SMART UnionOn April 18, 2023, Local 104 (northern California) members joined a coalition of local tradespeople to secure 360,000 union construction hours in the city of Pittsburg, California. Local 104 member Mousaab Atassi spoke to city officials, providing the voice and perspective of working families. Great work, Local 104!
The Local 105 (Los Angeles) SMART Army turned out to help Autism Spectrum Athletics (ASA) with its baseball tryouts in April. ASA, which was established in 2012, offers community- based socialization sports programs that are designed to be stress free and non-competitive, with positive peer support. ASA Chief Executive Officer Manny Zapata is a Local 105 member.
Business Manager Steve Hinson and Business Representatives Donny Sappington, Tim Hinson and Erik Villegas helped facilitate ASA’s baseball activities, demonstrating the power of union solidarity to bring fun and happiness to all.
Local 464 (Ponca City, Okla.) member RJ Warren retired on April 28, 2023, bringing an end to 46 years of service as a tool and die maker at Air System Components/JCI.
“He has been with this production plant through many owners and a loyal union member since February, 1977,” explained Local 464 Business Manager/Financial Secretary-Treasurer Mechelle McNew.
McNew presented Warren with a retirement watch on his last day of work. Congratulations, brother!
SMART Local 22 (central New Jersey) celebrated Memorial Day weekend with its annual flag placement in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
“The veterans of our military services have put their lives on the line to protect the freedoms that we enjoy,” the local wrote on Facebook. “They have dedicated their lives to their country and deserve to be recognized for their commitment.”
SMART-TD members in Maryland mobilized on short notice to serve their community in April, joining a CSX and City Year Service Day spent rehabilitating and sprucing up Curtis Bay Elementary School near Baltimore.
“CSX asked all their employees to be there, and this was really kind of last minute — they hadn’t done these in about two years because of COVID,” said Johnny Walker, SMART-TD Maryland State Legislative Board secretary. “This was an opportunity for us to go ahead and do something in the community.”
Despite the lack of long-term planning, SMART-TD Local 610 discussed the service opportunity at its local union meeting, and six members and their families turned out at Curtis Bay Elementary. Members painted the inside of the school, spread mulch in the outdoor area, cleared brush from the school’s garden area and even helped fix the school parking lot. They also had the chance to meet management on neutral ground, including new CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs.
“Overall it was a great opportunity for all of us to get together, take a break from what we do in transportation and really give back to the community,” Walker added.
To Walker, SMART Army events and other service opportunities are most important because of the role they play in local communities. But they also demonstrate how vital union workers are in cities, towns and neighborhoods across the country — both on and off the job.
“Unions are still here, and we do things more than just get good contracts and good benefits for our workforce,” he explained.
“It’s really important for us to show everybody that we’re more than a sheet metal worker, a train conductor, a bus driver. We really care about the communities that we live and work in.”
That union solidarity will benefit the students and teachers at Curtis Bay Elementary for years to come.
SMART Local 3 (Omaha, Nebraska) won a huge victory for area workers in May 2023, partnering with newly formed contractor Christopherson Plumbing, Heating & Air to bring the business into union signatory status. And unlike many organizing campaigns, this one was initiated by management.
“Approximately two and a half months ago, I was approached by Matt Christopherson, owner of Christopherson Plumbing, and Brian Wilhite, owner of Wilhite Services,” explained Local 3 Business Manager Jason Kirchhevel. “They came to me and explained how they were going to merge their respective companies.”
Christopherson had worked as a nonunion plumber for 15 years before starting his own business; when he became a contractor, he signed with Plumbers Local 16 in Omaha, where he experienced firsthand the value of organized labor and the union training model. When Christopherson and Wilhite decided to merge, Christopherson immediately began explaining the benefits of being a union contractor — the meeting with Local 3 soon followed.
“We set up a meeting and tour of our training center,” Kirchhevel added. “After several other meetings, giving tours, explanations of wages, benefits and training to the employees, everything fell in place. As of May 1, 2023, we signed the contract and created the partnership.”
Such signatory campaigns demonstrate the fact that union labor helps all parties — both employees and employer. Great work, Local 3!
Pictured above: Back row, left to right: Brian T. Wilhite (fifth-year apprentice), Steve Terwilleger (Local 3 business rep.), Jason Kirchhevel (Local 3 business manager/financial secretary-treasurer), Brian D. Wilhite (owner/member), Matt Christopherson (owner), Dustin Blessing (Local 3 journeyperson), Mitchel Anderson (first-year apprentice), Tyler Fox (journeyperson), Joshua Ross (Local 3 organizer). Front row, left to right: Treyton Foutch (pre-apprentice), Noah Nienaber (pre-apprentice), Michael Labenz (first-year apprentice), Anthony Davis (journeyperson).
Skilled, union labor plays a vital role in communities across North America, from ensuring indoor air quality to fabricating complex HVAC systems. In the spring of 2023, Local 218 (Springfield, Ill.) journeyperson Meghan Reynolds showed that union craftsmanship isn’t only for function, but for beauty as well — creating a durable, ornate metal tree sculpture for her uncle.
“He wanted a piece of art for his yard,” she explained, “something that would withstand weather and change.”
In some ways, the sculpture was years in the making. Reynolds originally got into the union — and the sheet metal trade — in the early 2000s. After moving from Illinois, to Indiana, then back to Illinois, her friendship with a Local 218 business agent led her to begin working in residential HVAC service; when the company she was working for went under, she started at King-Lar Company in Decatur, Ill., switching her specialty as well. That was in 2004 — she’s been a proud union sheet metal worker ever since.
“I love being a sheet metal worker because it’s something different all the time,” she said. “It’s not the same humdrum thing every day, and I love building things. And I think the union is really great — it’s really cool that King-Lar gave me a chance, and I’ve grown into a very skilled worker. So I like to pass that on to young people: Anybody who’s new, who’s willing to listen and learn, I’m willing to share with them and pass that knowledge on.”
Reynolds’ skill is on full display with her uncle’s tree sculpture. She started the project with a carbon slug she found in the burn table, then gathered stainless steel strips, some scrap stainless mesh, embossed copper “and a whole lot of welding wire.” She started tacking the steel strips to the slug, forming what would become the tree’s limbs and branches. Then she got to welding.
“Each strip has three to four passes,” she said. “The wire mesh makes up the smaller branches. The leaves are soldered to 14-guage stainless steel wire and tacked to the branches.”
All told, the project took two months’ worth of breaks, lunches and a few Saturdays. But the end result was well worth the time. It’s a shining testament to the skill and expertise that defines union labor: a sturdy, winding metal tree with glistening leaves that will last for years to come.
And, Reynolds said, this tree won’t be the last.
“I’m going to do another one,” she declared.
On January 24, 2023, I announced my retirement as SMART General President.
Serving the membership of our union has been a great honor. My family and I have a first-hand understanding of the transformative impact our union can have on a person’s life — through my own life experience and through the daily interactions I have with members from the transportation and sheet metal industries across our two nations.
As you know, I am a sheet metal worker by trade, like my father was before me. Everything I have, and everything my family has, came about because of our union. I’ve had countless conversations with members who have had similar experiences — who, thanks to SMART and the solidarity of our fellow members, have been able to pursue family-sustaining careers and have retired or are on the path to retiring with dignity.
When our two unions formed to create SMART, it was to strengthen ourselves through unity, so that we could make advancements and bring opportunity to sheet metal and transportation workers across the United States and Canada. As General Secretary-Treasurer and General President, I witnessed our first two SMART General Conventions in history. As I look back today, I can say with confidence that our decision to stand together as one has proven to be successful, with our union making real progress throughout the years.
Thanks to the collective effort of SMART members over the decades, the Sheet Metal Workers National Pension Fund was certified in the Green Zone last year. We successfully lobbied for pro-worker legislation like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as funding for the Union Training Innovation Program and the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction for Tradespeople in Canada. All have made enormous investments in each of our industries: The American Rescue Plan put workers back on the agenda, including pension relief.
I am a sheet metal worker by trade, like my father was before me. Everything I have, and everything my family has, came about because of our union.
I am particularly proud of the strides we have made in recruitment and retention. From the SMART Heroes program to the inspiring growth of our SMART Women’s Committee, this union has committed to the work of making sure every community can access the opportunities that I had: good, union, middle class jobs, family-sustaining salaries, pension and health care plans.
United, we successfully lobbied for pro-worker legislation with real labor standards. Together, we have fought tirelessly against Precision Scheduled Railroading and for the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would require two-person crews on freight trains. With an engaged membership and renewed public awareness, we have a real chance for change in rail safety regulation. We have planned together to organize aggressively in all sectors, and we will continue to build on our tradition of solidarity as we move forward.
The time has come now for me to pass that tradition on to new leadership. Michael Coleman, your Assistant to the General President, will serve as the new General President starting on June 1. Mike has dedicated himself to our union since the day he joined SMART in 1985, playing a key role in facilitating the 2019 General Convention, and he will serve each and every one of us with the same drive and passion.
Brothers and sisters, this is our moment. This is due to the members who continue to make their voices heard loud and clear across our two nations, and with leadership who continually fight to hold elected officials at every level accountable on the issues we face. With Michael Coleman as our General President, and with the commitment of the membership to our cause, we will seize this moment for ourselves, our families and future generations.
In solidarity,
SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Jr.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate General President Joseph Sellers, Jr. on his upcoming retirement.
Over the past 10 years, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Joe during my time as a General Vice President, Assistant to the General President and the General Secretary-Treasurer, and I have seen his passion and attention to detail first-hand. Joe has always been a tireless advocate for the hardworking men and women this union represents, across all sectors of the transportation, production and construction industries. He has been a leader in the fight for respect on the job, new work opportunities and safe working conditions for all SMART members.
The progress he helped lead during the past 10 years is comparable to what other leaders would have been proud to achieve over the course of decades. He lobbied for pro-worker policies including the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act and rail safety legislation, bringing the voice of SMART’s membership to the halls of power in Washington, DC, Ottawa and beyond. He was a constant supporter of the work of the SMART Women’s Committee, which has provided invaluable support and mentorship to women in our union. He was a driving force behind the creation of the I Got Your Back campaign, which promoted solidarity between members of all backgrounds across SMART. His leadership has been invaluable in helping to bring greater diversity and inclusion to our union, including the formation of the BE4ALL Committee and Recruitment and Retention Council, and to making sure that the voices of all our members are valued and respected.
Joe has always been a tireless advocate for the hardworking men and women this union represents, across all sectors of the transportation and construction industries. He has been a leader in the fight for respect on the job, new work opportunities and safe working conditions for all SMART members.
Looking towards the future, I look forward to working with Michael Coleman. Mike and I have had the opportunity to work together over the past four years. We have talked about the future and believe that together we will be able to achieve great things for this union. I believe that with Mike’s dedication to the members, we will continue to take great strides in creating more work opportunities for our members.
The example Joe leaves us is one of true unionism: He embodies the idea that when we stand together and fight for what is right, we can make real progress. As we look to the future, we do so with the knowledge that Joe’s tireless efforts have put us on the path to a brighter tomorrow. Thank you, Joe, for your service to SMART and the labor movement. Your legacy of success will continue to inspire us for years to come.
In solidarity,
Joseph Powell
SMART General Secretary Treasurer
Brothers and sisters,
I wanted to open this column by expressing my continued admiration to the dedication and drive all members of the SMART Transportation Division have shown in the face of adversity.
As an example, our bus members in Santa Cruz out of Local 23 have coped with weather challenges posed by massive flooding in the area and helped to evacuate people to safety. Elsewhere on the West Coast, the Midwest and in the Northeast, we’ve dealt with our share of storms that make our work more difficult and stressful for bus operators, transit workers, passenger rail, air and freight rail workers.
I want to thank you for showing up. You do the work that others are unwilling or cannot do, and that keeps this country moving. You are appreciated, and when I travel to your area, I will tell you that in person.
A special congratulations goes out to the members of Local 1715 in Charlotte who ratified a new contract by a near-unanimous margin that secures a significant wage increase and other positive gains. Thank you, General Chairperson Joseph Paglia, Vice General Chairperson and Local President Christy Kiser, Local Chairperson Stanley Valentine, Secretary & Treasurer Chris Johnson, Local Committee of Adjustment Secretary Sabrina White and Bus Department Vice President Calvin Studivant for getting such a positive result!
Congratulations also go out to the Ohio State Legislative Board and State Legislative Director Clyde Whitaker, who made Ohio the ninth state to require a minimum two-person freight rail crew. His poise and truthful testimony in March before the U.S. Senate served as a great example for all of labor. He did a fine job.
You do the work that others are unwilling or cannot do, and that keeps this country moving. You are appreciated, and when I travel to your area, I will tell you that in person.
While we’ve each dealt with our own adversity over the past months, the people of East Palestine, Ohio, have dealt with a unique set of challenges. Thanks to a situation that they had no role in creating, the greed of Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) came to an ugly head in the southeastern Ohio town.
The headlines and situation following the derailment there in early February are all too familiar, and each subsequent derailment in the months since has made headlines. People in East Palestine have been left with many questions. As the NTSB is thoroughly investigating the derailment to answer the question of “How” this scenario came to pass, we all know the answer to “Why?” PSR and its disregard for safety placed a higher value on getting Norfolk Southern’s train across the road than it did on safeguarding the communities it travelled through or the wellbeing of the crew on it.
The results have been splashed all over your televisions and news feeds. As we pray for the victims and hope that claims made by the carrier, EPA and local officials are true that the people of East Palestine are not in danger, we all owe it to those people to prevent that scene from playing out again and again and again.
Drone footage, doorbell cameras and interviews of the people directly affected have emphasized the points SMART-TD has been making for years about the destructive potential of PSR. With the national attention that has been generated by derailments, it is imperative that we disseminate the facts as we know them and continue to repudiate the role corporate greed plays in the rail industry, making community and worker alike less safe.
It is imperative that we harness this momentum to bring about some good from these disasters. Many states have seen progress on crew-size and train-length bills as the national discussion continues to examine rail safety. It is important that as our families, friends and neighbors come to us as industry experts, we are open and honest about the root cause. We need to stand together and to deliver the truth about the carriers’ conduct and what it has done to jeopardize our personal safety as well as the safety of every city and village we roll through.
As you are all aware, this past quarter has been one of much activity for SMART-TD. I want to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your continued professionalism, and I want to assure you that SMART-TD is engaged in every aspect of what is happening on both national and local levels. We are a party to the investigations into all of the recent derailments, as well as the wave of rail safety legislation that is getting headlines. We stand committed to making your voices heard in the halls of Congress as well as the backrooms of the nation’s rail carriers.
In freight negotiations, Luke Edington and his fellow officers at GC-953, as well as Rick Lee and his officers at GO-049 have leveraged gains on their respective properties into tentative agreements before the membership. GC-953’s agreement preserves the conductor position on Union Pacific and the carrier has withdrawn its nomadic “expediter” plan. GO-049 has achieved for the first time the chance for paid sick leave among T&E employees. I applaud their diligence in working to get these tentative agreements before our members and look forward to seeing other carriers follow suit in crafting similar on-property contracts.
Please continue to keep yourself safe and watch out for your brothers and sisters in your crew base. We will be remembered not for our career accomplishments but for how well we serve as one another’s keeper in trying times like the present.
Fraternally,
Jeremy R. Ferguson
President, Transportation Division