Tell us about yourself and your career at Amtrak. Growing up as a young boy in the inner city of Washington, DC was very tough, but it built me into the man I am today. A memory at the precipice of my mind that I will never forget is losing my mother at the age […]
The SMART Women’s Committee works to recruit, retain and promote women in our trade and ensure women have support networks that empower them to reach their fullest potential. This work is especially vital as SMART continues to strengthen and grow our union, and it requires al [...]
Members of the military preparing to leave the service often have difficulties transitioning to civilian jobs — they suffer a loss of community, have trouble relating to civilians who don’t understand military life and struggle with how to find a career, not just a job. Five [...]
Jackie Bennet retired from the SMART International Association on February 1, 2023, concluding 36 years of service. A dedicated and passionate employee, Jackie began as a clerk, then supported various departments as a secretary and retired as the assistant office manager. Thr [...]
SMART and the SMART Women’s Committee celebrated Women In Construction Week from March 5–11, 2023, putting a special focus on the life-changing careers in unionized sheet metal that are available to women across the United States and Canada. Along with two profile videos, SMA [...]
International Representative Bob DiOrio retired on December 31, 2022 — concluding nearly 40 years of service to our union. After starting his apprenticeship at Local 19 in Philadelphia in 1984 and becoming a journeyperson in 1988, DiOrio served on several of his local’s subsi [...]
Like retiring SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Michael Coleman has decades of experience in both the sheet metal trade and union leadership. He began his career as a SMART sheet metal worker in 1985, when he joined what was then Local 65 in Cleveland, Ohio (Local 65 me [...]
When 64-year-old Orchard Park, N.Y. resident Chuckie Sonntag found himself in need of an entry ramp for his home, the SM Local 71 (Buffalo, N.Y.) SMART Army leapt into action — demonstrating the vital role unions play in American communities, on and off the job. Sonntag, who [...]
Local 45, based out of central Iowa, reached the 100-year milestone as a charter under SMART on November 14, 2022. For nearly a year, active and retired members of the local worked with Union Histories to share stories, memories and pictures from the past century. Current and [...]
Coworkers and union siblings of Local 18 (Wisconsin) member Jason Fellenz have long admired his dedication and artistry as a craftsman; since entering the trade in 2002, Fellenz has steadily climbed the ranks at JF Ahern Company, where he’s now shop foreman. But in 2022, the [...]