General President Michael Coleman says it all the time: SMART members are the people who build and move our two nations. Sheet metal workers and roofers across the United States and Canada help people stay safe, healthy and protected in schools, hospitals, apartment buildings and beyond. Railroaders keep our supply chain moving, transporting essential freight from coast to coast. Bus and transit operators bring parents to work, kids to school — and they bring people together.
That’s what SMART members do for our countries. And in return, we know what we deserve: a good, secure life for ourselves and our families.
That’s what SMART fights for, day in and day out. That’s what we stand for at the bargaining table, in the union hall and on the job. And it is the principle that guides our work here in Washington, DC. One word: Family.
As your general secretary-treasurer, my work spans a variety of different responsibilities. But ultimately, my role is simple. It’s my job to ensure that SMART has the resources and infrastructure, at every level, to fulfill General President Coleman’s vision of a union that fights — and wins — for members.
That means fortifying our foundation. We need to have solid ground to stand on.
Over the last couple years, SMART has taken concrete steps to better members’ lives. Under General President Coleman’s leadership, SMART has partnered with TOOTRiS to provide wraparound child care benefits to sheet metal members at participating U.S. local unions, taking on one of the biggest obstacles facing working people in the country. The general president has made member mental health a priority; that’s why SMART has expanded access to mental health support for members and their families with a new, 24/7 employee assistance program, Union EAP. We are investing in technology — developing tools that help us see around corners, leveraging our institutional knowledge, and providing resources like the Voyager system so local unions can serve members more efficiently and effectively.
On the Transportation Division side, General President Coleman and TD President Jeremy Ferguson are working in lockstep to fight for transportation workers nationwide. State safety and legislative boards won laws to protect members’ jobs and safety in Illinois, New Jersey and beyond. Members ratified national-level railroad agreements to increase wages, enhance benefits and introduce new job protections — without concessions. Railroaders’ health care costs have remained stable, even as other working Americans face skyrocketing prices.
This is what it means when General President Coleman talks about “fighting for what matters.” These are the victories we can win for ourselves and our families when we have a strong foundation. And this is why it is so important for us to stay strong in the face of challenges to our jobs, our benefits and our rights.
2025 tested us. Projects were canceled. Costs rose. Tariffs created uncertainty for both Canadian and American members. Families felt pressure. But here’s what I know about SMART members: When pressure builds, we don’t fracture. We reinforce.
That’s why unity isn’t optional. It is essential.
This year is an election year. That means white noise. Distractions. Endless commercials with competing voices telling working people what and who to fear. But our mission does not change with the headlines. Our focus is simple: Good jobs. Secure retirements. Safe workplaces. Strong families.
When we stay focused on that mission — when we remember who we fight for — we strengthen our foundation, no matter who occupies any office.
Our foundation is strong because it is built on solidarity. Our families are secure because we fight together. And our future is bright because SMART members never stop building — not just buildings and railways, but opportunity for the next generation.
As we start another year, it’s worth reflecting on where we’ve been — and where we want to go.
Throughout 2025, SMART members won victories that changed lives. Our own lives, the lives of our families and the lives of people we most likely will not ever meet. We organized, signing up new members in production shops in right-to-work states, recruiting sheet metal apprentices and journeyworkers all over the United States and Canada, bringing in new properties on the railroad and winning big victories at municipal bus carriers. We bargained, coming together to collectively secure contracts — across the sheet metal and transportation industries — that provide the pay, benefits and dignity that every single one of us deserves. We mobilized, whether we were helping build better communities through SMART Army service projects or packing city hall buildings to secure project labor agreements and union jobs.
That is what we do, sisters and brothers. We are sheet metal workers, sign workers, roofers, railroaders, bus and transit operators, and production employees. United by our common cause and our values, we achieve things together that we could never do alone.
And yet, as General President Coleman wrote, last year was still a tough one. We faced attacks from people who are wealthy, powerful and determined to hold on to that power, even if it means making life harder for working families.
The truth is, this isn’t new. Anti-worker forces have been attacking the labor movement for decades. They did it through “trickle-down” economic policies in the 1980s that cut taxes for the wealthy. They did it through deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement, which led to outsourcing and lost jobs for working people in both of our nations. And they kept it up this past year, in the U.S. especially: canceling funding for construction jobs, including when the government was shut down, and passing legislation that will raise costs and lead to lost work hours for SMART members.
With all those challenges, it can be easy to feel like the odds are against us. They have money, they have influence, and they have allies in government who will prioritize their interests over policies that benefit working families. But there’s a reason these forces are so determined to pass right-to-work laws, undermine collective bargaining and try to weaken our movement. It’s because they know our strength.
There’s a saying: “Organized people beat organized money.” SMART members prove that every single day. When we pass laws that extend prevailing wages to offsite fabrication, like we did in Connecticut, New Mexico and other states. When we get project labor agreements passed in cities and counties across the country. When we win state railroad safety policies in states like Colorado, or when we secure bipartisan support for our issues. All of that shows that when we stand together, we have real power and strength — even when we are up against the richest and most powerful people in the world.
The start of a new year gives us a chance to chart where we go from here. Over the next 12 months, let’s stand together, have each other’s backs and secure the future for ourselves, our families and our union.
Brothers and sisters, we are in a fight for what matters. And what matters is not abstract. It’s not party politics, slogans or cable news. What matters is our way of life — where every working person has dignity, respect, and the pay and benefits we need to take care of our families.
That’s why we fight: for good jobs, for fairness, for the basic right to bargain collectively. And that’s why those who profit from our labor want to weaken us. Because they know that when SMART members stand united, we have power: the power to win contracts, protect safety and build stability for our families.
I didn’t grow up in a family with union benefits. My parents did not have the security of a union pension waiting at the finish line. When I joined this union, I didn’t just find a paycheck — I found stability. A future. A way to look my wife and kids in the eye and say: We’re going to be okay.
That’s what SMART gave me. And I know many of you have stories like mine — stories of how our union lifted you and your family up. No matter where we came from, whether we work in a shop, a rail yard, a bus depot, installing wall cladding systems, roofing, or in production shops across North America, we share this truth: Alone we beg. Together we bargain. Together, we build a better life.
What’s under attack today isn’t just our contracts or wages — it’s our unity. There are groups whose only goal is to steer power away from working people. They try to take what makes us strong — our ability to stand together as one — and weaken it by turning our differences into divisions.
We see these ideas baked into efforts like Project 2025, or advanced by groups such as the American Legislative Exchange Council and The Fraser Institute. Their mission is clear: weaken labor, divide workers and tilt the balance of power even further away from those who build and service our countries, to those who pillage the fruit of our labor.
And let’s be honest — sometimes, it works. For those of us who get up early every day to provide for our families, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking: look what they got, look what they took. It’s easier to blame someone’s race, gender, origin, age or faith than to face the harder truth: There is a strategy at play to get us to look at each other as the enemy, instead of as brothers and sisters.
That division doesn’t ease the pain we’re feeling — it amplifies it. And the more we believe those distractions are the cause of our struggles, the more power we give to those who benefit from our division.
We are the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation workers of North America. Diverse in background and craft, but united in family — our union family. Our diversity is not a weakness; it is our strength. The skills we bring, the perspectives we carry, and the experiences that shape us all come together to make this union stronger, smarter and more resilient. And when our union is strong — when we can provide for our families and build stability at home — we create stronger communities and stronger countries.
This isn’t about left or right. It’s about right and wrong. And the fight ahead will take all of us, pulling in the same direction.
I believe in us. I believe in our solidarity. And I know that as long as we remain focused and united, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
This summer, as SMART members reflect on where we’re headed, one truth continues to ground our progress: Our strength comes from each other. From the shop floors to the rail yards, from Parliament to Capitol Hill, our success depends not on a single action or title, but on our unity.
In his Spring 2025 Members’ Journal message, General President Coleman outlined the rising threats we face — attacks on our jobs, our contracts and the industries we work in. Efforts to privatize passenger rail, defund construction projects and chip away at labor protections aren’t just political maneuvers — they’re direct challenges to our ability to provide for our families. They are meant to divide us and weaken the solidarity that makes SMART so effective.
That’s why this year’s SMART Leadership Conference theme — “Fighting for What Matters… Our Members” — is more than a slogan. It’s a commitment. One that each of us makes when we join this union. It reminds us that the union isn’t somewhere else — it’s us. We, the members, are the union. Our collective action, our shared purpose and our daily work are what give SMART its power.
And as General President Coleman wrote on page two, that power has produced real, lasting wins. In recent months, Transportation Division members — rail, transit and bus — stood strong and won transformative contracts that reflect the dignity and demands of the work they perform. Sheet metal members secured maternity leave benefits, improved jobsite safety and gained access to TOOTRiS, a flexible childcare program tailored to our industry’s schedule. Across all sectors, SMART has worked to expand access to mental health support for members and their families via an employee assistance program, Union EAP. And we modernized how locals serve members through the Voyager system.
These gains didn’t come by accident — and they didn’t come easily. They came from our shared discipline, focus and resolve.
Our focus has been simple: strengthen our foundation so we can protect what we’ve built and push forward with confidence.
As your general secretary-treasurer, that’s my responsibility: to make sure every back-of-house decision — from vendors to banking, infrastructure to benefits — supports our front-line mission. We are not just responding to today’s needs. We are preparing for tomorrow’s challenges. That means making smarter investments. Asking hard questions of our partners. Building a technology structure that allows SMART to leverage who we are — and the collective knowledge we hold — in new and more powerful ways.
This work is quiet, but it is transformational. It’s how we ensure stability in unpredictable times. It’s how we build opportunity for the next generation. And it’s how we prove, every day, that SMART is not just a strong union — it’s a growing one.
We aren’t finished. We’re just getting started. Together, let’s keep fighting for what matters: our fellow members.
It’s an old saying that most of us have heard plenty of times. But it holds special relevance for union workers — because for us, it’s true in a profound way. We pay union dues, and what we get is something priceless: the solidarity that defines SMART membership.
As General President Coleman wrote, solidarity is the bedrock of our organization. At the International level, across the United States and every Canadian province, our unity gives us power: Together, we fight for jobs and fairness, transcending our border and winning real gains for SMART members and families. That’s true strength — the type that can never be broken, even as external pressures intensify.
What I want to highlight are the everyday investments SMART makes as a result of your continued solidarity. Our union dues are an investment in ourselves: in worker power, in collective bargaining, in strong contracts and in our families. They are also a reflection of our intentional focus — our collective commitment to building a stronger union, piece by piece. That manifests in specific, material ways. A few examples:
Union EAP is an example of a member assistance program specifically tailored to SMART members. This service, if adopted by your local union or your local healthcare plan, is available at no direct cost to the member. Union EAP connects members and their families with licensed clinicians, available 24/7/365. Each case is guided by a master’s-level clinician who works with the member and their insurance provider to build a personalized plan and help navigate life’s challenges.
“We pay union dues, and what we get is something priceless: the solidarity that defines SMART membership.”
In addition to mental well-being, one of our priorities at the International is empowering our local unions to better serve their members. That’s why we introduced the Voyager system — a fully supported union management software solution at no direct cost to local unions. Voyager helps streamline internal operations, provides digital dues receipts for members and allows locals to manage union affairs without unnecessary hurdles and expenses.
We have also heard — and acted on — the need to strengthen the future of the sheet metal trade. For too long, the lack of maternity leave in the sheet metal industry prevented women and new mothers from joining and staying in the craft. That’s why SMART and SMACNA launched a maternity leave benefit fund for sheet metal members: a reimbursement program for participating U.S. local unions’ health and welfare funds, providing for a combined total of 26 weeks of maternity leave. Another example of SMART leading where others have hesitated.
And most recently, SMART launched a childcare benefit program with TOOTRiS. Too many working families — especially in the trades — are forced to choose between career and care. Thanks to this new partnership, sheet metal members at participating U.S. local unions can more easily access flexible, high-quality childcare options that meet the unique demands of our work schedules.
Brothers and sisters, these programs and partnerships are more than benefits. They represent solidarity in action — and the result of our shared focus on building a better future. That’s what we pay for. That’s why we pay dues. That’s why our solidarity — and our intentional focus — are more important now than ever before.
We know challenges lie ahead. Economic forces beyond our control, from aggressive tariff disruptions to unpredictable market shifts, will test the foundations we have built. The potential ripple effects — from stock market volatility to pressures on pensions, healthcare funds and even renewed threats of healthcare taxation — remind us that we cannot afford to lose focus.
Union membership means looking out for one another — leveraging our individual power into something far greater, something that sustains SMART families today and tomorrow. When we remain focused, disciplined and united, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
Our union stands on an unbreakable foundation: solidarity. Time and again, we have shown that when we unite around our shared values, there are no limits to what we can achieve.
Solidarity goes beyond supporting each other in tough times. It is both a value system and a practice — the principle of having each other’s backs and actively standing together against injustice, from the jobsite to government halls. It embodies our belief that by working together — strategically, boldly and purposefully — we can create new opportunities, amplify our voices and enhance the quality of life for every SMART member and their families.
We are at a critical juncture for our union, our industries and our two nations. While challenges loom, immense opportunities for growth are present. In our industries, we are embracing new technologies and evolving standards. As a workforce, we are fostering unity and resilience to meet the challenges ahead. And as one unified union, SMART, our voice resonates louder and reaches further than ever before.
As General President Coleman often emphasizes, while administrative policies will influence our work, the essence of solidarity remains unwavering. Whether you fabricate HVAC systems, operate transit or work on the rails, whether you reside in Vancouver, Dallas or anywhere in between, our true strength lies in our unity. Together, we are invincible against any challenge.
“Solidarity goes beyond supporting each other in tough times. It is both a value system and a practice — the principle of having each other’s backs and actively standing together against injustice…”
Our future shines brightly because we will navigate it together. Whether it’s tackling workforce challenges, improving workplace safety for our bus operators, advancing rail safety or advocating for fair policies that support working families, we will act with strategy, vigor and resolve to build the future every member deserves. By prioritizing the safety and well-being of all our members and confronting exploitative forces head-on, we will transform our union and the industries and communities we serve.
At the time of writing, we and people across the United States are awaiting the start of President Trump’s second term. While we cannot predict the exact agenda of the new administration, we remain committed to working with any politician, regardless of party affiliation, to advance the interests of SMART members and their families. If past actions related to IRAPs, two-person railroad crews and our pension funds are any indication, we may face significant challenges ahead. That’s when it will be more important than ever to remember our values.
In SMART, an injury to one is an injury to all, and we act to keep all of us safe and secure — from confronting unsafe conditions at work, to taking a strike vote, to donating food to a fellow worker in need.
Today, I call on each of you to join this vital journey. Engage actively in your union, share your ideas and insights, and participate in local meetings, committees and initiatives. Make your voice heard on local politics that affect your job. Together, we will elevate SMART into an even stronger, more influential union; one that leads our industries and our two nations with unwavering resolve.
Let’s seize the opportunities before us and march forward together — as one union, one voice, one community.
As a sheet metal worker and proud union member for decades, I can confidently say that I’ve never seen as much opportunity in our industry as I do today.
Like many of you, I’ve faced my share of challenges throughout my career. Whether I was working with the tools, fighting to secure jobs as an organizer or negotiating contracts to expand our market share as the business manager of Local 265 in Carol Stream, Illinois, I’ve been right there with you. We have navigated the ups and downs, including the unprecedented challenges of the Great Recession and its aftermath.
Today, we find ourselves in unprecedented times once again — but this time, it’s due to unparalleled growth.
Across the country, we see a surge of megaprojects breaking ground: EV battery plants, infrastructure projects, semiconductor fabrication facilities and more. These projects are coming online every day in places like Texas, Ontario, Tennessee, Kentucky, Vermont and beyond.
Our union is stronger than ever. Our membership now stands at 230,000 — a gain of nearly 30,000 new members. This growth is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the hard work and determination of members and leaders across the union. But let me be clear: This success wasn’t handed to us — it was earned.
In 2020, we mobilized to elect a pro-worker administration and allies in Congress — not because of the party they represented, but because they were willing to listen to us, understand our “Why,” and act on it. We pushed our agenda forward, negotiating with those who were open-minded and committed to understanding the needs of our members. We held accountable those who failed to stand by us and stood firmly behind those who proved their loyalty to our cause. We didn’t just sit back and support candidates based on party affiliation, nor did we simply take politicians at their word. We fought actively for our future.
Our hard work led to the passage of critical legislation — the American Rescue Plan Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. These aren’t just political wins; they are victories for every single union member, ensuring jobs that offer fair pay, good benefits and the dignity of work.
But we cannot take these gains for granted. If we want this period of prosperity to continue, we must remain vigilant and proactive. Our future is at stake in this November’s election.
This election is not about partisan politics. I know that for some, issues like diversity, equity and inclusion, immigration reform, the right to bear arms or who we choose to love are deeply personal and vital. And they are important. But at the core of everything — no matter what we believe or how we live — is the need for family security. Whatever your family looks like, whatever you value, the foundation of it all is the ability to provide for those we love.
That means securing good wages, quality healthcare and the dignity of retirement through our hard-earned pensions.
Our union isn’t just about better wages and benefits; it’s about creating a stable foundation for every family, ensuring that every member can provide for their loved ones. A strong union builds stronger families, stronger communities and ultimately, a stronger country. When we protect and grow our union, we set the stage for addressing all of the other challenges we face. This November, let’s stay focused on what matters most: our union, our families and our future.
That’s why I’ll be voting for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, two pro-union champions who have proven their loyalty to SMART members and pledged to continue our shared progress. I urge you to join me in voting for the future of our families and our union this November.
It is one of the greatest honors of my life to serve as your general secretary-treasurer. This trade, and this great union, have given me everything I have. I first picked up the tools in 1991, when I started in the Local 265 apprenticeship program in Carol Stream, Illinois. Since then, I’ve worked as a sheet metal fabricator, an installer, an instructor, an organizer, a business representative, financial secretary-treasurer and the president and business manager of my local.
At every step, I’ve been humbled to walk in the footsteps of the trade unionists who came before me; who passed along their knowledge and helped me serve my fellow members as best I could. That includes outgoing SMART General Secretary-Treasurer Joseph Powell. Joe has worked closely with me to ensure a seamless transition as he moves to a directorial role — and thanks in no small part to his hard work alongside General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers and General President Michael Coleman, our organization is well positioned for the future.
Five years ago, we faced a number of challenges. The Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund was still considered “endangered.” The SMART Transportation Division fought constantly against attacks like precision scheduled railroading, draconian attendance policies, anti-worker legislation and much more. Financially, the International and local unions alike found themselves making sacrifices to ensure our organization’s solvency.
We are living in extraordinary times, brothers and sisters — and if we take advantage, SMART and the labor movement will benefit for decades.
We are in a much different position today, and not by accident. The hard work of members at every level of this union helped push the National Pension Fund into the “Green Zone;” we recruited more new sheet metal workers than we lost in 2023; and in the face of untoward hostility from freight railroad carriers and anti-union government officials, the SMART Transportation Division managed to grow in the last year.
Financially, we are secure. We have met the challenge. But now, it’s time to put the pedal to the metal.
Megaprojects and pro-worker laws have combined with our core work to create unparalleled workforce demands — and opportunity — in the sheet metal industry. This is our time to grow; to organize, recruit and retain more than we ever have, and to secure our collective future for generations of SMART members to come.
The same goes for transportation workers. Our union has made incredible progress when it comes to rail safety, as well as funding for high-speed rail lines and major contract victories such as paid sick leave. We won’t let up now. I look forward to working with SMART-TD leaders and members to win further gains and secure more protections for our members.
We are living in extraordinary times, brothers and sisters — and if we take advantage, SMART and the labor movement will benefit for decades. Words cannot describe how proud I am to work for and alongside you in this pivotal moment, and I promise I will do everything in my power to help the 200,000-plus members of this union achieve the future we deserve.
This is an overview of day four of the Third SMART General Convention. More details will be included in the Fall Members’ Journal.
Delegates to the 3rd SMART General Convention continued their work on Thursday, August 15, hearing from convention committees and SMART department directors on the state of our union, conducting convention business and hearing from guest speakers who remarked on the importance of solidarity as we move forward.
Helms demonstrates how solidarity strengthens our union
Thursday’s guest speakers came to Las Vegas from organizations that SMART has closely allied with for years.
SMART Convention delegates gave a warm welcome to Helmets to Hardhats Executive Director Martin Helms. SMART has partnered with Helmets to Hardhats, which works to bring United States military veterans into the unionized building trades, for more than 20 years.
In his remarks, Helms thanked SMART for playing its part by participating in Helmets to Hardhats and with programs like SMART Heroes — which offers accelerated first-year apprenticeship training to those exiting the U.S. military — while urging members to keep up the work. SMART had the third-highest number of “known successful transitions” (Helmets to Hardhats applicants who successfully begin their career in the building trades) in 2023, and is on pace to garner even more interest in 2024. Helms implored any delegates present who aren’t already working with Helmets to Hardhats to get involved.
“SMART and Helmets to Hardhats are amazing teams,” he concluded. “Thank you for the last two decades of collaboration. I am motivated by what the future holds, and the H2H team looks forward to working with each one of you to increase our veteran recruitment. Thank you, God bless, and let’s continue to build America!”
SMACNA leaders: Progress can only come through partnership
Convention delegates heard from SMACNA President Carol Duncan and CEO Aaron Hilger on Thursday, August 15, with both speakers extolling the virtues of partnership in the unionized sheet metal industry at a time when enthusiasm for organized labor is skyrocketing.
“The power of progress and collaboration [is] shaping our industry’s future,” Duncan told delegates.
During her Thursday morning remarks, Duncan overviewed the important, trailblazing work SMART members and leaders are performing to make sure the unionized sheet metal industry is positioned for growth. Only by working together on initiatives like recruitment and retention, Belonging and Excellence for All and beyond, she told delegates, can union contractors and members make sure those projects are completed by high-road signatory employers and workers.
“It is crucial that our jobsites, shops, and offices are places where everyone feels safe,” Duncan said. “We all share the responsibility to speak up when something seems off and to support one another. Creating an environment where everyone feels welcome is key to attracting and keeping the best talent in the market.”
Hilger took the podium on Thursday afternoon, speaking to the convention crowd about four challenges met by SMART and SMACNA in the last several years — and the work that still needs to be done.
The first challenge: The BE4ALL initiative and our organizations’ broader focus on making the unionized sheet metal industry more welcoming and inclusive of all. Another: Strengthening government relations at the state and local level, winning legislation and ordinances that create work for SMART locals and SMACNA chapters.
That challenge, Hilger went on, relates directly to the third challenge that SMART and SMACNA worked together to meet: indoor air quality work. The pandemic revealed to the North American public just how important proper ventilation is to staying healthy and safe. Now, he said, local unions and contractors need to collaborate intensely to increase IAQ market share.
Finally, Hilger discussed the ongoing opportunity and difficulty posed by the surge of megaprojects across North America, with 260 being actively tracked by the SMART-SMACNA megaprojects task force. Union sheet metal contractors and workers are staffing those projects — an enormous victory. Now, he said, we need to keep up the good work and continue staffing our core work.
“It’s a wonderful time to be a union contractor and a union member,” he concluded. “Thank you for your partnership as we continue to work together.”
Financial report details strength, opportunity
SMART General Secretary-Treasurer John Daniel, Controller Warren May and SMART-TD Director of Administration Matt Dolin delivered a report on the financial state of the union, validated by an independent auditor to ensure transparency and accountability at every step. Daniel overviewed SMART’s meticulous financial processes before May and Dolin presented — in great detail — the union’s finances, which show significant growth and stellar overall health.
SMART’s assets are more than six times greater than its liabilities. Daniel noted that this strong position is one we need to build on to ensure further success, with May presenting what the union’s five-year financial projection would look like with and without a per capita increase.
“Together, we will build a future our members and their families deserve,” Daniel said.
This will be May’s final convention, as the steward of SMART’s financial department is set to retire at the end of 2024. General Secretary-Treasurer Daniel thanked May for his tireless work and thoughtful administration, calling him “instrumental” to SMART’s success.
“His expertise and dedication have been invaluable to SMART,” Daniel said. “His contributions to our organization have been significant, and we owe him a great deal of gratitude.”
“It’s been an honor and a privilege to serve this great International,” May told delegates.
Director reports chart our progress, lay out roadmap of the future
SMART Director of OrganizingJason Benson provided delegates with an overview of the department’s structure before detailing the challenges our union has met through organizing: recruiting, organizing nonunion workers, engaging in job actions to flip nonunion projects to signatory status, and much more. Over the last five years, there have been more than 29,000 new members organized into SMART, Benson said.
Greg HynesPaul PimentelJared CassityJason Benson
He also offered a preview of the work we have yet to do, with billions of dollars of work coming down the pipeline.
“The future is bright,” Benson said. “As General President Emeritus Sellers used to say, this is generational growth. If we don’t take advantage of it, shame on us.”
National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) Administrator Lisa Davis presented to delegates on the work the fund has pursued since 2019, including developing new resources for affiliates and updates to Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB) certifications. Davis also explained how NEMI has helped local unions and regional councils win policy and regulatory victories across the United States, creating more work for sheet metal members, as well as efforts to turn back attacks on our fire life safety and indoor air quality work jurisdiction.
“The demand for a skilled, trained and certified workforce is increasing, and we are meeting that challenge,” Davis said.
Nick GreficzLisa DavisKen Colombo
SMART-TD Organizer Nick Greficz (TD Local 278) presented the Transportation Division Organizing Department’s report. The report included a breakdown of the success TD’s organizing has experienced in the recent past and the importance of continued growth for the strength of our union. Methodologies to achieve this growth included the continued implementation of tools such as the Action Builder platform and the organizer portal on SMART’s website.
Brother Greficz summed up his vision: “Success is the result of dedication, commitment and the collective participation of everyone involved. Every member, local officer and general committee officer is an organizer!”
Over the last several years, the SMART Governmental Affairs Department has partnered with pro-union legislators and federal officials to pass and implement policies that benefit SMART members and working families. After thanking staff members Tiffany Finck-Haynes, Ben Donnelly-Fine, Shareka Bannerman, Angela Watson and Jackie Meisner, Department Director Steve Dodd presented to delegates on the progress that has been made in the last several years — and the dangerous, anti-union policies members can expect from a second Trump administration.
“I know you’ve heard all week long about the damages that [Donald Trump] did when he was in office,” Dodd declared. “What we have now is an unbelievable situation like we’ve never had in our lives … you better fight like hell for your country and do whatever you can to get Kamala Harris in office in November.”
Transportation Division National Legislative Director Greg Hynes (TD Local 1081) and Alternate Legislative Director Jared Cassity (TD Local 1377) presented their departmental report to the convention delegates. Their report emphasized the department’s efforts to engage the membership in advocating for SMART-TD legislation. Multiple bills currently in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are pivotal to freight rail members’ safety and quality of life.
Brother Cassity summed up the spirit of the Legislative Department when he said, “We need you together, we need you collected, and we need you fighting!”
Delegates also heard continued reports from a variety of convention committees, including the Constitution Committee, Union Label Committee, Organizing Committee and Industrial Automotive Committee.
This is an overview of day three of the Third SMART General Convention. More details will be included in the Fall Members’ Journal.
Delegates to the Third SMART General Convention reelected Michael Coleman of Local 33 (Cleveland, Ohio) as the union’s general president on Wednesday, August 14, by acclamation.
“I nominate a person I respect, a person who puts the advancement of SMART before himself,” said SMART General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers Jr., whose nomination was seconded by delegates from across the SMART sheet metal and Transportation Divisions.
General President Emeritus Sellers nominates Coleman, surrounded by delegates from SMART-TD.
Delegates also elected John Daniel of Local 265 (Carol Stream, Ill.) as general secretary-treasurer, by acclamation, and voted 11 general vice presidents onto the SMART General Executive Council (GEC).
Local 265 Business Manager Matt Gugala nominated Daniel for general secretary-treasurer, touting his leadership, open-mindedness, collaborative attitude and success at Local 265. Daniel also received seconds from across the union and from all corners of North America.
“I’m not advocating for John because he deserves it. I’m advocating for John because we, this union, deserve John Daniel as our GST,” Gugala said.
Coleman and Daniel were joined by SMART Transportation Division President Jeremy Ferguson, who was reelected on Sunday during the Third Transportation Division Convention.
Coleman dedicated his acceptance speech to giving thanks. Along with Local 33, its members and leaders, he paid tribute to Assistants to the General President Darrell Robert and Tom Wiant, as well as General President Emeritus Sellers — for his leadership, for how he positioned SMART, for his friendship and for his mentorship. He also thanked General Secretary-Treasurer Daniel and Transportation Division President Ferguson, who he hailed as trailblazing leaders and even better friends, along with a variety of other union members, leaders, and sisters and brothers.
He ended by giving heartfelt thanks to his family, including his son, Nick, and his wife, Liz, before expressing his gratitude for the delegates gathered at the convention.
“I want you to know how humbled and honored I am to have your vote,” Coleman said. “I will never back down from anybody, and I will fight tooth and nail for each and every single one of you and your members.”
Daniel thanked his home local, Local 265, and gave his sincere thanks to the many union members and leaders — retired officers, current members and beyond – who molded the man he is today. He also declared his unwavering commitment to serving every member, in every craft, in every industry that our union represents. Reiterating a recurring convention theme, he vowed to fight on members’ behalf to grow and strengthen SMART and the labor movement.
“Together, we are unstoppable,” he concluded. “Let us build a union that stands for every member.”
Transportation Division President Ferguson used his acceptance speech to thank his wife and family, TD office staff in Cleveland, UTUIA staff, retiring TD General Counsel Kevin Brodar and Ferguson’s deceased mentor, former Local 313 Chair Herm Boruta. He also remarked on the incredible solidarity on display:
“I will never forget General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers making the nomination for Mike Coleman, with all those TD local numbers behind him,” he said.
Like Coleman, Ferguson concluded his remarks by thanking convention delegates.
“The greatest honor I have is to give a thank you to each and every one of you delegates. Thank you for your dedication and your love of this union.”
SMART General President Emeritus Sellers swore in the newly elected officers. Wednesday’s elected general vice presidents are: Derek Evans, first GVP; Arthur Tolentino, second GVP; Rick Werner, third GVP; Bill Kenyon, fourth GVP; Robert Butler, fifth GVP; Ray Reasons, sixth GVP; Lance Deyette, seventh GVP; Thomas De Bartolo, eighth GVP; Jason Pedersen, ninth GVP; Stephen Langley, 10th GVP and Matthew Fairbanks, 11th GVP.
From the elections that took place Sunday, Sellers swore in TD President-elect Jeremy Ferguson, National Legislative Director Greg Hynes and Rail Vice Presidents Brent Leonard, Chad Adams, Jamie Modesitt and Alvy Hughes.
The terms of all the newly elected officers begin on October 1, 2024.
