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Project 2025, a road map to expand executive power and drastically transform how Americans’ government works for them, dominated the 2024 United States presidential election. The 900-page document, created by the anti-labor Heritage Foundation, outlined various attacks on SMART members’ labor rights, from prohibiting project labor agreements to empowering individual states to ban the existence of labor unions.

Throughout the election, then-candidate Donald Trump denied any connection with Project 2025. But since taking office, SMART Local 137’s James Heinzman (New York City) told SMART News, his executive actions and several administrative appointees have closely followed the playbook.

“[Project 2025] was written by many people who actually served in Trump’s [first] administration, in his first term; Trump has subsequently appointed several of the authors of Project 2025 to unique positions in his second term, in his cabinet,” Heinzman explained. “If you are hiring the people who wrote the book to lead the agencies that they’re recommending changes for, they have every intent of following that playbook.”

Since taking office, President Trump has unleashed a number of executive actions that mirror the goals set out in Project 2025. Among the most impactful, Heinzman noted, are those related to the National Labor Relations Board and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Trump fired both the former general counsel of NLRB, the pro-worker Jennifer Abruzzo, and — in an unprecedented and potentially illegal move — NLRB Chair Gwynne Wilcox. Not only did this action deprive SMART members of an ally in Abruzzo; without Wilcox, the NLRB currently cannot reach quorum, meaning it essentially cannot perform its core duties. This hugely affects worker organizing, grievances filed by workers against their employers and more.

“The NLRB is the agency that resolves disputes between employers and their employees. Unions file claims, and so do employers — employers and unions can file claims, unfair labor practices, with the NLRB for hearing and adjudication,” Heinzman said. “Basically, [Trump has] taken that agency off the board, and that’s going to impact union members, union organizing campaigns; it’s going to be critical to our industry.”

Heinzman also highlighted Trump’s firing of two EEOC commissioners, again threatening the commission’s ability to pursue its mission: helping workers who believe they have been discriminated against in bringing action against their employers. That means such advocacy and action is potentially being shifted elsewhere.

“That’s going to hit their unions, it’s going to cost union members money,” he said. “It’s going to cost so much money to do this stuff, and the members are not benefiting from it.”

The administration has pursued other actions that impact the jobs and livelihoods of SMART members and families, such as the Department of Defense’s move to halt the use of project labor agreements on DOD construction projects. While President Trump has only been in office for a little more than one month, Heinzman suggested that such policies indicate a broader economic shift towards prioritizing the elite class.

“I argue that the middle class in this country, the people who work on a W-2 — which is our union men and women — pick up the tax burden. They are the people who are going to be hurt most by these policies.”

The important thing now, Heinzman added, is that SMART members get involved to protect our union.

“I think it’s critical to participate in the political process,” Heinzman said. “Have the discussions. Don’t take your news from one channel or the other. Read Project 2025. Educate yourselves.”

Whether it’s related to NLRB appointees who resolve grievances for sheet metal workers or transit funding that provides work for both sheet metal and TD members, SMART members have a role to play in the fights ahead — no matter who any of us voted for in 2024. We can’t and won’t be divided.

“I really strongly feel that many of us are the same. We’re all on the same team,” Heinzman concluded. “We should be comfortable to have a dialogue and discuss the issues, and be educated about it.”

Project labor agreements, or PLAs, represent one of the greatest achievements of the unionized construction industry, benefiting taxpayers, contractors, union members AND nonunion workers alike. PLAs have been lifting working families into the middle class for generations — extending union-won, family-sustaining pay and benefits to local communities while bringing complex jobs to completion on time (and saving taxpayers’ money by eliminating labor conflicts and skilled worker shortages).

In other words, project labor agreements create work for SMART members and their neighbors, ensuring the American people’s money is used efficiently on publicly funded projects.

But on February 7, 2025, President Trump’s secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, instructed the Department of Defense to order its contractors to halt the use of project labor agreements on large-scale construction projects.

The United States Department of Defense contracts out billions of dollars’ worth of construction work each year. In November of 2024 alone, the DOD awarded approximately $2.3 billion worth of design, engineering and construction contracts. Under project labor agreements — used on projects ranging from the construction of the Hoover Dam to NFL stadiums across the country — such large-scale jobs benefit SMART members and workers across our country.

Without them, contractors are free to bid for work without making guarantees around local hire, union-bargained pay and benefits or work stoppages.

“Project Labor Agreements (PLA) projects save taxpayers billions of dollars and can meet a community’s goals for local hire, special outreach to veterans, the formerly incarcerated, and others with barriers to employment,” the San Diego Building and Construction Trades Council, which includes SMART Local 206, remarked on Facebook after the announcement. (San Diego County is home to 115,000 active duty military personnel who keep Americans safe.)

“This hurts working people. This hurts our communities.”

On December 18, 2023, the Biden-Harris administration announced regulations that will implement President Biden’s executive order requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects costing $35 million or more. The executive order is expected to create jobs for SMART members and provide life-changing pay and benefits to workers nationwide.

Local 33 journeyperson Tori Wilson (center, holding sign) with Secretary Julie Su and fellow tradeswomen

“The finalizing of President Biden’s executive order requiring project labor agreements on large-scale federal projects is a lifechanging win for union members and construction workers across the country,” SMART General President Michael Coleman said in response. “PLAs have been lifting working families into the middle class for generations — extending union-won, family-sustaining pay and benefits to local communities while bringing complex jobs to completion on time (and saving taxpayers’ money).”

The regulations and finalization of the executive order — initially signed in 2022 — were unveiled during an event in Cleveland, Ohio, where Local 33 members took center stage alongside Acting United States Labor Secretary Julie Su, General Services Administration Administrator Robin Carnahan, Congresswoman Shontel Brown and others. Local 33 journeyperson and owner of signatory contractor WTD Mechanical Fatima Ware introduced Secretary Su at the event.

Fatima Ware (left) with Congresswoman Brown
Secretary Su and Fatima Ware

“Project labor agreements employ highly skilled workers,” Su said in her remarks. “Contractors, subcontractors and unions know what they’re getting into from the outset. And these agreements help guarantee a consistent supply of well-trained workers. All of that helps ensure the work gets done right — and it prevents delays and disruptions. So this new rule is going to save taxpayer money.”

In a video shared to social media after the event, Su and Local 33’s Ware discussed the importance of PLAs — for workers and contractors alike.

“PLAs help because of the amount of money you pay your workers, right?” Ware said. “If there’s no PLA in place and you get a contractor that doesn’t have union workers, then they may be paying their workers $10, $15 an hour, maybe $20–30, and what skill level are you getting?

“You know that if you are going through the union, you are getting skilled workers that have craftsmanship, quality, and the knowledge and education to be able to complete a project on time, on task, the right way.”

Secretary Su converses with union tradeswomen

The finalizing of the executive order comes on the heels of a string of PLAs won by local unions spanning the nation, from San Diego, California, to Baltimore, Maryland. As federal funding is funneled towards improving government facilities, infrastructure and more, the presence of PLAs on complex projects will be especially vital.

“SMART applauds the Biden- Harris administration for fulfilling its promise to our members, and for prioritizing the working men and women who are building our nation,” Coleman concluded. “We look forward to taking on the core infrastructure projects of the future.”

On Monday, December 18, the Biden-Harris administration announced regulations that will implement President Biden’s executive order requiring project labor agreements (PLAs) on federal construction projects costing $35 million or more. In response, SMART issued the following statement:

“The finalizing of President Biden’s executive order requiring project labor agreements on large-scale federal projects is a life-changing win for union members and construction workers across the country. PLAs have been lifting working families into the middle class for generations – extending union-won, family-sustaining pay and benefits to local communities while bringing complex jobs to completion on time (and saving taxpayers’ money). SMART applauds the Biden-Harris administration for fulfilling its promise to our members, and for prioritizing the working men and women who are building our nation. We look forward to taking on the core infrastructure projects of the future.”

Acting Labor Secretary Julie Su (left) and Local 33 member-owner Fatima Ware at a Cleveland event marking the implementation of President Biden’s executive order on PLAs.

Acting United States Department of Labor Secretary Julie Su and General Services Administration Administrator Robin Carnahan gave remarks alongside Ohio Congresswoman Shontel Brown and Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb at the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building in Cleveland, Ohio, following the announcement. As part of the event, Fatima Ware – a SMART Local 33 (northern Ohio) journeyworker and owner of WTD Mechanical, LLC – introduced Secretary Su. Great work, sister!