Category: Front Page — SM
Sheet Metal-oriented posts to appear on the front page of the main site and in news feeds.
Local 5 organizes enormous growth in North Carolina
When SMART Local 5 (East Tennessee and North Carolina) member Steven Ruger became an organizer in April 2023, the local had around 1,100 members — the majority in Tennessee. Today, thanks in large part to aggressive organizing conducted by Local 5 and spearheaded by Ruger, the local has more than 1,500 members, and the size of Local 5’s North Carolina membership has increased by more than 60%.SMART statement on Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia’s right to due process
Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Following an April 4, 2025, press conference regarding the deportation of SMART Local 100 apprentice Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement: “The pr [...]
SMART stands with Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia
On March 31, 2025, the Trump administration conceded in a court filing that it had mistakenly deported SMART apprentice Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, a legally protected Maryland resident and father, to El Salvador “‘because of an administrative error,’” according to CNN. The administration is also arguing that because Abrego Garcia is now in Salvadoran custody, the government cannot return him to the United States.
SMART solidarity leads to unanimous contract victory at Tri-Rail
In so-called “right-to-work” states like Florida — the home of commuter rail service Tri-Rail — union workers are often forced to overcome multiple obstacles during contract negotiations. On the one hand, they’re trying to make gains on pay, benefits and working conditions. O [...]
Local 435, North Florida Building Trades win big on Jacksonville Jaguars stadium
Thanks to the advocacy of SMART Local 435 and the North Florida Building and Construction Trades Council, locally hired apprentices will help build the new Jacksonville Jaguars stadium — a more than $1-billion project. “Jacksonville has not seen a project this size in decades [...]
SMART GP Coleman statement on tariffs impacting North American workers
“We need trade policies that strengthen North American industries, protect union jobs and reinforce the shared success of the United States and Canada. What we are getting instead are policies that weaken the U.S.-Canada relationship, threatening the industries that put union members to work."
Eli Baccus to lead SMART Education Department
Former local union organizer and SMART International Instructor Eli Baccus has been named director of the SMART Education Department — another step in a career dedicated to advancing the interests of union workers across North America. “Eli’s extensive experience, dedication [...]
National Careers In Trades Week spotlights opportunities in construction
To raise awareness for the abundance and evolution of trade careers, building trades unions and skilled trade associations, including SMART, the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) and International Training Institute (ITI), have come together to launch the first national Careers In Trades Week, April 7-11, 2025.