finish training as they figure out quickly that the rail carriers simply do not care about providing any type of quality of life to its employees. All because of the draconian policies put in place as a result of PSR and railroads’ efforts to do more with less.
I told the STB that PSR is about corporate greed and lining shareholders’ pockets. I testified with other members of labor and customers about the harm PSR has done to employees, businesses and the country as a whole. Chairman Martin Oberman, STB Member Robert Primus and the rest of the board heard us loud and clear, and I’m confident they will stay vigilant and do all they can to mitigate the enormous damage done by the carriers and their profit first, employees and customers last mindset.
After the hearing, the STB took a small but positive step May 6th and ordered BNSF, CSX, NS and UP to develop service recovery plans as a result of the severe deterioration caused by PSR. On June 13th, the STB issued another order directing the carriers to correct what the STB says was deficiencies in the submitted plans. It’s a start. But sadly, there are no easy fixes to what the carriers have done. We are cautiously optimistic of what the future holds and applaud the efforts of the STB.
At the hearing, I let the representatives know what was really going on, and I further reiterated that PSR is the main culprit behind the safety issues we’re seeing on the railroad today.
I took my testimony a step further and complained directly to Congress during the freight railroad safety hearing held June 14 by the House Subcommittee on Railroad, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. At the hearing, I let the representatives know what was really going on, and I further reiterated that PSR is the main culprit behind the safety issues we’re seeing on the railroad today. I showed them the numbers — the loss of life and career-ending on-duty injuries — that have increased since PSR has been implemented. I told them that we are past sounding the alarm. We have moved on and are screaming for help, and it is time for them to step up and do their jobs and rein in the railroads so that our brothers and sisters can make it home safely. Our lives depend on a safe workplace, and not one that has profits placed before it. I just hope and pray they heard me and the others from labor testifying with me before things get any worse.
Here’s some good news: Finally, after 14 years, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is putting into action a provision from the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring that the railroads implement “Fatigue Risk Management Programs.” We have been telling anyone who’d listen for years that this key part of the law needed to be implemented, and the FRA under the Biden administration has finally heard us. The FRA posted a Final Rule June 13th to be effective July 13th, requiring railroads to develop and implement fatigue risk management programs approved by the FRA. This mandate also requires that the carriers MUST consult with and reach an agreement with affected unions on the contents of their plans. This gives us a direct seat at the table, and I can assure you that we will use this process to address safety issues including changes that must be made to attendance policies that push workers beyond exhaustion, destroy work-life balance and do not stop the epidemic of worker fatigue.
After 14 years, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is putting into action a provision from the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring that the railroads implement “Fatigue Risk Management Programs.”
As for contract negotiations, we participated in National Mediation Board (NMB)-mandated sessions with the carriers. After each session with the carriers making one insulting offer after another, the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way/SMART Mechanical Coalition pleaded with the NMB for a proffer of arbitration to move things along. Finally, on June 15th, the NMB acquiesced and put forth a proffer. As going to arbitration means a binding contract would be put forth by an outside party, with no guarantee of an agreement that our members will find palatable, the United Rail Unions turned down the proffer of arbitration and are in a 30-day cooling off period at this writing. President Biden appointed a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to help settle the contract dispute and rail labor as a whole put forth a compelling case and we now await the PEB’s recommendations. To learn more about the process set forth in the Railway Labor Act, I encourage affected rail members to visit our website.
We held our first bus-focused Regional Training Seminar (RTS) April 25-28 with LACMTA Locals 1563, 1564, 1565, 1607 and 1608 at the SMART Local 105 (sheet metal) hall in Glendora, Calif. The first three days consisted of local officer training that was similar but more robust than what has been previously provided at regional meetings. On the 28th, we held a town hall with a mock local meeting demonstration followed by a Q&A session in the afternoon where I, General Secretary-Treasurer Joe Powell, Bus Vice President Alvy Hughes and California State Legislative Director Louis Costa were on hand to answer any questions put forth by the members. I especially would like to thank Sheet Metal Local 105 for its hospitality, Local 1563 Treasurer Pete Lara for his assistance in making this event a success, Local 1563 Secretary Sandra Pineda for her assistance in donating leftover food to the local homeless shelter, and all who attended this meeting. I look forward to coming back.
If you feel that your local could benefit from a Regional Training Seminar, please contact your state legislative director or general chairperson and see the article on the following page about our new education efforts.
I want to take this opportunity to also remind members to sign up for an account on our new Member Portal. There you will find important updates on any upcoming meetings and the very latest about the national rail contract negotiations.
Stay safe everyone, God bless, and have a great summer!
Fraternally,
Jeremy R. Ferguson President, Transportation Division
On April 4–6, 2022, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) held its first in-person legislative conference since 2019, with members from 14 trade unions — representing more than 3 million skilled union workers — gathering to hear from labor leaders, politicians and fellow brothers and sisters across the labor movement. President Joe Biden capped off the conference with a rousing speech, echoing a key point made throughout the week: This is our movement, and this is our moment.
Day one: Celebrating victories, looking ahead
NABTU President Sean McGarvey
NABTU President Sean McGarvey kicked off the conference with a stirring keynote address that acknowledged the incredible work of building trade union members and emphasized the need to grow in the bright future that lies ahead. Noting that the votes of building trades workers and their families helped deliver the 2020 election to President Biden, McGarvey listed the ways in which the Biden administration has returned the favor: multiemployer pension protection in the American Rescue Plan and a $170 billion investment in building trades jobs, to name two.
He also pointed out future steps that need to be taken. The union building trades employ 40,000 more women and nearly 300,000 more people of color than the nonunion shop, and the number of union tradeswomen has doubled over the last decade. Nonetheless, McGarvey declared, more must — and will — be done to expand our membership and bring in more women, people of color, veterans and the formerly incarcerated to reflect the communities in which we work.
Day one also saw a strong display of bipartisan support for union building tradespeople. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, recounted her experience working with Democrats to complete bipartisan infrastructure legislation — which invests $1.2 trillion into American infrastructure, a bounty of work for the unionized trades — and emphasized the opportunity that lies ahead with basic infrastructure projects, such as roads and broadband internet, in largely rural states like Alaska. “This is about growing the strength of our country through jobs and opportunity,” she said. “This is an investment in the men and women that are going to make [infrastructure] happen, and that is you.”
Later, Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi praised the union trades for their long history of building our country. “Our democracy and middle class have a union label on it,” she told the crowd, adding that “NABTU apprenticeships are the model for success.” Pelosi concluded her speech with a galvanizing call: “Solidarity forever. We don’t agonize, we organize.”
“No one is better at training people than we are. Let’s build a membership that is bold, dynamic and inclusive to meet the moment.”
– AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler
The last speaker of the morning was AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who began her speech by cataloging the victories that unions have every right to celebrate. “Promises made have become promises kept,” she announced, referring to the American Rescue Plan and the infrastructure law.
With those victories in mind — and with the enormous opportunity for growth presented by the infrastructure bill — Shuler turned her attention to the road ahead: “What’s next is up to us,” she proclaimed. “No one is better at training people than we are. Let’s build a membership that is bold, dynamic and inclusive to meet the moment.” The future, Shuler added, is full of possibility. “We have a chance to not only build a sustainable future, but a sustainable infrastructure with good union jobs at the center.”
After the speakers, conference-goers attended a variety of workshops, ranging in subject matter from PLAs, implementing the new infrastructure bill and more. SMART Assistant to the General President Donna Silverman took part in a panel titled “What is NABTU doing to recruit and retain women: Tradeswomen Committee Workshop,” where sisters from across the unionized building trades shared experiences, best practices and advice on creating a labor movement that is welcoming to all. In telling their stories — of success, of growth and, shamefully, of discrimination — these trailblazing union sisters illustrated just how much stronger the labor movement is when it includes every worker, regardless of who they are or where they come from.
Day two: Supporters commit to our cause
The second day of speeches kicked off in earnest with Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, a proud unionist and former president of the Boston Building Trades. Through his own story of growing up in a union family, Secretary Walsh emphasized the importance of labor and government working together to better conditions for all Americans, pointing out that, for the first time in modern history, “You have a United States labor secretary who carries a union book in his pocket.” Among the victories for SMART’s membership: The last year was the greatest year for job growth in American history, including construction jobs; Project Labor Agreements are now required on federal projects that cost more than $35 million, increasing opportunity for quality, high-paying work for SMART and other union members; and the strengthening of Davis-Bacon regulations to protect prevailing wages, among other things.
“The race to the bottom of the American economy is over. Instead of pulling the middle class down, we’re pulling workers up.”
– U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh
“The race to the bottom of the American economy is over,” he declared. “Instead of pulling the middle class down, we’re pulling workers up.”
Following Walsh’s speech, political leaders from both sides of the aisle addressed members, including Republican Congressmen Don Bacon and Brian Fitzpatrick, as well as Stacey Abrams, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and more. Among them was Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who explained that “your unions made this country what it is today. You built America — none of us should ever forget that.” Like other speakers, Sen. Schumer praised the victories SMART members have achieved working with President Biden, particularly the upcoming job opportunities through infrastructure, retrofitting and the like: “$1.2 trillion in union labor to restore this country. You’re going to have a whole lot of work, folks.”
President Joe Biden
The conference concluded with a speech from President Joe Biden, who took the podium and immediately told the crowd: “It’s good to be home!” President Biden touched on various subjects throughout his remarks, including his promise to support the people of Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and his gratitude to organized labor: “I’ve never forgot what you’ve done not just for me, but what you’ve done for this country. You’ve literally built this country.” Then, he expanded upon his own commitment to the building trades, beginning with accomplishments of his time in office, as of April 2022:
320,000 construction jobs created in the last year;
Jobless claims at a 54-year low;
Four million more jobs created and unemployment 2% lower than it would have been without the American Rescue Plan
Protections for multiemployer pension plans for union members;
The passage, after decades of talk, of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
But, the president continued, the work isn’t done. Along with calling on Congress to cap childcare costs and insulin prices, Biden announced the largest investment in public transit — $20 billion — in American history, something that promises to benefit SMART workers across both sheet metal and the Transportation Division. Noting that, under the previous president’s tax plan, a married couple of a firefighter and a teacher pay a higher tax rate than a CEO, President Biden urged Congress to tax the wealthiest Americans, asking: “When’s the last time the trickle-down economy has trickled to anyone you know?”
President Biden ended his speech by acknowledging that, despite the enormous victories won for SMART members and everyday Americans across the country, the work is only beginning — and with a pro-labor administration in the White House, that work to come will be performed by union labor. “America has always counted on union workers,” the president said, “and you’ve never let the country down.”
From June 12-15, SMART joined our 56 fellow AFL-CIO affiliate unions for the 2022 AFL-CIO Convention: the AFL-CIO’s highest decision-making body, where delegates vote on resolutions and constitutional amendments, discuss strategy and chart the course of the federation’s future. As importantly, the convention provided the chance for SMART to gather with other unions to build solidarity and worker power for our members and unionists everywhere.
Organize and rise
The highest-profile order of business at the convention was the election of the federation’s leadership. The SMART delegation proudly stood with the rest of the affiliated unions to nominate and elect Liz Shuler, the first woman elected AFL-CIO president, along with Fred Redmond as the first African American AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer. Together, President Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Redmond represent the most diverse leadership slate in AFL-CIO history; they also committed to seizing upon a unique moment in labor’s modern history.
Throughout the convention, leaders and members from a wide range of unions looked back on the challenges and victories of the past years, from the fight of union nurses, bus drivers, trades workers and other frontline heroes to get the pay and PPE they deserved in the early stages of the pandemic, to successful strikes at Kellogg’s and John Deere in 2021. Against a backdrop of growing interest in unions — and a political climate in which unions like SMART have been able to win infrastructure investment, an increased number of incoming work hours and federal PLA requirements — Shuler and Redmond dedicated the AFL-CIO to organizing, winning battles and strengthening the labor movement. During her keynote address, Shuler announced the formation of the Center for Transformational Organizing: a federation-wide hub that will help unions grow our membership, secure more work and strengthen our collective bargaining power; crucial for winning the contracts and pensions our members deserve.
“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s not enough to protect what we have; this is about taking risks to define the future on our terms. We are making the jobs of the future union jobs from the start,” Shuler declared. “The rich may try to divide us, but they don’t own our humanity, and they don’t own our future.”
“We are making the jobs of the future union jobs from the start. The rich may try to divide us, but they don’t own our humanity, and they don’t own our future.”
– AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler
The general session of the 2022 AFL-CIO Convention included the election of Liz Shuler as AFL-CIO president and Fred Redmond as secretary-treasurer.
Other speakers echoed Shuler’s call, galvanizing delegates to seize this moment. Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams noted the importance of strong unions, explaining: “With labor on the rise, we know that wages will go on the rise. With labor on the case, we know that people’s lives get better.” Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh listed the various wins for workers that the Department of Labor and the current presidential administration have achieved, including 8.7 million jobs added to the economy since January 2021; updated OSHA protections against heat hazards and Department of Labor protections against wage theft and worker misclassification; and more. He urged unions to make the most of this opportunity: “You have the chance to write the next chapter of the labor movement … we need to get out there and organize.”
In addition to leadership and elected officials, union members from across the country and world — including RWDSU members fighting to unionize Amazon in Bessemer, Alabama, as well as trade unionists from Ukraine, Italy, Mexico and more — spoke about the ongoing fight against the corporations who continue to reap profit off the back of the American (and international) worker, regardless of whether it raises prices for working families.
And on Tuesday, President Joe Biden addressed the convention, illustrating the concrete actions his administration has taken in response to the demands of unions like SMART, and outlining his plans for the years ahead. After discussing the American Rescue Plan, which helped protect countless union pension plans, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — predicted to bring millions of work hours to SMART members over the next several years — President Biden demanded more from elected representatives.
“I’m calling on Congress to finally pass the PRO Act,” he announced. “We need an economy built from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.”
Pointing to the disastrous effects of corporate greed and Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine on inflation and gas prices, Biden committed to taking any actions necessary to lower prices for working Americans, from building grain silos to raising taxes on the American oligarchy: the 1 percent.
“All I am asking is for the largest corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. No billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than a teacher.”
– President Joe Biden
“All I am asking is for the largest corporations to pay their fair share of taxes,” he said. “No billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than a teacher.”
And importantly, he promised to build on the steps already taken as America seeks to rebuild its crumbling infrastructure and continue its bounce-back from the economic collapse of 2020. “You have never let the country down,” Biden reminded the crowd, “and we’re counting on you again to rebuild this country.”
Resolving to fight for our members
During the business side of the convention, SMART delegates voted with other unions to pass a number of resolutions, which officially set the course of the AFL-CIO in the near future. Among the many resolutions passed:
A resolution to further dedicate the AFL-CIO’s resources to organizing in order to strengthen every union — including SMART — and engage with young workers;
A resolution to commit to fighting for greater pension protection for America’s workers;<
A resolution that reprioritizes the battle for a four-day workweek and greater work-life balance — without any loss of pay for workers;
A resolution to strive, as a collective movement, for the implementation of healthcare for all and the end of family-destroying, for-profit healthcare.
SMART General President Joseph Sellers chaired the Constitutional Committee. Photo: Jay Mallin.
SMART General President Joseph Sellers chaired the Constitutional Committee, which saw the passage of amendments to the AFL-CIO constitution. Under GP Sellers’ leadership, union delegations amended the constitution to bring the federation into the future: eliminating the outdated position of the Executive Vice President from AFL-CIO leadership; modernizing the language of the constitution; expanding delegate authorization to constituency organizations, retiree organizations and young worker organizations; adding stronger language around technology, democracy and truth; and more.
Finally, SMART participated in the exchange of knowledge and strategy at the AFL-CIO innovation hall. Instructors from the International Training Institute demonstrated groundbreaking technology, including a Trimble attached to a robotic dog and a virtual lift. With the demonstration of such technology and the dedication to ensuring tech advancements are union-directed, unions like SMART can work to bring our craft into the future and constantly establish our workforce as the highest standard of skill.
In addition to participating in NABTU Legislative Conference activities, representatives from SMART local unions gathered on the evening of April 5 for a SMART Political Action League (PAL) reception at the Washington Hilton. Members in attendance heard from Representatives Richie Neal (D-Mass.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) — a proud IBEW member who SMART welcomed warmly as a fellow union brother. Along with pointing out the various ways in which they continue to fight for SMART priorities — from including multiemployer pension protection in the American Rescue Plan and working with SMART members at the BYD factory in California, to fighting for Build Back Better and PRO Act legislation and indoor air quality work for union members — each visiting congressperson went out of their way to thank SMART members for the work they have done, and continue to do, in rebuilding our country.
Members at the reception also heard from Local 265 (Northern Illinois) Business Manager John Daniel, who this year ran for election and won a seat on the Democratic State Central Committee in Illinois: essentially, the executive board of the Democratic Party in a state that is primarily blue. Emphasizing the importance of SMART members running for local office, Daniel noted the vitality of labor — and specifically SMART — having a seat at the table where political decisions are made. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” he warned.
The reception concluded with General President Joseph Sellers presenting plaques to the top 31 PAL fundraising locals. In all, it was a heartening night in which our union’s determination to fight for our membership in the halls of government was on full display.
Each year, about 20 million bolts of lightning strike the earth’s surface, and each can carry upwards of 300 million volts and 30,000 amps. While being struck by lightning is a rare event, over the past 10 years around 250 Americans have died this way, and thousands have been severely injured.
Some workers face greater dangers than others, and sheet metal workers check off a few boxes in in this category — those who handle heavy equipment, work on rooftops, or with plumbing, pipe fitting, construction or building maintenance face the most risk from lightning.
Experts recommend always monitoring the weather and seeking shelter in a substantial building or hard-topped metal vehicle during thunderstorms. If thunderstorms are threatening, don’t start any tasks you cannot quickly stop. Stay off and away from tall structures, such as scaffolding and ladders, and large equipment. If a co-worker is struck by lightning, they will need urgent medical attention. Lightning strike victims do not carry an electrical charge and are safe to approach and touch. Many lightning deaths are due to cardiac arrest, and some may be prevented with CPR and an automatic external defibrillator (AED). Click here to find CPR classes near you or contact your local SMART training center about first aid and CPR classes available to SMART members.
On the morning of Thursday, June 9, over 120 SMART members joined the Association for the Rights of Citizens with Handicaps (ARCh) to prepare the Menomonee Park lodge for ARCh Camp Pow Wow, ensuring area adults and children with disabilities can attend the annual summer camp. Additionally, SMART pitched in with a fundraising effort that brought in $33,000 for ARCh and Camp Pow Wow, including a $5,000 donation from Milwaukee Tool Co.
“This is what we’re all about: building better communities,” said SMART Local 565 Business Manager & Financial Secretary Treasurer Jesse Buell. “Building better wages and benefits, and raising local standards. We are proud to take part in this effort to support our community.”
“SMART takes great pride in being able to assist ARCh Camp Pow Wow with their reopening,” added SMART Local 18 Business Manager/President Mike Mooney. “Camp Pow Wow has been a staple with serving the needs of the community for many years, and SMART is honored to be able to assist them.”
ARCh Camp Pow Wow has been providing outdoor recreational activities for adults and children with disabilities since 1959 with options for swimming, fishing, gardening, fitness, arts and crafts, music and more. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp Pow Wow hasn’t taken place in person since 2019, and the site had fallen into disrepair. As a small non-profit, ARCh did not have the resources to ready the site for return to camp, so the SMART Army answered the call.
“We are thrilled and honored to benefit from the enthusiasm and expertise of the SMART Army,” said Kristen Lindahl, Assistant Director of Operations at ARCh. “This project shows how much good can be accomplished through a dynamic partnership of organized labor, county government and the non-profit community. It takes this great ‘village’ to raise a camp!”
Members of SMART Local 18 (Wisconsin) and Local 565 (Madison, Wis.) – along with SMART delegates attending the SMART Sign and Production Council in Milwaukee – arrived at Menomonee Park lodge early on Thursday morning.
Members removed all the contents of the lodge, cleaned and sanitized the entire building – rooms, kitchen, common areas and more – and cleaned and sanitized every piece of equipment in the lodge before reinstalling all furnishings. Others took care of basic landscaping, repair and maintenance needs for the lodge picnic area, music pavilion, tent boxes and swing sets: fixing picnic tables and accessible wooden walkways, setting up heavy-duty tents for campers to use, spreading woodchips, sanitizing toys and recreational materials, and more. To finish off the effort, SMART members presented a $33,000 to ARCh Camp Pow Wow: a demonstration of the union’s commitment to supporting local communities across the United States and Canada.
“Although they have been challenging for everyone, the past two years have caused massive loneliness and frustration among children and adults with disabilities,” said Lindahl. “Thanks to the skill and dedication of the SMART Army, our campers can now safely and joyously return to the summer fun that they have missed so much!”
A conversation about the importance of having regular working people in office with two SMART members who serve their communities in local elected positions.
Last episode, we heard from Joe de la Cruz, a SMART sheet metal worker in Groton, Conn., who is also a state senator, proudly serving the communities of Groton and New London. This episode we sit down with two more SMART members who have successfully run for elected office. We discuss their sheet metal and transportation careers, what motivated them to run for elected office, specific steps they took to build and run successful campaigns and key issues they focused on once in office.
Matt Cherry
Our first guest this episode is Matt Cherry, a Local 33 sheet metal member from Toledo, Ohio, who serves as the president of the Toledo City Council. Among other topics, he discussed the importance of support he had from the local labor community, including more than 50 union members who helped with door-knocking during his successful campaign for city council.
Our second guest is Dan O’Connell, a long-time member of the SMART Transportation Division who served as New Jersey State Legislative Director for 20 years, until his retirement in 2018. He also served as the Delran Councilman and Burlington County freeholder. Dan has been a recognizable face across every part of our union as his formidable reputation in the New Jersey State House preceded him prior to his retirement.
Dan O’Connell
Voting, lobbying and writing politicians are one thing, but actually being in an elected position and making decisions that affect our jobs, families and communities is also key. Dan underscored the importance of having regular working people in elected positions: “You’re either at the table, or you’re on the menu.”
In addition, listen for the open mic segment with General President Joseph Sellers at the end of this episode. He responds to a question about whether railroad workers are allowed to strike.
