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In 2013, SMART Sheet Metal Workers\u2019 Local 33 along with help from Locals 24 and 100 embarked on a journey to secure state licensing\u00a0for all workers who perform work on HVAC\/ Fire Dampers\u00a0in the State of West Virginia.\u00a0 This was done to not only secure market share but also to stem the tide of out of state contractors who would enter the state and undermine local standards.\nWith\u00a0a Democratic controlled House and Senate this was still no easy task as the slow and complicated legislative process worked itself out, yet, after two years HVAC licensing was enacted.
\nFast forward to a 2016 red wave that ensured Republicans were in\u00a0charge after 80 years of being out of power in West Virginia. Their first two pieces of legislation were Senate Bills #1 and #2 to repeal the prevailing wage and introduce tight to work \u2013 showing where their priorities lay.
\nThey followed up this activity by attacking every facet of organized labor, some of their efforts were successful some were not but there was no mistaking who they were after.\u00a0 Each year after their takeover an individual \u00a0member of The House of Delegates, who owns a\u00a0nonunion\u00a0HVAC company , put bills forward to repeal the HVAC licensing.
\nEthics violations were filed against this delegate for acting solely in his self interest and Local 33 lobbied heavily.\u00a0 Several pro-labor Republicans joined Democrats in seeing these bills died in committee.
\nIn\u00a0early 2018, word was received that a bill was being introduced to repeal again.\u00a0 Partnership Development Rep and SMART lobbyist Steve Hancock was called upon to go to the Capitol and see\u00a0what could be done to stop this legislation. Once there the picture became clear that this was not a normal repeal attempt as no longer were lower level members of the House of Representatives and Senators signed on\u00a0to\u00a0sponsor this bill.\u00a0 This time the Majority Leader of the House was sponsoring the House version and the Chairman of the Senate Workforce Committee was sponsoring the\u00a0Senate version \u2013 showing it was now a high priority.
\nThe lobbying on SMART\u2019s behalf began in earnest. SMART Sheet Metal Local 24 Business Rep Jeff Rowe assisted along with Steve White\u00a0(West\u00a0Virginia Affiliated\u00a0Construction\u00a0Trades Foundation Director).
\nThirty days into the session the\u00a0legislation started to move and brother Hancock\u00a0was approached to see if SMART\u00a0would sit down and talk with a major lobbying firm that had an \u201cunnamed client\u201d as well as the Associated Builders and Contractors.
\nSteve Hancock and Steve White stayed in town over the weekend to meet with them and once\u00a0at the table they were informed that the other side\u00a0was concerned about defections from the GOP side to negotiate.\u00a0 In the end, the legislation was killed and GOP leaders vowed to not introduce it again as long as licensing requirements were lowered for residential technicians.
\nThis came about due to the hard work and activism of SMART members and Local 33 \u2013 along with the solidarity shown from other trades and Local 24.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"