Tag: convention

GP Coleman tells delegates: “We’re not done.”

General President Michael Coleman kicked off the Third SMART General Convention on August 12, 2024, at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas, Nev. In a nod to the convention theme — “Challenge met. But we’re not done.” — Coleman celebrated our union’s fighting spirit and called on delegates to keep up the good work on behalf of the members.

Coleman began by paying tribute to the work of past delegates and leaders, whose trailblazing actions brought two great unions — the United Transportation Union and the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association — together in 2014.

“Today, we see the fruits of our predecessors’ hard work. Today, we are a strong union. Today, we are a forward-thinking union. And today, we are a united union,” he said.

He also looked back on the last five years — some of the most extraordinary and eventful that our two nations, let alone our union, have ever faced.

Sheet metal locals were confronted with a potentially devastating attack on union apprenticeships when the Trump administration proposed its anti-worker Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs (IRAPs) rule. Meanwhile, the transportation industry faced an anti-worker administration that — among other things — conducted an all-out offensive on freight railroaders, withdrawing a proposed federal two-person crew rule and attempting to pre-empt state 2PC laws. On top of that, there was the 2020 United States election, pitting a stridently pro-worker challenger against an anti-worker incumbent, plus provincial battles against anti-labour laws in Canada. Not to mention, Coleman added, the world-altering COVID-19 pandemic.

“But we not only met those challenges, we exceeded all expectations,” he declared. “It took all of us. Rowing in the same direction. As General President Sellers used to say, pulling on the same rope. Working together as ONE UNION.”

SMART members mobilized to defeat the IRAPs initiative. We elected pro-union legislators who passed transformative laws that saved union pensions, created union sheet metal jobs, funded transportation infrastructure and gave Canadian members the ability to more effectively travel for work. We staffed megaprojects that spurred incredible growth at local unions across North America. And we finally won a two-person freight train crew regulation, putting rail safety and union jobs ahead of shareholder greed.

We achieved all of that, Coleman told delegates, because we know our “why” — our reason for doing what we do. That “why” is each other: the members of this great union. And it’s because of that “why” that we aren’t finished winning for SMART members across North America.

“General President Emeritus Sellers set us up for this moment. And we MUST seize it,” Coleman said.

Whether it’s legislation that protects our bus and transit members from assaults, or aggressive organizing to staff megaprojects, handle manufacturing demands and ensure a just transition to a green economy, Coleman emphasized the importance of keeping SMART members’ future in mind as, collectively, the convention body mapped the direction our organization will take for the next five years.

SMART is resurgent, Coleman continued. Now, we need to seize this moment. Because, make no mistake, he said: Our enemies are ruthless, and they won’t stop attacking SMART members.

“Think about why they hate us,” Coleman said. “Think about what crime they think we commit. They hate us because we fight for safety in the workplace. They hate us because we fight for the ability to live and raise our families with dignity. They hate us because we fight for the ability to retire with dignity. And when it comes time to leave this place, we fight for the ability to do that with dignity.”

“It is going to be a fight,” he told delegates. “A fight that we didn’t choose. But if it is a fight they want, it is a fight they are going to get. But this time, we will tell them when the fight is over.”

GST Daniel asks delegates: “How will we be remembered?”

SMART General Secretary-Treasurer John Daniel knows well the challenges faced by union workers across North America — over the last five years, and over the last several decades.

“I stand before you not just as your SMART general secretary-treasurer, but as a fellow worker — one who has walked the same paths, faced the same struggles and fought the same battles,” he told attendees.

Daniel was there when the railroads sued to pre-empt Illinois’ two-person crew law, he explained. He was Local 265 business manager when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, shutting everything down and casting the world into total chaos.

“But I can say from firsthand experience, those challenges didn’t stop us in Illinois. And I know it didn’t stop anyone in this room,” he said.

SMART Canada has worked hard to win jobs and strong labour standards in the transition to a green economy up north, representing workers in not only sheet metal but roofing and various production sectors. Meanwhile, internal organizing and a focus on training have helped the Transportation Division both organize and retain members in the face of adverse conditions, while investments in recruitment and retention will help SMART sustain its growth.

The financial health of the organization is stellar, Daniel said. And on the back of megaprojects and strong representation across sheet metal and transportation, SMART’s membership has increased from a little over 203,000 to 230,000.

“Now, it is our time to decide who we are,” he declared.

Diversity in the production and bus industries provides a model for SMART to follow as we strengthen our union through organizing and inclusion. We need to keep reaching out to people of all backgrounds in every community, Daniel said, and ensure that anyone who carries a dues receipt, union card or pink ticket gets the representation they deserve.

He also argued that SMART needs to continue investing in ourselves if we want to build on the success we have achieved. Subsidized organizers, legislative staff and programs aimed at recruiting and retaining members have been key to recent victories, Daniel told attendees — and such investment needs to continue.

DOT secretary headlines day one of SMART General Convention

U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg had a very specific message when he spoke at SMART’s Third General Convention:

“Union jobs change the trajectory of generations.”

Buttigieg received a warm welcome from SMART delegates, and he matched their enthusiasm with an exciting message that the continued success of America is tied directly to empowering our union workforce. He spoke in detail about the megaprojects he and the Biden-Harris administration have put in place in every state in the country that are keeping our sheet metal members working. On the transportation side, he discussed the Federal Railroad Administration regulation enacted this spring mandating two-person crews on freight trains across the U. S., as well as the new Brightline West high-speed rail project.

The project links Las Vegas, Nevada, to Los Angeles, California. It will provide sheet metal work for building and maintaining the tracks, stations and infrastructure, and bring jobs to the TD side with SMART crews operating the trains.

Speaking directly to SMART-TD’s bus operators, Buttigieg pointed out that one of the things he is proud of in his three-plus years at the DOT is his administration’s work with SMART and the Federal Transit Administration to finalize a rule forming safety committees on bus properties around the country. He specified that our bus operators will be on these safety committees and that they will control the safety programs that come out of them.

But he and the Biden-Harris administration could not have accomplished these things on their own. He gestured to the delegates on the convention floor: “You drove that! That is what the power of organizing can do!”

Union jobs and SMART membership not only “change the trajectory of generations,” but also empower each of us to “shape a future your kids can be proud of,” he said.

AFL-CIO President Shuler rallies delegates to seize this moment

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler gave delegates a rousing speech that connected SMART members’ fights to the ongoing resurgence of the labor movement, telling members and leaders:

“Whether you’re a sheet metal worker, a bus operator, a service technician, a railroad engineer, a sign worker, a welder, a production employee … if you’re a part of this union, North America does not work without you.”

In her remarks, Shuler discussed the still-enormous fight that working people face across the United States, recounting the experiences of workers struggling for dignity and living wages — and contrasting those experiences with the exorbitant payrolls of America’s executive class. Those executives, she explained, are the people who stand to benefit if Donald Trump gets reelected and implements his Project 2025 agenda.

But thanks to the labor movement, Shuler said, workers across the U.S. are seeing that another way exists. Specifically shouting out the work and achievements of Local 435 in Gainesville, Florida, TD Local 1704 in Kansas City and Local 480 in Faribault, Minn. — plus victories at the national level, like the federal two-person freight train crew regulation, the work of the SMART Women’s Committee and the BE4ALL Rapid Response Protocol — she praised SMART’s work to empower the working class in the face of profit-flation and corporate greed.

“You are setting the standard,” she declared.

Shuler ended with a request: As November approaches, delegates, officers, families and people across the labor movement need to hit the jobsite, the phone banks and the doors to spread the word about what’s at stake in this presidential election.

“We can be the ones who make history,” Shuler concluded. “We have the momentum. … Are you ready? Let’s do this.”

Horsford to delegates: “Las Vegas is a union town”

Nevada Congressman Steven Horsford took the podium at the Third SMART General Convention on Monday, Aug. 12. Horsford, who represents SMART members and working families in Nevada’s Fourth Congressional District and is also the co-chair and founder of the Congressional Labor Caucus, received a warm welcome for his stellar support for organized labor while in office.

Horsford voted for the American Rescue Plan, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, a package of legislation that saved SMART members’ pensions; created jobs building the United States’ critical infrastructure; invested in American railroads and public transit; put union sheet metal workers on clean energy jobs and much more. He also worked to fund the Brightline West high-speed rail line, creating work for SMART sheet metal and railroad workers, and has helped local unions in Nevada and beyond win funding for their training centers.

That said, he went on, we’re not done. Horsford pledged to continue working with SMART on a variety of priorities, including the reauthorization of the National Apprenticeship Act.

“I look forward to working with you to advance this bill, and address many of your other priorities,” he concluded.

Harris details ITI’s efforts to boost training

International Training Institute Administrator Michael Harris provided delegates with an overview of the ITI’s various initiatives to boost and enhance training at local unions and regional councils across SMART — grants, training programs and curricula, and much more. He also updated the audience on the ITI’s ongoing work to continue meeting the challenges of the future, including a JATC full-time coordinator subsidy program.

Nev. AFL-CIO’s Martinez fires up crowd

Nevada AFL-CIO Executive Secretary-Treasurer Susie Martinez fired up SMART convention delegates with her remarks, which touched on her history as a pro-labor legislator who helped pass indoor air quality legislation and a state two-person crew law.

Martinez acknowledged the large role SMART played in helping her pass Nevada’s two-person crew bill in 2019, as well as the state’s AB 927, the Clean Air Act, in 2021.

A longstanding member of Teamsters Local 986, she described the incredible amount of assistance she received from SMART Local 88’s Al Lopez in her pursuit of the law.

In Martinez’s words, “Al was in my office every day. He was there by my side. The reason I’m having Al come up here is so I can say that we don’t do this alone.”

She told SMART’s delegates she was later given an award from AFL-CIO leadership known as The Best Bill Ever award for passing the Clean Air Act.

To Brother Lopez’s surprise, Martinez announced that the recognition she received for passing “their bill” was just as much an accomplishment for Al and SMART Local 88 as it was for her. She then presented Brother Lopez with the plaque she had been awarded, saying she wanted him to have it in recognition of what Local 88, with Lopez’s determination, had done to realize this important legislation.

NABTU president to delegates: “What we do will impact future generations.”

North America’s Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey has spent decades working alongside SMART members and leaders to win progress for workers in the legislative, organizing and economic development arenas. In his Tuesday speech to delegates at the Third SMART General Convention, McGarvey took time to note the victories we have won together — and emphasized that we cannot stop pushing.

“With these wins and significant investments coming online, we must capture as much work as possible,” he declared. “We must be intentional about recruiting and retaining the next generation of unionized building trades workers and growing our contractor base.”

SMART members made incredible progress in the last several years. Under the Biden-Harris administration, McGarvey said, labor standards in pro-union laws and unprecedented investment in the United States’ core infrastructure created opportunities for building trades workers that once seemed unthinkable — not to mention the administration’s actions to strengthen Davis-Bacon prevailing wages and pension reform in the American Rescue Plan Act.

In turn, he added, unions like SMART have been able to expand their focus on organizing, recruiting and retaining workers from all communities and bring our neighbors — people of color, the justice-involved, veterans and more — into our best-of-class apprenticeship programs. He specifically credited the SMART Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL) initiative, Women’s Committee and Director of Special Projects Louise Medina for their work to make the building trades welcoming to all, especially in this crucial moment.

Now, as election 2024 approaches, the rubber meets the road, McGarvey said. Our ability to build, organize, grow and keep members on the jobsite rests largely on who takes office in November. Referencing Project 2025 and the ABC-endorsed Trump administration’s previous efforts to gut building trades unions — with Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Programs being just one example — he highlighted the importance of putting pro-union lawmakers in office.

“We are on the cusp of an infrastructure decade,” McGarvey told delegates. “You helped us get here, and we need you more than ever between now and November to prevent a hostile administration from taking away all of the gains we made by meeting the challenges placed in front of us.”

USA’s Ingram touts solidarity, service and the great outdoors

Across the United States, SMART sheet metal and Transportation Division members have worked with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) to conserve wildlife, connect with local communities and, of course, enjoy the great outdoors — whether hunting, fishing or hiking.

In remarks to delegates, USA Executive Director and CEO Walt Ingram expounded on the important relationships that the USA-SMART partnership helps create — and how it helps SMART take on a variety of challenges. Foremost among those is bringing members together in true solidarity.

“We’re a member engagement tool for you at your local unions, and I want to encourage you to take advantage of that,” Ingram said.

SMOHIT evolves with the times to meet members’ needs

Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Administrator Aldo Zambetti presented to delegates on Tuesday, August 13, where he overviewed the ways the fund has morphed and evolved to help members meet health challenges. Perhaps the most high-profile example: SMOHIT and SMART’s ever-growing focus on members’ mental and physical health, exemplified through continuing programs like the SMART Member Assistance Program (MAP), SMOHIT Helpline, suicide awareness trainings and the use of apps like Wellbeats.

Zambetti also told the audience about SMOHIT’s efforts to provide members with resources they can take with them, such as information on where to find support when traveling for work (the Make Yourself at Home app) and a weekly, virtual 12-step program. Helping members is an ongoing process, he added, and will require our union’s commitment moving forward.

BE4ALL, RISE, Women’s Committees meet to forge a stronger union

Following the first day of proceedings at SMART’s Third General Convention, members of the SMART Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL); Representation, Integrity, Support, Empowerment (RISE); and Women’s Committees came together for a celebration of progress and comradery — and a recommitment to their important work moving forward.

While differing in their specific missions, the committees broadly focus on strengthening SMART by making our union a more welcoming and inclusive place for all members. Each committee works with current members, local union and regional council officers, International staff and potential new members on recruitment, retention, empowerment and solidarity within SMART, all of which are key to our continued success.

In Las Vegas, members arrived from the furthest reaches of our union — everywhere from Vancouver to Ontario, San Francisco to Atlanta — to engage in this important committee work. General President Michael Coleman and General Secretary-Treasurer John Daniel met with committee members for an open question-and-answer session; attendees also had the chance to open up to one another and forge deeper bonds of solidarity.

Director Reports

Carlough reports on SMART’s wellness and mental health efforts

SMART’s inaugural director of Wellness and Mental Health Support, Chris Carlough, reported on expanded and continuing efforts to support the holistic well-being of members across North America. That includes through peer-to-peer mental health and suicide awareness training; naloxone training to prevent opioid overdoses; and ongoing SMART Member Assistance Program sessions in every corner of our union.

Wood updates delegates on the status of SMART’s pension funds

Lori Wood, the executive director of SMART’s National Pension Fund, National Supplemental Savings Plan and Local Unions and Councils Pension Plan, spoke to the convention on Tuesday, Aug. 13. The director updated delegates on the status and projections of SMART’s pension funds. Wood also reported on the health of SMART employee investment funds and informed the delegates of recent changes to our death benefit.

Paswisty reviews Canadian affairs

Former SMART Department of Canadian Affairs Director Chris Paswisty overviewed the state of the union in Canada, which represents members working in the sheet metal, roofing, dockyard and shipyard industries, plus strong production locals representing members in the HVAC, automotive and garment sectors. There are large amounts of work, and huge investments, coming down the pipeline across Canada, he noted, and SMART is working to take advantage with organizers across the provinces.

Paswisty also detailed SMART Canada’s efforts to leverage existing strengths to make future gains: legislative strategizing to win green jobs — including pro-labour laws that have already been passed — messaging around wildfires and indoor air quality to raise SMART’s profile, and much more.

Nevada Rep. Lee pledges continued partnership with SMART

On the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 13, delegates heard from Congresswoman Susie Lee of Nevada’s Third District.

Lee grew up in a steel town — Canton, Ohio — where she witnessed firsthand the lifechanging power of a union job, as well as the devastating effects of attacks on the labor movement and American manufacturing.

“When I fight for worker protections, for PLAs, for pensions, for worker safety, for two-person train crews, let me tell you — it’s personal to me,” she said.

That’s why Lee cast major votes in Congress for the American Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act, she explained. Those laws have funded projects like the Brightline West high-speed rail line, set to create 140,000 new, good-paying union jobs, and put SMART sheet metal and transportation members to work.

Lee concluded by vowing to continue partnering with SMART to win for workers, from Southern Nevada to the rest of our country.

“The fight is never over,” she declared.

Delegates elect officers to lead union

Delegates to the Third SMART General Convention elected Michael Coleman of Local 33 (Cleveland, Ohio) as the union’s general president on Wednesday, August 14, by acclamation.

“I nominate a person I respect, a person who puts the advancement of SMART before himself,” said SMART General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers Jr., whose nomination was seconded by delegates from across the SMART sheet metal and Transportation Divisions.

Delegates also elected John Daniel of Local 265 (Carol Stream, Ill.) as general secretary-treasurer, by acclamation, and voted 11 general vice presidents onto the SMART General Executive Council (GEC).

Coleman and Daniel were joined by SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson, who was reelected on Sunday during the Third Transportation Division Convention.

Coleman dedicated his acceptance speech to giving thanks. Along with Local 33, its members and leaders, he paid tribute to Assistants to the General President Darrell Roberts and Tom Wiant, as well as General President Emeritus Sellers — for his leadership, for how he positioned SMART, for his friendship and for his mentorship. He also thanked General Secretary- Treasurer Daniel and Transportation Division President Ferguson, who he hailed as trailblazing leaders and even better friends, along with a variety of other union members, leaders, and sisters and brothers.

He ended by giving heartfelt thanks to his family, including his son, Nick, and his wife, Liz, before expressing his gratitude for the delegates gathered at the convention.

“I want you to know how humbled and honored I am to have your vote,” Coleman said. “I will never back down from anybody, and I will fight tooth and nail for each and every single one of you and your members. Because I love you all.”

“When all this is over, we’ve got some asses to kick, and some names to take.”

Daniel thanked his home local, Local 265, and gave his sincere thanks to the many union members and leaders — retired officers, current members and beyond — who molded the man he is today. He also declared his unwavering commitment to serving every member, in every craft, in every industry that our union represents.

Reiterating a recurring convention theme, he vowed to fight on members’ behalf to grow and strengthen SMART and the labor movement.

“Together, we are unstoppable,” he concluded. “Let us build a union that stands for every member.”

Transportation Division President Ferguson used his acceptance speech to thank his wife and family, TD office staff in Cleveland, UTUIA staff, retiring TD General Counsel Kevin Brodar and Ferguson’s deceased mentor, former Local 313 Chair Herm Boruta. He also remarked on the incredible solidarity on display:

“I will never forget General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers making the nomination for Mike Coleman, with all those TD local numbers behind him,” he said.

Like Coleman, Ferguson concluded his remarks by thanking convention delegates.

“The greatest honor I have is to give a thank you to each and every one of you delegates. Thank you for your dedication and your love of this union.”

SMART General President Emeritus Sellers swore in the newly elected officers. Wednesday’s elected general vice presidents are: Derek Evans, first GVP; Arthur Tolentino, second GVP; Rick Werner, third GVP; Bill Kenyon, fourth GVP; Robert Butler, fifth GVP; Ray Reasons, sixth GVP; Lance Deyette, seventh GVP; Thomas De Bartolo, eighth GVP; Jason Pedersen, ninth GVP; Stephen Langley, 10th GVP and Matthew Fairbanks, 11th GVP.

From the elections that took place Sunday, Sellers swore in TD President-elect Jeremy Ferguson, National Legislative Director Greg Hynes, Rail Vice Presidents Brent Leonard, Chad Adams, Jamie Modesitt and Bus Vice President Alvy Hughes.

Their terms begin on October 1, 2024.

Read biographies of all GEC members here.

Helms: “We’re not done” bringing veterans into the trades

Delegates gave a warm welcome to Helmets to Hardhats Executive Director Martin Helms. Helmets to Hardhats works to bring United States military veterans into the unionized building trades, helping those who served to find good, family-sustaining careers. SMART has partnered with the program for more than 20 years.

In his remarks, Helms thanked SMART for playing its part by participating in Helmets to Hardhats and with programs like SMART Heroes. SMART had the third-highest number of “known successful transitions” (Helmets to Hardhats applicants who successfully begin their career in the building trades) in 2023, and is on pace to garner even more interest in 2024.

“SMART and Helmets to Hardhats are amazing teams,” he concluded. “Thank you for the last two decades of collaboration. I am motivated by what the future holds, and the H2H team looks forward to working with each one of you to increase our veteran recruitment. Thank you, God bless, and let’s continue to build America!”

Progress in partnership: Duncan and Hilger address delegates Convention delegates heard from SMACNA President

Carol Duncan and CEO Aaron Hilger on Thursday, August 15, with both speakers extolling the virtues of partnership in the unionized sheet metal industry at a time when enthusiasm for organized labor is skyrocketing.

“The power of progress and collaboration [is] shaping our industry’s future,” Duncan told delegates.

During her Thursday morning remarks, Duncan overviewed the important, trailblazing work SMART members and leaders are performing to make sure the unionized sheet metal industry is positioned for growth. Only by working together on initiatives like recruitment and retention, Belonging and Excellence for All and beyond, she told delegates, can union contractors and members make sure those projects are completed by high-road signatory employers and workers.

Hilger took the podium Thursday afternoon, speaking to the convention crowd about four challenges met by SMART and SMACNA in the last several years — and the work that still needs to be done.

The first challenge: the BE4ALL initiative and our organizations’ broader focus on making the unionized sheet metal industry more welcoming and inclusive of all. Another: strengthening government relations at the state and local level, winning legislation and ordinances that create work for SMART locals and SMACNA chapters.

That, Hilger went on, relates directly to the third challenge that SMART and SMACNA worked together to meet: indoor air quality (IAQ) work. The pandemic revealed to the North American public just how important proper ventilation is to staying healthy and safe. Now, he said, local unions and contractors need to collaborate intensely to increase IAQ market share.

Finally, Hilger discussed the ongoing opportunity and difficulty posed by the surge of megaprojects across North America, with 260 being actively tracked by the SMART-SMACNA megaprojects task force. Union sheet metal contractors and workers are staffing those projects — an enormous victory. Now, he said, we need to maintain our progress and continue staffing our core work.

“It’s a wonderful time to be a union contractor and a union member,” he concluded. “Thank you for your partnership as we continue to work together.”

Director Reports

Benson details organizing challenges met — with more growth to come

SMART Director of Organizing Jason Benson provided delegates with an overview of the department’s structure before detailing the challenges our union has met through organizing: recruiting, organizing nonunion workers, engaging in job actions to flip nonunion projects to signatory status, and much more. Over the last five years, there have been more than 29,000 new members organized into SMART, Benson said.

He also offered a preview of the work we have yet to do, with billions of dollars of work coming down the pipeline.

Dodd reports on SMART Governmental Affairs Dept.

Over the last several years, the SMART Governmental Affairs Department has partnered with pro-union legislators and federal officials to pass and implement policies that benefit SMART members and working families. After thanking staff members Tiffany Finck-Haynes, Ben Donnelly-Fine, Shareka Bannerman, Angela Watson and Jackie Meisner, Department Director Steve Dodd presented to delegates on the progress that has been made in the last several years — and the dangerous, anti-union policies members can expect from a second Trump administration.

“I know you’ve heard all week long about the damages that [Donald Trump] did when he was in office,” Dodd declared. “What we have now is an unbelievable situation like we’ve never had in our lives … you better fight like hell for your country and do whatever you can to get Kamala Harris in office in November.”

SMART-TD legislative efforts

Transportation Division National Legislative Director Greg Hynes and Alternate Legislative Director Jared Cassity presented their departmental report to the convention delegates. Their report emphasized the department’s efforts to engage the membership in advocating for SMART-TD legislation. Multiple bills currently in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are pivotal to freight rail members’ safety and quality of life.

Financial report details current strength, opportunity ahead

SMART General Secretary-Treasurer John Daniel, Controller Warren May and SMART-TD Director of Administration Matt Dolin delivered a report on the financial state of the union, validated by an independent auditor to ensure transparency and accountability at every step. Daniel overviewed SMART’s meticulous financial processes before May and Dolin presented — in great detail — the union’s finances, which show significant growth and stellar overall health.

SMART’s assets are more than six times greater than its liabilities. Daniel noted that this strong position is one we need to build on to ensure further success.

“Together, we will build a future our members and their families deserve,” Daniel said. “The future looks bright, brothers and sisters.”

This was May’s final convention, as the steward of SMART’s Financial Department is set to retire at the end of 2024. General Secretary-Treasurer Daniel thanked May for his tireless work and thoughtful administration, calling him “instrumental” to SMART’s success.

“I know that you aren’t a sheet metal worker, a roofer, a railroader, a bus operator or a transit operator by trade, but you are truly one of us, and you’re part of our family,” General President Michael Coleman added.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve this great International,” May told delegates.

SASMI benefit continues to support participating locals

Administrator Ken Colombo presented to delegates on the ongoing success of the Stabilization Agreement of the Sheet Metal Industry (SASMI). Now in its 50th year, SASMI continues to offer unemployment/underemployment benefits to participating local unions and members, Colombo said. But the fund has also expanded and innovated, using the SASMI incentive to help sheet metal workers travel to megaprojects in other locations, for example, and continuously introducing new perks — including a new paid sick leave benefit.

NEMI administrator presents to delegates on resources, victories

National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) Administrator Lisa Davis presented to delegates on the work the fund has pursued since 2019, including developing new resources for affiliates and updates to Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB) certifications. Davis also explained how NEMI has helped local unions and regional councils win policy and regulatory victories across the United States, creating more work for sheet metal members, as well as efforts to turn back attacks on our fire life safety and indoor air quality work jurisdiction.

Greficz recaps SMART-TD organizing successes

SMART-TD Organizer Nick Greficz (TD Local 278, Jackson, Mich.) presented the Transportation Division Organizing Department’s report. The report included a breakdown of the success TD’s organizing has experienced in the recent past and the importance of continued growth for the strength of our union. Methodologies to achieve this growth include the continued implementation of tools such as the Action Builder platform and the organizer portal on SMART’s website.

Brother Greficz summed up his vision in saying, “Success is the result of dedication, commitment and the collective participation of everyone involved. Every member, local officer and general committee officer is an organizer!”

Delegates, leaders recognize SMART Army award-winners

On Friday, delegates and recently elected leaders paid tribute to the winners of the 2024 Joseph J. Nigro SMART Army Service Award: SMART Local 85 (Atlanta, Ga.) Apprentice Dee Lee and the late Sam Nasca, former SMART-TD New York state legislative director.

The first Joseph J. Nigro awards were given at the 2019 SMART General Convention. The tradition has flourished since, recognizing SMART members who devote themselves to the principles of service, solidarity and unionism.

It’s hard to think of someone who embodied those principles more than Nasca, whose long life and even longer list of achievements read like a laundry list of labor accomplishments. Nasca’s award was accepted on his behalf by New York State Legislative Director Luke Deleskiewicz.

Preceding his death in February 2024, Brother Nasca (TD Local 318, Hornell, N.Y.) was an active part of the rail labor movement for 64 years. From the day he hired onto the Erie Railroad in 1959, Nasca was involved in donating to PAC to effect a positive change in the lives of his brothers and sisters. His passion for this cause and his political activism guided his long life dedicated to protecting these same people — the members.

“Throughout my training, there was one constant source of guidance, wisdom and support, and that was my friend Sam Nasca,” Deleskiewicz said.

Sam was an engaged leader through a lot of history in this union. As a frame of reference that freight rail members will appreciate, Brother Nasca’s employee ID number was 83!

His efforts to champion fair treatment of bus, freight and passenger rail members in his state are legendary; however, his legacy goes far beyond the borders of New York. In Sam’s 32 years as legislative director, he shared his knowledge and passion for creating positive change with multiple generations of leaders. His experience and institutional memory molded the success of many UTU/SMART-TD leaders. The achievements of legislation and movements all around the United States were built on the bedrock provided by Brother Nasca.

“For those of you who knew him, I think you’d agree he’s an absolute legend,” Deleskiewicz concluded. “I’m extremely honored and humbled to accept this award on his behalf.”

The sheet metal Nigro award-winner, Dee Lee, only recently started her career in the trade — but she has already demonstrated a commitment to the values of our union that all of us should aspire to.

Lee first got involved in her union via the Local 85 Women’s Committee in January 2023, slowly increasing her participation under the mentorship of Local 85 President Jan Chappell. Her motivation to serve her union and her community only grew later in the year, when she attended the 2023 Tradeswomen Build Nations conference in Washington, DC. After participating in the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA) all-tradeswomen hike, she returned to Atlanta determined to unite the area building trades around a community service project.

The result? One of the largest cross-trade events in Atlanta labor history, a “Unions Unite” day of service in collaboration with the USA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. After recruiting 30 volunteers and raising $70,000, Lee and her crew helped replace an aging boat dock at Lake Allatoona in Atlanta, providing community members with a safer and more accessible way to enjoy the natural world.

“The Unions Unite project in Atlanta started out with an idea and a text message. It turned into one of the largest union volunteer events in Atlanta history,” Lee said. “For that I would like to say challenge met — but I’m not done.”

Lee is already working on her next project, an effort to improve inner city parks in Atlanta.

“This is a project that will continue … for years to come,” she concluded. “There is so much more to do, but I’m here for it.”

Through their actions, Nasca and Lee exemplified what it means to be a trade unionist and a member of the SMART Army. Thank you, brother and sister!

General Secretary-Treasurer Daniel and General President Coleman: “We’re just getting started.”

Following the SMART Army Member of the Year awards, General Secretary-Treasurer Daniel and General President Coleman delivered closing remarks to delegates.

“At the beginning of this convention, I challenged you to think about how we will be remembered,” Daniel said. “I asked you, ‘what do you want your union to look like?’”

Throughout the week, he said, delegates showed what they want their union to look like. A strong union. A united union. A union that accepts, welcomes and fights for ALL members.

“Thank you for this opportunity to serve you,” Daniel said in closing. “I look forward to fighting with you, I look forward to supporting you; brothers and sisters, we’re certainly not done. We’re just getting started.” Coleman told delegates how filled with pride he was; how speechless he was at their dedication to serving this union. And he closed by urging them to continue to fight for the members who build and move our two great nations.

“We don’t pick fights. But I’ll tell you what we do — we finish them,” Coleman declared. “We don’t back up, and we don’t back down from anybody.”

“You’re my brothers and sisters, every single one of you. You’re my family. I will now take a motion to adjourn.”

And with that, the Third SMART General Convention came to a close.

Throughout the Third SMART General Convention, various convention committees delivered reports to delegates.

Rules Committee

Committee Chair Bill Kenyon (Local 54, Southwest Gulf Coast Regional Council) and Committee Secretary Mark Hall (Local 473) presented the committee’s report. Secretary Hall presented 33 rules that the committee proposed, outlining the conduct and procedures that the convention and its participants would adhere to. All 33 proposed rules were passed unanimously through a voice vote.

Production Committee

The Production Committee report was given on the convention floor by Committee Chair Derek Evans (Local 540) and Secretary Jesse Buell (Local 565).

The report included recommendations on topics such as education, organizing, regional councils, union labels and so-called “right-to-work.” The Production Committee report was approved by a unanimous voice vote.

Roofing Committee

Committee Chair Jose Manso (Local 30) and Trent Todd (Local 20) reported on the committee’s findings and recommendations. The roofing sector represents an area of potential burgeoning work hours for SMART local unions and regional councils — that being said, Manso and Todd noted, differing factors and challenges face our union across the United States and Canada, and must be confronted.

HVAC/Service Committee

Committee Chair Jon Alvino (Local 9) and Secretary Brian Noble (Local 16, Northwest Regional Council) delivered the HVAC/Service Committee’s report, which outlined the challenges in this sector of the sheet metal industry — from rival organizations to new regulatory outlooks — and the opportunities presented by a newfound emphasis on HVAC service work. They also pointed out existing initiatives local unions and regional councils can take advantage of to increase service market share.

GEC Committee

Second General Vice President Art Tolentino (Local 293) led the nine-member General Executive Council Committee, with 10th General Vice President Steve Langley serving as secretary of the committee and presenter.

The committee’s report highlighted personnel changes at the GEC level and appointments made by the GEC to staffing positions at the SMART International and at the Transportation Division.

The GEC summarized its work to improve and restructure its educational efforts, organizing, adopt technology, recruit new members, retain current members and to keep SMART strong with the cooperation of interviews with General President Michael Coleman, TD President Jeremy Ferguson and General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers Jr.

Railroad and Airline Committee

Railroad and Airline Committee Chair Buddy Piland (TD Local 1205) and Secretary Jason Luscombe (TD Local 785) presented their committee’s report. They presented 14 recommendations in total to address seven unique challenges. The challenges included local officer training, membership retention and preparation for the 2025 National Rail Agreement. The recommendations were approved by a unanimous voice vote.

Wellness and Mental Health Committee

Wellness and Mental Health Committee Chair Patrick O’Leary (Local 15) and Secretary Ted Ramsdell (Local 36) presented the committee’s report. They prepared three recommendations to assist SMART members with their struggles and to promote the services SMART provides. The three recommendations were passed unanimously by voice vote.

Transit and Bus Committee

The Transit and Bus Committee report was given to the delegates by Chair Jerome Johnson (TD Local 60) and committee member Cecilia Lopez (TD Local 1701), who was standing in for Secretary Anthony Petty (TD Local 1594). The committee presented four resolutions for approval. All four resolutions were passed unanimously by a voice vote.

Compensation Committee

Compensation Committee Chair Thomas De Bartolo (Local 27) and Secretary Matt Fairbanks (Local 10) submitted their committee’s report to the convention delegates. They proposed altering the amount of compensation SMART will provide to both convention delegates and convention committee members. The proposals were approved by voice vote.

Grievance and Appeals Committee

Grievance and Appeals Committee Chair Robert Butler (Northeast Regional Council) and Secretary Robert Gougeon (Local 285) gave the report of their committee. They presented their committee’s findings on multiple cases of SMART members who had appealed the findings of the General Executive Council.

Apprenticeship Committee

Apprenticeship Committee Chair Bryan Bush (Local 19) and Secretary Jason Dammon (Local 10) offered their committee’s report to the convention delegates. They discussed the importance of continuing SMART’s support for developing and fostering apprenticeship programs. The report was adopted by a unanimous voice vote.

Credentials Committee

Credentials Committee Chair Russell Bartash (Northeast Regional Council) and Secretary Joe Cook (Local 219) presented the GST credentials report. Along with credentialed convention delegate information, the Credentials Committee reviewed the current financial records and five-year projections of SMART’s sheet metal and Transportation Divisions. The Credentials Committee proposed changes to membership International dues amounts and allocation of members’ dues. An increase to monthly per capita dues was proposed. The motion passed.

Industrial and Automotive Committee

Committee Chair Rodney French (Local 24) and Committee Secretary Scott Knocke (Local 18) presented the report of the Industrial/Automotive Committee. The report addressed the importance of recruitment, retention, expanding jurisdictions, education and marketing.

Organizing Committee

Committee Chair Brian Masters (Local 104) and Committee Secretary Devin Leingang (Northwest Regional Council) presented the Organizing Committee report. The committee’s report described their efforts to tailor SMART’s organizing strategy to the specific needs and dynamics of each local union.

Union Label Committee

Union Label Committee Chair Eric Meirhaeghe (Local 91) and Committee Secretary Don Dunne (Local 44) presented their committee’s report. In their report, they stated the importance of continuing the “Label It, Scan It, Report It” campaign and five additional initiatives aimed at ensuring union labels continue to represent a commitment to fair labor practices, quality production and the protection of workers’ rights.

General President’s Committee

Chair Jason Pedersen (Local 276) and Secretary Gregory Blose (Local 12) presented the summary of the General President’s Committee report, which emphasized forward-thinking leadership and progress on a variety of fronts within SMART — legislative lobbying on the implementation of pro-union laws and a federal two-person crew regulation; expanding and bolstering important initiatives like Belonging and Excellence for All and the SMART Women’s Committee; strengthening both internal and external organizing across our union; and close collaboration and solidarity across sheet metal and transportation, among other subjects.

Constitution Committee

Committee Chair Rick Werner (Local 104) and Committee Secretary Lance Deyette (Northwest Regional Council) presented proposed amendments, reviewed by SMART’s Constitution Committee, for debate and voting by delegates. These amendments were submitted by local unions, councils, regional councils, general committees, state legislative boards and the Constitution Committee itself.

Resolutions Committee

Resolutions Committee Chair Ray Reasons (Local 36) and Committee Secretary Isaiah Zemke (Local 49) presented their committee’s final report to the delegates. In total, the committee made three proposals. The first was a 14-point resolution. The 14 resolutions were voted on separately through the convention process, and therefore no action was needed in connection with the committee’s final report. Two additional resolutions were proposed and passed via unanimous voice votes.

Charities Committee

Charities Committee Chair Geremiah Robnett (Local 88) and Committee Secretary Jeffery Holly (Local 359) submitted their committee’s report to the convention delegates. Their report included the total amount raised since 2019’s convention: $493,342.13. The committee also reported the two benefactors of our charity funds are SMART’s Disaster Relief Fund, which helps members following natural disasters, and the United Labor Agency of Nevada, which assists union members and their families throughout the state of Nevada. Details were given as to the disbursements made by the committee from 2019 to the present.

Political Action League Committee

Political Action League Committee Chair Steve Hinson (Local 105) and Committee Secretary Pete Scaglione (Local 137) presented the PAL Committee Report to the delegates. The report described the PAL Committee’s vision for bolstering political communications between SMART’s Governmental Affairs Department and our members and facilitating member-to-member communications.