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On June 17, Local 17 (Boston, Mass.) Business Development Representative and SMART International Women’s Committee Chair Shamaiah Turner won the June NABTU Tradeswomen Heroes Award — a feather in the cap of a committed trade unionist who has consistently advocated for her union, her trade and her brothers and sisters.

“Shamaiah’s achievements and dedication to SMART are remarkable,” Local 17 wrote in its nomination. “Sister Turner’s commitment to diversity and inclu­sivity in the sheet metal industry shines throughout her career.”

Turner started in the construction industry at 18, when she worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer building houses with Habitat for Humanity in Fort Myers, Florida. After entering the Building Pathways Pre-apprenticeship Program in Boston, Turner joined Local 17 in 2012, officially beginning her journey as a union sheet metal worker. She’s worked in a range of positions since, including as a sub-foreman leading crews to complete specific building objectives on various projects. Today, as a business development represen­tative, she strives to help workers win the pay, benefits and peace of mind they deserve.

“Beyond her workday, Sister Turner actively engages with community events and organiza­tions, including the Greater Boston Labor Council, Building Pathways, MASS Girls in Trades, Boston Union Trade Sisters, The Boston Ujima Project and Boston While Black, emphasizing her broader commu­nity empowerment commitment,” Local 17 added.

Turner has also dedicated herself to mentorship, particularly to her sisters at Local 17 and throughout the union sheet metal trade. From apprentices to journeypersons, Local 17 noted, she actively works to help her fellow workers reach their fullest potential.

“Sister Turner’s career achieve­ments, commitment to inclusivity, and dedication to mentoring make her a true Tradeswomen Hero,” the local concluded. “She is a role model and advocate for women in the trades, leaving a mark on the industry and paving the way for future generations of tradeswomen.”

SMART Local 19 hosted United States Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo and Acting Secretary of Labor Julie Su in Philadelphia in July. Local officers gave the agency leaders a tour of the union hall and JATC, discussing how a pro-worker economic agenda is creating good-paying, union clean-energy jobs.

Adeyemo and Su have been key allies for SMART members across the U.S., helping implement policies and funding from laws passed by the Biden-Harris administration in a way that puts union workers on jobsites from coast to coast. One of the recent examples: the Treasury Department’s final rules on the Inflation Reduction Act’s prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship requirements, which will help create work for SMART members on clean energy jobs.

“Investments in clean energy projects announced since the passage of the [Inflation Reduction Act] in 2022 are projected to create more than 270,000 jobs, and studies estimate that more than 1.5 million additional jobs will be created over the next decade,” the department said in a press release.

Union sheet metal workers will play a crucial role on those projects in cities like Philadelphia, where it is vital that schools, hospitals and other new and existing buildings are green and energy efficient.

Local 19 President/Business Manager Bryan Bush, center, is joined by US Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo, left, and Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su, right, while speaking at Local 19 in Philadelphia.

Such jobs demonstrate concretely that with strong labor standards in federal laws — and strong, pro-labor officials in positions of power — SMART members and their families benefit, said SMART General President Michael Coleman.

“There are laws that say good things to union members, and there are laws that do good things for union members,” he explained. “With the U.S. Treasury Department’s final rule on labor standards for Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, there is no doubt that the IRA is a law that concretely benefits SMART sheet metal workers.”

Union solidarity was on full display at the SMART Local 219 (Rockford, Ill.) union hall in August, where the local presented recipients with scholarships to help them continue their education.

“Our members are dedicated to supporting our own by investing $70,500 in scholarships for 47 family members enrolled full-time in college,” the local wrote on Facebook. “Each recipient received $1,500 to help pave the way for a brighter future.”