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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 helped form a local charity that gives economically challenged Buffalo-area kids the chance to attend their first NFL games, is a double amputee who lost his limbs to a bone disease — his arm at age 35, and his legs eight years ago. Until recently, he only had an entry ramp at the front of his home, giving him just one way to enter and exit his house. A former member told Local 71 leadership about Sonntag’s plight, and the membership mobilized immediately.

“Our members find the time to help somebody; our [members] are workers who get satisfaction in helping others,” Local 71 Business Manager Paul Crist told WNYLaborToday.com. “When someone needs help in our community, why not us?”

“It’s important to help people who need,” added Local 71 Membership Development Organizer Andre Mayes. “We got a donated aluminum ramp, disassembled it at one location and then transported it over to Chuckie’s house just before the holidays (and in between two massive snowstorms that hit the Buffalo area, thankfully).”

Local 71 members assemble Sontagg’s ramp
Sontagg uses his brand-new ramp

Mayes, Local 71 Vice President Cary Hinterberger and eight-year member Scott Brodnicki then spent the afternoon reconfiguring and installing the ramp, which had been broken down into eight-foot segments, at the back of the house.

“I jumped on board and volunteered. That’s the way I was brought up,” explained Brodnicki. “It always goes back to my [late] father, who was also a SMART member: When someone needs help, you lend a hand – no matter who it is.”

SMART Army projects like the one at Sonntag’s house help spread the word about how all working people benefit from the presence of organized labor; they show clearly that unions are pillars of local communities. More importantly, such projects put labor’s principles into action, demonstrating the real, concrete power of community solidarity.

“I’m so happy — [Local 71] came through for me,” Sonntag told WNYLaborToday.com. “They’re a bunch of really nice guys. [The ramp] works really well, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time.”

Pictured left to right are SMART Local 71 members Paul Holland, Nick Hoffman, Anthony Paris, Shilo Rogers, Dan Morino, Jeff Gatti and Ryan Hurley. As part of Local 71’s SMART Army and Apprenticeship Community Service programs, these members partici­pated in a cleanup of Raymond Klimek Veteran’s Park in North Tonawanda, N.Y., a suburb of Buffalo. Spear­headed by Paris, a U.S. Army National Guard veteran, the beautification project took place on May 21–22, one weekend ahead of Memorial Day. Not pictured are Busi­ness Manager Paul Crist and Business Agent Timothy Benes, who also participated in the cleanup.

Today, the United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, undermining the fundamental rights of working women and families across the country. SMART releases the following statement:

“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade is yet another attack on the freedoms of working Americans by unelected extremist justices. The right to make our own choices about our bodies – and, consequently, our jobs – is fundamental in this country.

“These justices will not stop at reproductive rights – these extremists will attempt to dismantle all labor rights. SMART remains committed to fighting back to ensure our members and all American workers are fully guaranteed their right to privacy, economic justice and to make their own healthcare decisions.”

N.Y. Governor Kathy Hochul

The two-person crew bills introduced in New York state, Assembly Bill 1287B and Senate Bill 3953B, have passed both chambers of the state Legislature as of Tuesday, May 31. Both bills have been combined into Senate Bill 3953 and are now headed to the desk of Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) for signing.

The SMART-TD New York State Legislative Board urges all SMART members in the state to contact Governor Hochul and tell her to sign the two-person crew bill – Senate Bill 3953 — into law.

“We need our members to contact the governor’s office, urging her to sign the bill so we can wrap this effort up,” TD N.Y. State Legislative Director Sam Nasca said. “This is a big accomplishment, and a lot of effort went into this by a lot of members and others, which I want to offer my deepest thanks.”

Follow this link to contact Gov. Hochul, call her at 1-518-474-8390 or write to:

The Honorable Kathy Hochul
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

Today, an overwhelming majority of employees at the JFK8 Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, voted to join the worker-led Amazon Labor Union – becoming the first unionized Amazon warehouse in the United States. In response, SMART released the following statement:

“We at SMART enthusiastically congratulate the Amazon workers at JFK8, who have pulled off an inspiring victory by choosing to form a union. Over the course of the campaign, workers across the country witnessed as Amazon used countless, bad-faith union-busting tactics to mislead its employees. What Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island proved today is that captive audience meetings and multi-million-dollar anti-union campaigns are no match for the power of workers who stand together for a better future. Again, congratulations to the Amazon workers in Staten Island.”

Last fall, SMART General President Joseph Sellers traveled to UBS Arena, then still in progress, to tour and meet members working on the brand-new, $1.5 billion multipurpose home of the New York Islanders, which opened on November 20, 2021. Watch the video of their trip to see how our entire union – including sheet metal, testing and balancing, sign installation and Transportation Division members – came together to construct UBS Arena, as well as track for a new rail station serving the stadium.

Unique to this project was the presence of SMART members from across our union, including Local 137 sign members who installed the giant center ice board, as well as signage around the arena and in the new train station built to handle swarms of fans from across Long Island and the NY metropolitan area.

SMART-TD members led the way in constructing the Long Island Rail Road track leading to the new station. SMART Local 28 sheet metal workers installed all parts of the HVAC system, including ductwork, rooftop units, fans, fire dampers and smoke purge systems. SMART members also installed architectural features, including roofing and decking, and specialty work such as kitchen equipment, lockers and toilet partitions.

Read more about the project:
Sheet metal and TD members have hands in UBS Arena project

Abbe, a SMART Local 28 sheet metal worker, kicks off the series of Sister Tips for the 2022 Women in Construction Week. In this video she gives a short tip to help with communication skills. Watch for more Sister Tips throughout the week, and don’t forget to join your SMART Sisters for the SMART Women’s Happy Hour this Friday, March 11 at 7pm Eastern. Register here for the event.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced last week that Florida, New Jersey and New York have obtained federal certification of their rail transit State Safety Oversight (SSO) programs.
The three states were the last of 30 to get the required approval before a mid-April federal deadline.
Federal law requires states with rail transit systems to obtain FTA certification of their SSO programs by April 15, 2019.
“FTA is pleased that Florida, New Jersey and New York have developed safety oversight programs that meet federal certification requirements and will strengthen rail transit safety,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams.
Read the full press release here.

Amtrak Logo A New York college student with measles boarded an Amtrak station from Penn Station earlier this week and may have exposed other passengers to the contagious virus.

The student at Bard College in Dutchess County took Amtrak train #283 from Penn Station to Albany, according to state health officials. He got off in Rhinecliff, N.Y.

Read the complete story at ABC News.

oil-train-railThe Washington Department of Ecology on Monday delivered a report to state legislators outlining key recommendations to improve public safety in response to the rapid increase of crude-by-rail shipments through the state.

The Washington Legislature requested the study due to recent changes in how crude is transported through rail corridors and waterways. The “Marine and Rail Oil Transportation Study” includes 40 recommendations on ways to better protect public health and safety — such as the prevention of an oil train derailment or spill — as well as how to better respect tribal treaty rights.

Read the complete story at Progressive Railroading.