Two years of pro-worker progress create jobs; SMART members directly benefit from new work opportunities

On Nov. 15, 2021, after years of political pressure from SMART and fellow unions, President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), now known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will invest more than $1 trillion in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure. The law promises to create good union jobs and put SMART members into action, improving indoor air quality in schools and commercial and residential buildings.

The International Training Institute (ITI), National Energy Management Institute Committee (NEMIC) and Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) will all benefit from the passage of this legislation, as the law will bolster the need for training more SMART members.

The law promises to create good union jobs and put SMART members into action, improving indoor air quality in schools and commercial and residential buildings.

Specific parts of the legislation will directly impact the SMART workforce. Below are some of the highlights of the law and where growth is anticipated over the next five years:

Energy efficiency in public schools

Under the law, the Department of Energy (DOE) will have $500 million to run a competitive grant program for public schools to make energy efficiency improvements. This program aims to improve indoor air quality and make repairs or renovations that directly reduce energy costs on school grounds.

In addition, states have been allocated funds to enhance energy security, advance energy initiatives and maximize the benefits of energy efficiency. Through additional grant programs, states are encouraged to establish initiatives to conduct commercial or residential energy audits or upgrades and retrofits.

Efficient building envelopes, testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) and indoor air quality will be instrumental in retrofitting school buildings and new construction projects.

TAB technicians and supervisors needed

The Energy Auditor Grant Training Program will provide funding — up to $2 million per state — to train individuals to conduct audits or surveys on commercial and residential buildings. Training centers that do not already offer TAB should look to pair up with their state to apply for these grants or contact the ITI for assistance.

Opportunities to change local building codes

A total of $225 million has been designated for a competitive grant program within the Building Technologies Office to enable sustained, cost-effective implementation of updated building energy codes. This funding is designed to be distributed over five years, averaging $45 million per year.

These grants are available to states and tribal governments — either alone or in partnership with local building code agencies, codes and standards developers, relevant professional organizations, local and utility energy efficiency programs or consumer advocates. The overarching goal is to help understaffed and underfunded local governments upgrade their building codes to the most up-to-date energy efficiency standards.

New markets and emerging technologies

Building information modeling (BIM) will be more important than ever. Experts are predicting that connected construction technologies like BIM will drive the construction industry in the future. A larger integration of modularization and prefabrication in the design and build process is at the forefront.

The law will open new markets for SMART members and present new challenges in the training and deployment of those members. Over the next five years, we will all need to work together to press for funding for our registered apprenticeship programs.

We have a substantial opportunity to change and update building codes at the local, state and national levels. And we have a once-in-a-generation chance to put more members to work.

Safety is paramount

When the initial hiring begins, a labor shortage is anticipated. One of the main concerns with filling a large labor gap is doing so in a safe manner. SMOHIT and the ITI have created training and have the resources needed for work to be completed correctly and safely.

Moody’s Analytics, an economic research company, projects that the law’s peak labor force impact will occur in the fourth quarter of 2025, when there will be 872,000 more jobs as a result of the law. Of those jobs, about 461,000 are expected to be in construction; 227,000 in manufacturing; 75,000 in transportation and distribution; 35,000 in government; and 73,000 in other industries.

Apprenticeships will be more important than ever as the law is implemented. While we have the tools to train the next generation of sheet metal workers, we need the companion Build Back Better legislation to provide more funding for training. If you haven’t done so already, contact your senators and tell them to pass the Build Back Better Act.

It is time to get to work rebuilding America’s infrastructure.

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Since our founding, we have fought for basic worker protection on the job — at SMART, our predecessor unions and across the labor movement. Over the years, we have achieved many victories and suffered through turmoil and struggle in our constant effort to represent our members, who are the lifeblood of this union. Through it all, we have not lost sight of our basic purpose: to represent the workers who came together to protect and build a path to a better future for themselves and their families.

We continue that work today. Retirement security, Project Labor Agreements, community benefit agreements, strong labor standards, infrastructure investments for our communities, investments in public transit, two-person crew laws, operator safety — all of these we have fought for in recent years. When the last administration and its allies were in power, they kept us at a distance.

Today, the landscape has changed. Our work with our allies in Congress and in states and communities across the country brought Project Labor Agreements that will put you to work on all federal projects that cost more than $35 million. The American Rescue Plan put workers on the agenda and resulted in historic pension relief. A bipartisan infrastructure bill, which specifically includes indoor air quality, HVAC and other work for SMART sheet metal workers and the largest ever investment in public transit, means more work and stronger protections, with a real study on long trains.

The American Rescue Plan put workers on the agenda and resulted in historic pension relief.

In addition, the National Mediation Board recently released rail unions that are part of the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition (CBC) from mediation, and the SMART Mechanical and Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Coalition received a proffer of arbitration from the National Mediation Board.

None of this was possible under the previous administration — and make no mistake, all our gains will come under attack if they are allowed to come back to power. We continue to work with the current administration, which has rewarded workers with an unprecedented open-door policy: They listen to and ACT on SMART’s legislative priorities, which we put in place to work for YOU!

In Canada, our hard work with elected labour-friendly allies yielded the long-sought Labour Mobility Tax Credit.

Besides our legislative progress, we still have work to do to fulfill our bedrock purpose of representing all workers.

The Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4All) Committee is working to expand our recruitment efforts by proactively reaching out to new members, implementing training to equip members with the necessary skills, tools and values of being in SMART, and creating an environment where people can advance and feel a sense of belonging — regardless of race, creed, ethnic origin, gender or sexuality.

The sheet metal industry is rapidly growing, with 45,000 new openings expected in the coming years. We will work together to be a part of that expansion.

We need to capture growth across North America, in every sector and emerging market. For instance, the sheet metal industry is rapidly growing, with 45,000 new openings expected in the coming years. We will work together to be a part of that expansion, representing the growing workforce and strengthening our union and collective bargaining.

Each of us has a choice in how we engage with our fellow members to shape our union’s future. As a labor organization, formed by workers to protect and pursue gains at work, it would go against everything SMART stands for if we did not welcome all of our union brothers and sisters, including potential new members, so they can enjoy good, union, middle-class jobs for generations to come. These are the union jobs that everyone who came before us stood up for, and we benefit from what they built to this day.

You will hear more about the work of the BE4All Committee in the coming months and years. Only when we stand united across all sectors of our union will we be able to realize our full potential for ourselves, our union and the future of our families. Stay safe!

Fraternally and in unity,

SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Jr.

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Russian war, corporate greed and rail carrier policies that disrupt supply chains are key factors behind rising prices

Brothers and Sisters,

We’ve all experienced the bruising effects of rising inflation in recent months, from high grocery store bills to extreme prices at the pump. Contrary to the talking points of anti-labor politicians, this is not a result of rising wages or corrective boosts to our nation’s economy. Russian aggression and the war’s subsequent impact has pinched global food and oil supply chains, and that has only been exacerbated by the actions of CEOs hell-bent on squeezing every last cent from consumers’ pockets. For example: The last time the price of oil was $118 per barrel —which was the price in early June — gas cost $3.83/gallon at the pump. This time around? An inexcusable national average of $5/gallon.

To make things worse, railroad CEOs — who have refused for years to offer our railroad members a fair contract — continue to implement anti-worker policies that drive higher inflation.

To make things worse, railroad CEOs — who have refused for years to offer our railroad members a fair contract — continue to implement anti-worker policies that drive higher inflation. By continuously cutting the labor force and relentlessly pursuing Precision Scheduled Railroading, the major carriers have caused more and more disruptions to our nation’s supply chain — which means delays and higher prices for ordinary people.

We know what it takes to handle inflation. We need higher wages to meet the cost of living. We need a supply chain that prioritizes the workers who keep goods running from coast to coast. We need to manufacture and build American, so that we aren’t held captive by global events.

Thanks to legislative achievements like the bipartisan infrastructure bill and a surge of upcoming mega projects, SMART members have an extraordinary amount of work in the pipeline.

That being said, we need to pay close attention to the politicians who fight for us, versus those who only pay us lip service. The last administration and its allies said they were on our side, then turned around and tried to gut our apprenticeship programs and pensions. With the current administration and Congress, we’ve been able to get pro-labor legislation passed — such as Project Labor Agreements on federal projects over $35 million and huge investments in public transit — and we are confident that we can push for more, like the passage of the PRO Act. Chip plant manufacturing, the majority of which was performed overseas, is now coming home, with massive new plants breaking ground in places like New York, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas.

Elections matter, as do our votes; this November, I urge you to only reward candidates who walk the walk for SMART members.

Fraternally,

Joseph Powell
SMART General Secretary Treasurer

The post Let’s talk about the real causes of high inflation appeared first on SMART Union.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On April 26, I testified before the Surface Transportation Board (STB) to shed light on the devastating effects Precision Scheduled Railroading (PSR) has had on rail labor and rail customers. Joining me in testifying on behalf of your union were General Chairperson Matt Burkart (GCA-341 – BNSF), Local Chairperson Steve Groat (Local 329 – Boone, Iowa) and Local Chairperson Chris Bond (Local 513 – Gainesville, Texas). These men did an outstanding job in describing to the STB just how egregious the effects of the Class I railroads’ PSR scheme have been on rail customers and employees.

At the hearing, I testified that the Class I carriers are a main contributor to the supply-chain issues plaguing the country. From the appalling attendance policies to the carriers’ refusal to recall furloughed employees, to their glacial pace of bringing locomotives and equipment out of storage to meet the demands of their customers, the railroads have hamstrung themselves into a service and workforce nightmare that has contributed to inflation and hurt our nation’s economy.

The carriers say that longer trains will fix the problem. However, longer trains ARE part of the problem. When a train is so long that it does not fit in a siding and causes congestion in an area, blocking public crossings for hours on end, then that is a problem. When a train is too long and will not fit into yards without multiple moves, that is a problem. When a train has an issue en route and the conductor and engineer cannot communicate via radio because they are not designed to function at these extended lengths, then THAT IS A PROBLEM. Not only that, but it’s a problem that is easily fixed by one of these three options – 1. The carriers operate trains that properly fit in the pre-existing track structure; 2. They build longer sidings and yard tracks; or 3. The government creates and enforces regulations that makes it illegal to run trains that do not fit current rail infrastructure, generate enormous delays and safety issues for the general public by blocking crossings and that do not exceed the operating limits of safety equipment, including handheld radios, end-of-train devices and braking systems to name but a few. These common-sense solutions we put forth at the STB could help relieve congestion and enable goods to get from Point A to Point B much quicker. With the current bottlenecks that carriers have caused, goods are held up for days or longer while the delays wreak havoc on businesses and the economy. More than 20 shippers and affiliated groups echoed our testimony to the board, bringing more evidence that PSR is terrible for our nation.

What’s more, at a time when the vast majority of U.S. employers are providing incentives and changes to retain and recruit employees, the rail carriers institute backwards attendance policies that have made life so unbearable for our members that they are leaving in droves.

What was once the gold-standard of middle-class jobs can no longer compete with places that pay less, but the quality of life is improved. It used to be unheard of for a vested railroader to leave the industry mid-career. Now it is starting to become the norm. New hires? They see what is going on and leave, sometimes before they even finish training as they figure out quickly that the rail carriers simply do not care about providing any type of quality of life to its employees. All because of the draconian policies put in place as a result of PSR and railroads’ efforts to do more with less.

I told the STB that PSR is about corporate greed and lining shareholders’ pockets. I testified with other members of labor and customers about the harm PSR has done to employees, businesses and the country as a whole. Chairman Martin Oberman, STB Member Robert Primus and the rest of the board heard us loud and clear, and I’m confident they will stay vigilant and do all they can to mitigate the enormous damage done by the carriers and their profit first, employees and customers last mindset.

After the hearing, the STB took a small but positive step May 6th and ordered BNSF, CSX, NS and UP to develop service recovery plans as a result of the severe deterioration caused by PSR. On June 13th, the STB issued another order directing the carriers to correct what the STB says was deficiencies in the submitted plans. It’s a start. But sadly, there are no easy fixes to what the carriers have done. We are cautiously optimistic of what the future holds and applaud the efforts of the STB.

At the hearing, I let the representatives know what was really going on, and I further reiterated that PSR is the main culprit behind the safety issues we’re seeing on the railroad today.

I took my testimony a step further and complained directly to Congress during the freight railroad safety hearing held June 14 by the House Subcommittee on Railroad, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials. At the hearing, I let the representatives know what was really going on, and I further reiterated that PSR is the main culprit behind the safety issues we’re seeing on the railroad today. I showed them the numbers — the loss of life and career-ending on-duty injuries — that have increased since PSR has been implemented. I told them that we are past sounding the alarm. We have moved on and are screaming for help, and it is time for them to step up and do their jobs and rein in the railroads so that our brothers and sisters can make it home safely. Our lives depend on a safe workplace, and not one that has profits placed before it. I just hope and pray they heard me and the others from labor testifying with me before things get any worse.

Here’s some good news: Finally, after 14 years, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is putting into action a provision from the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring that the railroads implement “Fatigue Risk Management Programs.” We have been telling anyone who’d listen for years that this key part of the law needed to be implemented, and the FRA under the Biden administration has finally heard us. The FRA posted a Final Rule June 13th to be effective July 13th, requiring railroads to develop and implement fatigue risk management programs approved by the FRA. This mandate also requires that the carriers MUST consult with and reach an agreement with affected unions on the contents of their plans. This gives us a direct seat at the table, and I can assure you that we will use this process to address safety issues including changes that must be made to attendance policies that push workers beyond exhaustion, destroy work-life balance and do not stop the epidemic of worker fatigue.

After 14 years, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is putting into action a provision from the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requiring that the railroads implement “Fatigue Risk Management Programs.”

As for contract negotiations, we participated in National Mediation Board (NMB)-mandated sessions with the carriers. After each session with the carriers making one insulting offer after another, the Coordinated Bargaining Coalition and the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way/SMART Mechanical Coalition pleaded with the NMB for a proffer of arbitration to move things along. Finally, on June 15th, the NMB acquiesced and put forth a proffer. As going to arbitration means a binding contract would be put forth by an outside party, with no guarantee of an agreement that our members will find palatable, the United Rail Unions turned down the proffer of arbitration and are in a 30-day cooling off period at this writing. President Biden appointed a Presidential Emergency Board (PEB) to help settle the contract dispute and rail labor as a whole put forth a compelling case and we now await the PEB’s recommendations. To learn more about the process set forth in the Railway Labor Act, I encourage affected rail members to visit our website.

We held our first bus-focused Regional Training Seminar (RTS) April 25-28 with LACMTA Locals 1563, 1564, 1565, 1607 and 1608 at the SMART Local 105 (sheet metal) hall in Glendora, Calif. The first three days consisted of local officer training that was similar but more robust than what has been previously provided at regional meetings. On the 28th, we held a town hall with a mock local meeting demonstration followed by a Q&A session in the afternoon where I, General Secretary-Treasurer Joe Powell, Bus Vice President Alvy Hughes and California State Legislative Director Louis Costa were on hand to answer any questions put forth by the members. I especially would like to thank Sheet Metal Local 105 for its hospitality, Local 1563 Treasurer Pete Lara for his assistance in making this event a success, Local 1563 Secretary Sandra Pineda for her assistance in donating leftover food to the local homeless shelter, and all who attended this meeting. I look forward to coming back.

If you feel that your local could benefit from a Regional Training Seminar, please contact your state legislative director or general chairperson and see the article on the following page about our new education efforts.

I want to take this opportunity to also remind members to sign up for an account on our new Member Portal. There you will find important updates on any upcoming meetings and the very latest about the national rail contract negotiations.

Stay safe everyone, God bless, and have a great summer!

Fraternally,

Jeremy R. Ferguson
President, Transportation Division

The post Speaking truth for members appeared first on SMART Union.

The Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMWIA — now SMART) began organizing roofers in the Toronto area in the early 1950s. It seemed like the perfect marriage, as sheet metal workers were already organized in most of the roofing shops. The roofers worked long days with no benefits, poor working conditions and sub-par wages — $1.20 per hour at the time.

It was Thursday, Nov. 12, 1952 when roofers in Toronto held their historic meeting and reported that union certification had been received at four firms: Cloke Construction, Apex Roofing, Heather & Little and A.E. Furnival. Roofers who worked for R.S.C. Bothwell, the Board of Education and Plewman were also present at the meeting. A motion was made that a committee investigate roofer classifications and draw up a collective agreement to officially bring roofers into the SMWIA.

This was the beginning of 70 years (and counting) of solidarity and craftsmanship in the roofing industry, with union members standing shoulder to shoulder.

On the following evening, Nov. 13, the inaugural meeting was held, and the first SMWIA roofing officers were elected. The new roofer representatives were President Wm Munroe, Vice President Sandy McLeish, Financial Secretary J. Johnson, Recording Secretary R. MacMahon, Warden F. Guerin and Conductor L. Cadieux. This was the beginning of 70 years (and counting) of solidarity and craftmanship in the roofing industry, with union members standing shoulder to shoulder and working diligently to represent the best interests of these skilled workers. Today, almost every local in Canada has roofers in its membership.

The roofing industry has seen many changes over the last seven decades. Coal tar pitch, steep pitch and Trinidad asphalt were used back in the 1950s. Now we have conventional and inverted roofing systems, EPDM and single-ply PVC. Green roofing is now populating the skyline; builders are installing green roofs on their projects not just because they are visually appealing, but to help reduce greenhouse gases and to improve air quality. As the government looks to reduce emissions and retrofit buildings, the roofing sector will continue to thrive. The skills of our members will be increasingly in demand.

The Infrastructure Health & Safety Association’s (IHSA) Roofing Trade Committee has been active in producing safety manuals and public periodicals to help keep roofs safe. The committee’s work includes a health and safety manual, heat stress brochures and advisories on roof openings and skylights. The roofing industry is constantly changing, and SMART and its members are committed to organizing and improving the health and safety of all roofers.

Today our members provide their services for new roof construction, roof repair, restoration, maintenance and roof replacement using the most up-to-date methods and roofing technologies. Every two years a national roofing apprenticeship competition is held, where roofing members from all over Canada come together to compete and showcase their skills. This year’s roofing competition will be held in Newfoundland this August. I want to wish the best of luck to all the competitors.

We’ve come a long way in 70 years. Congratulations on seven decades of solidarity!!

Fraternally,

Chris Paswisty
Director of Canadian Affairs

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On April 4–6, 2022, North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU) held its first in-person legislative conference since 2019, with members from 14 trade unions — representing more than 3 million skilled union workers — gathering to hear from labor leaders, politicians and fellow brothers and sisters across the labor movement. President Joe Biden capped off the conference with a rousing speech, echoing a key point made throughout the week: This is our movement, and this is our moment.

Day one: Celebrating victories, looking ahead

NABTU President Sean McGarvey kicked off the conference with a stirring keynote address that acknowledged the incredible work of building trade union members and emphasized the need to grow in the bright future that lies ahead. Noting that the votes of building trades workers and their families helped deliver the 2020 election to President Biden, McGarvey listed the ways in which the Biden administration has returned the favor: multiemployer pension protection in the American Rescue Plan and a $170 billion investment in building trades jobs, to name two.

He also pointed out future steps that need to be taken. The union building trades employ 40,000 more women and nearly 300,000 more people of color than the nonunion shop, and the number of union tradeswomen has doubled over the last decade. Nonetheless, McGarvey declared, more must — and will — be done to expand our membership and bring in more women, people of color, veterans and the formerly incarcerated to reflect the communities in which we work.

Day one also saw a strong display of bipartisan support for union building tradespeople. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, recounted her experience working with Democrats to complete bipartisan infrastructure legislation — which invests $1.2 trillion into American infrastructure, a bounty of work for the unionized trades — and emphasized the opportunity that lies ahead with basic infrastructure projects, such as roads and broadband internet, in largely rural states like Alaska. “This is about growing the strength of our country through jobs and opportunity,” she said. “This is an investment in the men and women that are going to make [infrastructure] happen, and that is you.”

Later, Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi praised the union trades for their long history of building our country. “Our democracy and middle class have a union label on it,” she told the crowd, adding that “NABTU apprenticeships are the model for success.” Pelosi concluded her speech with a galvanizing call: “Solidarity forever. We don’t agonize, we organize.”

“No one is better at training people than we are. Let’s build a membership that is bold, dynamic and inclusive to meet the moment.”

– AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler

The last speaker of the morning was AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, who began her speech by cataloging the victories that unions have every right to celebrate. “Promises made have become promises kept,” she announced, referring to the American Rescue Plan and the infrastructure law.

With those victories in mind — and with the enormous opportunity for growth presented by the infrastructure bill — Shuler turned her attention to the road ahead: “What’s next is up to us,” she proclaimed. “No one is better at training people than we are. Let’s build a membership that is bold, dynamic and inclusive to meet the moment.” The future, Shuler added, is full of possibility. “We have a chance to not only build a sustainable future, but a sustainable infrastructure with good union jobs at the center.”

After the speakers, conference-goers attended a variety of workshops, ranging in subject matter from PLAs, implementing the new infrastructure bill and more. SMART Assistant to the General President Donna Silverman took part in a panel titled “What is NABTU doing to recruit and retain women: Tradeswomen Committee Workshop,” where sisters from across the unionized building trades shared experiences, best practices and advice on creating a labor movement that is welcoming to all. In telling their stories — of success, of growth and, shamefully, of discrimination — these trailblazing union sisters illustrated just how much stronger the labor movement is when it includes every worker, regardless of who they are or where they come from.

Day two: Supporters commit to our cause

The second day of speeches kicked off in earnest with Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh, a proud unionist and former president of the Boston Building Trades. Through his own story of growing up in a union family, Secretary Walsh emphasized the importance of labor and government working together to better conditions for all Americans, pointing out that, for the first time in modern history, “You have a United States labor secretary who carries a union book in his pocket.” Among the victories for SMART’s membership: The last year was the greatest year for job growth in American history, including construction jobs; Project Labor Agreements are now required on federal projects that cost more than $35 million, increasing opportunity for quality, high-paying work for SMART and other union members; and the strengthening of Davis-Bacon regulations to protect prevailing wages, among other things.

“The race to the bottom of the American economy is over. Instead of pulling the middle class down, we’re pulling workers up.”

– U.S. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh

“The race to the bottom of the American economy is over,” he declared. “Instead of pulling the middle class down, we’re pulling workers up.”

Following Walsh’s speech, political leaders from both sides of the aisle addressed members, including Republican Congressmen Don Bacon and Brian Fitzpatrick, as well as Stacey Abrams, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Congressman Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and more. Among them was Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who explained that “your unions made this country what it is today. You built America — none of us should ever forget that.” Like other speakers, Sen. Schumer praised the victories SMART members have achieved working with President Biden, particularly the upcoming job opportunities through infrastructure, retrofitting and the like: “$1.2 trillion in union labor to restore this country. You’re going to have a whole lot of work, folks.”

The conference concluded with a speech from President Joe Biden, who took the podium and immediately told the crowd: “It’s good to be home!” President Biden touched on various subjects throughout his remarks, including his promise to support the people of Ukraine against Russia’s invasion and his gratitude to organized labor: “I’ve never forgot what you’ve done not just for me, but what you’ve done for this country. You’ve literally built this country.” Then, he expanded upon his own commitment to the building trades, beginning with accomplishments of his time in office, as of April 2022:

• 320,000 construction jobs created in the last year;
• Jobless claims at a 54-year low;
• Four million more jobs created and unemployment 2% lower than it would have been without the American Rescue Plan
• Protections for multiemployer pension plans for union members;
• The passage, after decades of talk, of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

But, the president continued, the work isn’t done. Along with calling on Congress to cap childcare costs and insulin prices, Biden announced the largest investment in public transit — $20 billion — in American history, something that promises to benefit SMART workers across both sheet metal and the Transportation Division. Noting that, under the previous president’s tax plan, a married couple of a firefighter and a teacher pay a higher tax rate than a CEO, President Biden urged Congress to tax the wealthiest Americans, asking: “When’s the last time the trickle-down economy has trickled to anyone you know?”

President Biden ended his speech by acknowledging that, despite the enormous victories won for SMART members and everyday Americans across the country, the work is only beginning — and with a pro-labor administration in the White House, that work to come will be performed by union labor. “America has always counted on union workers,” the president said, “and you’ve never let the country down.”

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From June 12-15, SMART joined our 56 fellow AFL-CIO affiliate unions for the 2022 AFL-CIO Convention: the AFL-CIO’s highest decision-making body, where delegates vote on resolutions and constitutional amendments, discuss strategy and chart the course of the federation’s future. As importantly, the convention provided the chance for SMART to gather with other unions to build solidarity and worker power for our members and unionists everywhere.

Organize and rise

The highest-profile order of business at the convention was the election of the federation’s leadership. The SMART delegation proudly stood with the rest of the affiliated unions to nominate and elect Liz Shuler, the first woman elected AFL-CIO president, along with Fred Redmond as the first African American AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer. Together, President Shuler and Secretary-Treasurer Redmond represent the most diverse leadership slate in AFL-CIO history; they also committed to seizing upon a unique moment in labor’s modern history.

Throughout the convention, leaders and members from a wide range of unions looked back on the challenges and victories of the past years, from the fight of union nurses, bus drivers, trades workers and other frontline heroes to get the pay and PPE they deserved in the early stages of the pandemic, to successful strikes at Kellogg’s and John Deere in 2021. Against a backdrop of growing interest in unions — and a political climate in which unions like SMART have been able to win infrastructure investment, an increased number of incoming work hours and federal PLA requirements — Shuler and Redmond dedicated the AFL-CIO to organizing, winning battles and strengthening the labor movement. During her keynote address, Shuler announced the formation of the Center for Transformational Organizing: a federation-wide hub that will help unions grow our membership, secure more work and strengthen our collective bargaining power; crucial for winning the contracts and pensions our members deserve.

“We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It’s not enough to protect what we have; this is about taking risks to define the future on our terms. We are making the jobs of the future union jobs from the start,” Shuler declared. “The rich may try to divide us, but they don’t own our humanity, and they don’t own our future.”

“We are making the jobs of the future union jobs from the start. The rich may try to divide us, but they don’t own our humanity, and they don’t own our future.”

– AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler

Other speakers echoed Shuler’s call, galvanizing delegates to seize this moment. Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams noted the importance of strong unions, explaining: “With labor on the rise, we know that wages will go on the rise. With labor on the case, we know that people’s lives get better.” Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh listed the various wins for workers that the Department of Labor and the current presidential administration have achieved, including 8.7 million jobs added to the economy since January 2021; updated OSHA protections against heat hazards and Department of Labor protections against wage theft and worker misclassification; and more. He urged unions to make the most of this opportunity: “You have the chance to write the next chapter of the labor movement … we need to get out there and organize.”

In addition to leadership and elected officials, union members from across the country and world — including RWDSU members fighting to unionize Amazon in Bessemer, Alabama, as well as trade unionists from Ukraine, Italy, Mexico and more — spoke about the ongoing fight against the corporations who continue to reap profit off the back of the American (and international) worker, regardless of whether it raises prices for working families.

And on Tuesday, President Joe Biden addressed the convention, illustrating the concrete actions his administration has taken in response to the demands of unions like SMART, and outlining his plans for the years ahead. After discussing the American Rescue Plan, which helped protect countless union pension plans, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law — predicted to bring millions of work hours to SMART members over the next several years — President Biden demanded more from elected representatives.

“I’m calling on Congress to finally pass the PRO Act,” he announced. “We need an economy built from the middle out and the bottom up, not the top down.”

Pointing to the disastrous effects of corporate greed and Vladimir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine on inflation and gas prices, Biden committed to taking any actions necessary to lower prices for working Americans, from building grain silos to raising taxes on the American oligarchy: the 1 percent.

“All I am asking is for the largest corporations to pay their fair share of taxes. No billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than a teacher.”

– President Joe Biden

“All I am asking is for the largest corporations to pay their fair share of taxes,” he said. “No billionaire should be paying a lower tax rate than a teacher.”

And importantly, he promised to build on the steps already taken as America seeks to rebuild its crumbling infrastructure and continue its bounce-back from the economic collapse of 2020. “You have never let the country down,” Biden reminded the crowd, “and we’re counting on you again to rebuild this country.”

Resolving to fight for our members

During the business side of the convention, SMART delegates voted with other unions to pass a number of resolutions, which officially set the course of the AFL-CIO in the near future. Among the many resolutions passed:

• A resolution to further dedicate the AFL-CIO’s resources to organizing in order to strengthen every union — including SMART — and engage with young workers;
• A resolution to commit to fighting for greater pension protection for America’s workers;<
• A resolution that reprioritizes the battle for a four-day workweek and greater work-life balance — without any loss of pay for workers;
• A resolution to strive, as a collective movement, for the implementation of healthcare for all and the end of family-destroying, for-profit healthcare.

SMART General President Joseph Sellers chaired the Constitutional Committee, which saw the passage of amendments to the AFL-CIO constitution. Under GP Sellers’ leadership, union delegations amended the constitution to bring the federation into the future: eliminating the outdated position of the Executive Vice President from AFL-CIO leadership; modernizing the language of the constitution; expanding delegate authorization to constituency organizations, retiree organizations and young worker organizations; adding stronger language around technology, democracy and truth; and more.

Finally, SMART participated in the exchange of knowledge and strategy at the AFL-CIO innovation hall. Instructors from the International Training Institute demonstrated groundbreaking technology, including a Trimble attached to a robotic dog and a virtual lift. With the demonstration of such technology and the dedication to ensuring tech advancements are union-directed, unions like SMART can work to bring our craft into the future and constantly establish our workforce as the highest standard of skill.

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In addition to participating in NABTU Legislative Conference activities, representatives from SMART local unions gathered on the evening of April 5 for a SMART Political Action League (PAL) reception at the Washington Hilton. Members in attendance heard from Representatives Richie Neal (D-Mass.), Julia Brownley (D-Calif.), Tim Ryan (D-Ohio), Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) — a proud IBEW member who SMART welcomed warmly as a fellow union brother. Along with pointing out the various ways in which they continue to fight for SMART priorities — from including multiemployer pension protection in the American Rescue Plan and working with SMART members at the BYD factory in California, to fighting for Build Back Better and PRO Act legislation and indoor air quality work for union members — each visiting congressperson went out of their way to thank SMART members for the work they have done, and continue to do, in rebuilding our country.

Members at the reception also heard from Local 265 (Northern Illinois) Business Manager John Daniel, who this year ran for election and won a seat on the Democratic State Central Committee in Illinois: essentially, the executive board of the Democratic Party in a state that is primarily blue. Emphasizing the importance of SMART members running for local office, Daniel noted the vitality of labor — and specifically SMART — having a seat at the table where political decisions are made. “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu,” he warned.

The reception concluded with General President Joseph Sellers presenting plaques to the top 31 PAL fundraising locals. In all, it was a heartening night in which our union’s determination to fight for our membership in the halls of government was on full display.

See the full list of PAL Top 31 Locals.

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A Local 16 member holds a piece of metal dedicated to Carrie Barber.

Chelsey Bus recently graduated from her apprenticeship at Local 16 in Portland, Oregon. During her five years of training, she experienced much of the same adversity that other women in the trades face; although SMART has made great strides to recruit and retain women, they remain a minority of the membership. That’s what makes stories of “I Got Your Back” solidarity – including Bus’s – so vital for the growth of our union.

When Bus began her apprenticeship, she said her duties involved menial work, like moving materials. But she began to see a shift in her job responsibilities around the time she was assigned to work at General Sheet Metal in Clackamas, Oregon, on an architectural sheet metal job.

“I didn’t have a lot of experience working on the architectural side,” explained Bus. “So I was kind of surprised when I was given the assignment.”

Nevertheless, Bus thrived. Over the course of her apprenticeship, she worked in residential HVAC, commercial HVAC, TAB, a mechanical shop and an architectural shop.

While working on an architectural project at General Sheet Metal, her friend and project manager, Carrie Barber, passed away unexpectedly.

“During that period, immediately after he passed away, people started telling me that he had gone to bat for me. He stuck his neck out and believed in me and got me placements. I had no idea,” Bus said. “His encouragement and faith in me were really touching. He had my back; I didn’t even know it.”

Bus said Barber’s faith in her was inspiring, and she plans to pay it forward – both on and off the job.

“I plan to make an effort to be that person for others,” she said. “I want everyone to experience that level of support, that same feeling that I’ve got your back.”

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On August 31, 2021, the Local Union Officer and International Staff Retiree’s Club met in historic St. Charles, Missouri, with 56 attendees gathering for a cocktail reception, luncheon, meeting and a trip to Missouri wine country. As part of the meeting, union woodworker Jim Langsdorf crafted a tinner’s hammer made of solid hickory (pictured) in memory of past Regional Director Mike Krasovec.

Please join the Local Union Officer and International Staff Retiree’s Club for its 2022 meeting at the Isleta Casino and Hotel in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 30. Contact Tom Wilkens (618-407-5570/618-473-9384) or Larry Tucker (636-577-4312) for more information.

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