Tag: Members Journal

Home>News>Members Journal

Brothers and sisters,

As your general president, my mission is crystal clear. It is to fight for what matters: SMART members and their families. In any arena, by any means — organizing, negotiating or lobbying, whether we’re in union halls, state houses or our nations’ capitals. Fighting for members and fami­lies: That is this union’s North Star.

Here at the SMART International headquarters in Washington, DC, where your leadership and International staff take on that mission, we get to witness first-hand how the United States government works — or doesn’t work. These days, politics are known for divi­siveness and an inability to get things done.

But in January 2026, something unusual happened in Washington. Members of both political parties — 213 Democrats and 17 Republicans — came together to pass a law through the House of Representatives that benefits working Americans by extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. Without these subsidies, SMART members would see their health care costs go up as insurance companies shift the cost burden onto our strong benefit plans.

Unfortunately, this law made no progress in the United States Senate. But the House passage of this bill is still important. It’s proof that our issues aren’t Red or Blue — they’re just common sense. Both Republicans and Democrats recognized that these subsidies help hardworking Americans get the care they need.

Across the United States and Canada, the people who represent us in government have one job: to come together on the issues that matter to working people. We are the people who build and move our two nations. We are the workers who take on the hardest jobs, every single day of the year, to keep our societies running. In return, we deserve governments that stand with us, and for us, when it comes to our priorities.

SMART members and families don’t ask for much. We want good jobs, health care, a stable retirement. We want to be able to provide for ourselves and our families. And as union workers, our governments play a big role in our ability to do those things: to work, to stay safe on the job, to be able to help our loved ones and children stay secure, healthy and pursue their dreams. Whether it’s through rail safety laws or job-creating investments, the people we vote for have a direct impact on our everyday lives.

That’s why we will always work with any politician, no matter their political party, to pass laws that benefit members and their families. Because SMART members are our mission.

As you might already know, 2026 is an election year in the United States. SMART members and families can expect ads, emails and mailers from candidates and elected representatives through Election Day on November 3. You will hear promises from candidates about how they will stand with working Americans, not billionaires and elites. That’s when it will be more important than ever to stand together in solidarity, and pay attention to what candidates DO — not what they say. At the International, we work hard to track what candidates actually do to support SMART members, and we will make sure to communicate which candi­dates support us, regardless of their party. Because as your elected representatives, that is our obligation.

It is the greatest honor of my life to represent you and your families. That is my mission, it is SMART’s mission, and it is the work your union will continue to do every day.

In solidarity,

SMART General President Michael Coleman

As union workers, we have a lot to be proud of.

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.

In solidarity,

John Daniel
SMART General Secretary Treasurer

For decades, SMART-TD members have sounded the alarm about safety in our industry. Railroaders have warned about longer trains, shrinking crews and inspection shortcuts. Transit operators have voiced concerns about the growing violence they face simply for doing their jobs.

For too long, those voices were ignored.

Now the momentum is on OUR side.

Across Capitol Hill, lawmakers are introducing legislation that directly addresses the safety concerns our members have been raising for years. Bills like the Railway Safety Act and the Railroad Safety Enhancement Act aim to strengthen freight rail safety by addressing crew staffing, inspection standards and the risks posed by increasingly long trains. On the transit side, the RIDER Safety Act would help agencies deploy trained personnel to de-escalate conflicts and reduce assaults on operators, while the Bus Operator Safety and Security Act and the Passenger Rail Crew Protection Act would ensure stronger federal protec­tions for passenger rail crews and bus members that mirror the laws currently protecting airline crews.

These proposals represent pivotal steps forward for transportation safety reform.

But let me be clear about something.

These bills aren’t going to become law just because they make common sense. We owe it to ourselves to finish the job.

For years, railroads and transit agencies have tried to dominate the national conversation about safety. They have lobbyists, think tanks and industry groups working every day to shape the narrative in Washington.

But the true experts on transportation safety are not sitting in corporate boardrooms.

They are the men and women operating the trains and buses of this country every single day.

SMART-TD members have spent decades fighting to get a seat at the table in Washington. Thanks to the work of our National Safety and Legislative Department and our State Safety and Legislative Boards across the country, we finally have it.

But we cannot be so happy about getting our seat that we forget to order our meal.

Right now, unions have strong public support, and transportation worker safety has become a bipartisan issue. Lawmakers are listening.

But if they don’t hear from you, our message loses its power. Make no mistake: The lobbyists are more than happy to fill the void created by our silence.

When lawmakers hear directly from YOU, the workers experiencing this reality every day, it changes the conversation.

If you are tired of being told to do more with less while railroads invest in technology designed to replace you, this is your moment.

If you are tired of being hit, kicked, spit on and assaulted while doing your job as a transit operator, this is your moment.

The table is set in 2026.

Call your senators and representatives. Send emails. Write letters to the editor. Call into radio shows when our safety is being talked about. Speak up when these issues are discussed in your community.

The corporations have their public relations plans.

It’s time we disrupt them with the inconvenience of reality on the ground and the truth as only we know it.

SMART-TD has heard you.

Now Congress needs to hear you.

The moment is here.

Let’s not let it slip away. This fight isn’t coming. It is here. Your union needs you not to blink.

In solidarity,

Jeremy R. Ferguson
President, Transportation Division

I am pleased to share two exciting developments from our Canadian office that reflect both our growth and our continued commitment to supporting our members.

First, we are proud to announce the launch of our new Canadian Facebook page! This is an exciting step forward in how we connect and communicate with members across the country. Our page will serve as a space to highlight SMART Canada initiatives, showcase member stories, celebrate local successes and provide visibility into what the Canadian office and sister locals are accomplishing on the ground every day.

This platform is about representation, connection and pride. It’s a place where members can see the strength of SMART Canada in action, stay informed and celebrate the incredible work happening from coast to coast. We encourage you to follow, engage and share your stories with us by clicking here.

I’m equally excited to announce that SMART Canada is now offering a new benefit as part of our Health & Welfare package: a Financial Wellness Program through Enriched Academy.

We know that financial stress doesn’t just affect wallets; it also impacts health, well-being and overall happiness. With this new initiative, we are tackling these challenges head-on by providing education that can truly transform our members’ financial reality.

Through Enriched Academy, Canadian members will receive:

  • Exclusive access to expert financial guidance
  • Practical tools to manage and grow their finances
  • Interactive webinars and educational resources
  • Strategies to build confidence and long-term financial stability

This program is designed to give Canadian members the opportunity to redefine their financial future with knowledge and support tailored to their everyday needs. Reach out to your home local today for more informa­tion and to get signed up.

At the same time, we are encouraged to see continued support from the Canadian federal government for the unionized construction industry through major infrastructure investments. Equally important is the recognition that investing in projects must go hand in hand with investing in the skilled workforce needed to deliver them.

This commitment is reflected in new funding oppor­tunities under the Canadian Apprenticeship Strategy — Investments in Training Equipment program. This initiative is designed to help Red Seal trades modernize and upgrade the tools, equipment and technologies used in apprenticeship training, ensuring workers are fully prepared for today’s jobsite demands.

With the federal government covering up to 50% of eligible costs, this program offers a valuable opportu­nity to strengthen training capacity nationwide. We will actively promote this funding to our locals and encourage them to take full advantage by submitting proposals that enhance their training facilities and support the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

We are proud to continue expanding the value of our membership by investing in initiatives that strengthen both our union and our members’ well-being.

Stay connected, stay engaged, and as always, thank you for being part of SMART Canada.

In solidarity,

Jack Wall

Director of Canadian Affairs

SMART members often go underappreciated in North American society — and when we are recognized, it’s mostly for the jobs we do.

Not everyone knows what sheet metal workers are, or the vital role railroaders play in the national supply chain. But they do see members on jobsites building new schools and hospitals; in the cab of a freight train, transporting cargo across the country; at the wheel of a bus, bringing Americans wherever they need to be.

What they do not always see is the most powerful part of union membership: We take care of each other.  

Sheet metal and Transportation Division members made that clear in late 2025, when the Buffalo, New York, SMART Army sprang into action to help a brother in need.

“I didn’t see the light”

Dave Garringer, a member of SMART-TD Local 1393, was working as a conductor for CSX Transportation when he made a stop in Rochester, New York, in May of 2023.

As Garringer stepped off the train, he felt the ground shift, and his foot folded “in a very odd way,” he told WNYLaborToday.com. Unfortunately, that was just the beginning for our TD brother — over time, the injury worsened, and in November of 2025, he had to get his left leg amputated below his knee.

Garringer began using a wheelchair, but his Buffalo, New York, home — built in 1890 — didn’t accommodate the wheelchair ramp Garringer needed to get in and out of his house.

“I didn’t see any light. My wife didn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel,” he said in an interview with SMART News.

That’s when the SMART Army got involved.

“We’re not in a tunnel anymore”

SMART-TD’s Dan Banks started spreading the word that a fellow SMART member needed help. Shortly after, Garringer said, Local 71 showed up.

“They didn’t know who I was,” he said. “But there they were in my front yard in the cold, doing something for me and my family out of the kindness of their hearts.”

Local 71, the SMART sheet metal local based out of Buffalo, has helped members with wheelchair-accessible ramps in the past, along with other SMART Army events aimed at supporting the community.  

“I remember him saying this was the first time he felt hopeful in two years, so that kind of hit me right away and got me excited about [the project],” Local 71 Organizer Adam Kerr said. “[SMART] contacted us on October 30th, and then by November 14th we were completely done with the project.”

Kerr added: “The biggest value that you can get out of a union is that collective membership you can lean on. You’re not just coworkers, you’re brothers and sisters.”

Garringer said the display of solidarity has made a huge difference, both materially and otherwise.

“We’re not in a tunnel anymore, and we realized we’re not in this alone — we’re not in this by ourselves,” he said. “And that means a lot in a situation like this, where your whole life has been turned upside-down and it will never be the same.”

“This is what we do”

Garringer has been a proud member of SMART-TD for years. He told WNYLaborToday that he knew well the benefits of having union representation on the worksite and at the bargaining table, particularly when negotiating new contracts. But the wheelchair ramp went a step further.

“I’m very proud of my union, which is a wonderful thing,” he said. “They’re there to fight for you when your contract comes up, but when people need help — they are there.”

SMART-TD’s Banks joined the wheelchair effort, traveling from Cleveland to Buffalo, where he was one of several members interviewed by Buffalo ABC affiliate WKBW.

“This is what we do,” he told WKBW. “We’re a union. We take care of each other.”

“Semiconductor plant project creates hundreds of jobs for SMART sheet metal workers in Michigan.”

That would have — and should have — been the headline about a megaproject in the Flint area, one that looked set to change the lives of entire communities. But all that evaporated when political chaos got in the way.

“They were supposed to build a semiconductor chip plant to the tune of a couple square miles on the roof — a lot of work,” explained Mike Carpenter, a sheet metal mechanic and 12-year member of SMART Local 7. “Two hundred tradespeople for 10 to 15 years just in the sheet metal trades, thousands of jobs between other trades, supporting industry, business, transportation. It was going to put Flint almost back to that industrial, automotive attitude that it had back in the ‘70s and ‘80s.”

To be specific, the $55-plus billion project “was expected to be among the largest economic investments in Michigan’s history” and create up to 10,000 jobs, according to Michigan Live. Michigan state and local officials had worked for years to bring the project to the area. And, as Carpenter explained, that scale of project is never just about the work it creates. The impact spreads to area businesses, the local housing market and community members who aren’t directly involved.

“It sounded like everybody was set up for a win,” Carpenter said, adding: “We were really hoping for jobs.”

Then, in the summer of 2025, everything changed.

“Because of massive economic uncertainty at the national level, an advanced manufacturing company we were working with to bring a huge project to Michigan has decided not to move forward with plans to construct a semiconductor plant anywhere in the United States,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer said in a July statement. “Their board came to this decision amid national economic turmoil, which is at risk of worsening amid threats of even higher tariffs.”

SMART General President Michael Coleman commented on the project cancelation back when the news first broke.

“This project would have been huge for Local 7 sheet metal workers and members of the local community, and its cancelation is devastating for our members, their families and working people in Michigan,” he said. “These projects change lives, and when they get canceled, SMART members and working people lose. It’s that simple. We need our leaders in government to focus on policies that protect our jobs, our communities and our families.”

Carpenter echoed those sentiments.

“It was disheartening, you know. You look forward to years and years of good, steady work, and building your funds back up, and building your pension back up,” he explained. “Taking care of the retired members that helped build what we have, and taking care of the future members — building something that they’re going to be proud of and something that they can profit from after they’ve put their time in.”

As of now, Carpenter said, the massive site of the now-canceled project is sitting empty: hundreds upon hundreds of acres, with site prep ongoing but nothing to put members to work.

“It would be nice to see some cooperation on getting this back up and running,” he concluded. “Michigan taxpayers have a lot of money into that … So it’d be nice to see the taxpayers get a return.”

A pro-worker rail safety bill was officially signed into law by former New Jersey Gover­nor Phil Murphy in early 2025.

A-4460, also known as S3389 in the Senate, enacts strict two-person crew requirements for freight trains, ensuring that critical safety functions are not placed on the shoulders of a single worker. This provision reflects real-world operating conditions and directly addresses risks that rail workers have warned about for years.

The bill also strengthens oversight of railroad infrastructure, requires enhanced safety reporting, mandates the use of modern detection technolo­gies and expands/solidifies the role of labor organizations in investigations of derailments and other accidents. The bill is one of the most comprehen­sive and practical rail safety packages passed in the modern era.

Protecting rail workers and communities is not a partisan issue, but a shared responsibility. A-4460 passed with overwhelming bipar­tisan support.

This landmark legislation repre­sents the culmination of years of dedicated advocacy by the SMART-TD New Jersey Safety and Legislative Board, led by Director Ron Sabol. Together they carried our lived experiences from yards, terminals and crew rooms across the state directly to the halls of the State House in Trenton. Their message was simple and consistent: Rail safety saves lives, and it must be treated as a top priority.

The worker-driven effort behind this legislation was formally recog­nized when Sabol was given the honor of casting a vote for the bill. This honor was extended by Senator Patrick Diegnan, who represents New Jersey’s 18th Legislative District. This acknowledgement recognizes SMART-TD and Sabol’s leadership and tireless advocacy in helping move this legislation across the finish line.

Our rail safety package officially became law on January 20, 2026, when Governor Murphy proved his SMART-TD allegiance with one of his last acts in office.

This worker-led victory proves that when rail workers bring their experiences directly to lawmakers, meaningful change follows!

(Photo: Ron Sabol casting a vote for S3389 on the Senate floor.)

Early January marked a deeply sad and consequential moment for rail labor, rail management and the freight rail industry as a whole.

CSX Transportation announced its decision to dismantle Operation RedBlock. This union-run program stood as the gold standard for substance abuse prevention, peer prevention and safety in railroading for more than four decades. Since its founding in 1984, Operation RedBlock saved lives, preserved careers, stabilized families and safeguarded the movement of America’s freight.

“This is a sad day — not just for our members, but for management as well,” said SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson. “Operation RedBlock worked because it saved lives, it saved careers, and it prevented countless incidents that would have cost the railroad far more than the program ever did.”

A program built on trust and proven results

Operation RedBlock was never about shielding employees from responsibility. It was about ensuring that railroaders did not report to work under the influence, under extreme distress or under levels of distraction that lead to derailments, collisions, injuries and fatalities.

By offering a confidential, non-punitive path to help, RedBlock did something in-house corporate programs rarely achieve. It created trust.

That trust ensured that men and women on the ballast removed themselves from service when they were not fit for duty and sought long-term solutions to the underlying issues creating instability in their lives. In doing so, Operation RedBlock did not just benefit workers. It safeguarded train crews, supervisors, communities along the right-of-way and CSX’s bottom line.

For 41 years, this program prevented accidents before they happen. That is not speculation. That was its record.

That record was repeatedly recognized by federal regulators. The Federal Railroad Administration acknowledged that Operation RedBlock and its coordination with CSX’s EAP produced measurable safety benefits.

“FRA has been impressed by the CSX Operation RedBlock programs, the EAP program, and the synergy and cooperation between the two programs,” said Jerry Powers, Staff Director of the FRA’s Part 219 Drug and Alcohol Program. “FRA considers an effective mark-off program and voluntary self-referral and co-worker reporting policies as key force-multipliers to Part 219-regulated testing in the deterrence and detection of drug use and alcohol misuse.”

FRA’s Powers went on to say, “The level of referrals is approximately three times greater year-to-year as compared to random and reasonable cause/suspicion positives, a figure that truly speaks to the outstanding efforts of CSX Drug & Alcohol, EAP, and Operation RedBlock Program personnel. One must keep in mind that these are not just statistics but actual individual employees being helped with substance disorders that can not only improve railroad safety but also positively impact the families of the employees and the emotional development of their children.

“The mark-offs and referrals demonstrate that the ORB Programs under the leadership of Mike Jackson and Phillip Young with Tad Hood (MOW and Signal) and Scott Higgins (Mechanical) has been successful in promoting and creating on-going cultural change and employee engagement to reduce and eliminate unsafe behavior.”

President Ferguson put it simply: “Operation RedBlock didn’t survive for four decades because it only benefited labor. It survived because it worked. It made CSX safer, more stable, and more reliable. Programs without value do not last 41 years in this industry.”

A history the industry chose to ignore

The dismantling of Operation RedBlock at CSX did not happen in a vacuum.

Amtrak and Union Pacific once had similar union-run RedBlock programs. Those programs also saved lives and served their memberships and public safety well. Both were ultimately taken over by management under the belief that carrier-controlled employee assistance programs could do the job better.

They could not.

Amtrak’s program disappeared entirely. Union Pacific lost nearly all traction after experienced union coordinators were removed.

“We watched this happen at Amtrak and Union Pacific, and now CSX is following the same path,” said Mike Jackson, Operation RedBlock program coordinator for CSX and a member of SMART-TD Local 1374 (New Castle, Pa.). “Once management took control at those properties, the trust disappeared. When trust disappears, people stop coming forward — and safety suffers.”

Losing more than a program

The loss of Operation RedBlock is part of a much larger trend: railroads abandoning the commitments they once claimed to believe in.

In the 1980s and 1990s, railroads invested in robust mental health and substance abuse programs staffed by masters-level counselors embedded in divisions. These professionals met railroaders face-to-face. They followed through. They cared whether people lived or died.

Today, most rail carriers rely on outsourced, checkbox-driven EAP vendors with little accountability and no connection to the railroad lifestyle. That is why the union-run Operation RedBlock stood above the rest.

“Federal law requires railroads to have EAPs, but nothing requires them to make those programs effective,” Jackson said. “What we’ve lost across this industry is real commitment. The health and mental condition of our coworkers has to matter. It can’t be reduced to compliance on paper.”

Operation RedBlock at CSX was the last program of its kind still standing.

“I’m deeply disappointed that this mission is being dismantled,” Jackson said. “What makes it worse is knowing our members will no longer have someone standing in their corner, making sure our industry doesn’t fail the people who are struggling.”

An abdication of leadership

CSX claims that nothing will change. They want us to believe that Operation RedBlock’s functions will simply be absorbed into its internal EAP.

SMART-TD members know better.

When discipline, attendance and job security all flow from the same entity, voluntary self-reporting disappears. Fear replaces trust. Problems go underground until they surface as accidents, injuries or fatalities.

By eliminating the independent, union-run structure that made Operation RedBlock effective, CSX has dismantled the very safeguard that kept unfit employees out of service and trains moving safely.

But this is not the end of the fight.

“No matter what the carriers do, our members need to know this: we have their backs,” Jackson said. “We will keep fighting for them — even when the road forward isn’t clear.”

On February 9, 2026, SMART General President Michael Coleman announced the election of SMART Local 28 (New York City and Long Island) Business Manager Eric Meslin to the SMART General Executive Council (GEC), following former Fifth General Vice President Bob Butler’s appointment as SMART International representative. In addition, former Local 44 Business Manager Don Dunne was appointed an International representative for the mid-Atlantic region.

Eric Meslin
Bob Butler
Don Dunne

Eric Meslin is a third-generation sheet metal worker whose lifelong commitment to Local 28 and the labor movement has propelled him through a distinguished career of union leadership.

He began his apprenticeship in 1998, earning journeyperson status four years later. In 2006, he was elected to Local 28’s Executive Board, where he continued to serve through subsequent reelections in 2007 and 2010.

In 2013, Meslin was elected to represent the membership full-time as a business representative. During this period, he was also appointed as a labor-side trustee to both the Joint Labor Management Committee and the Joint Apprenticeship Committee. He was reelected as business repre­sentative in 2016.

The members of Local 28 elected Meslin as president and business manager in 2019, reaffirming their confidence in his leadership with reelections in 2022 and 2025. He serves as chairman of the Local 28 Trust Funds and also chairs the Local 28 Political Action League. Meslin sits on the Executive Boards of the New York State Building Trades Council, the New York City Building Trades Council and the Nassau Suffolk County Building Trades Council, and he serves as a delegate to the Metropolitan Association of Presidents and Business Representatives. In 2020, Meslin was appointed by SMART General President Emeritus Joseph Sellers Jr. to the Board of Directors of NEMI (National Energy Management Institute), where he served as a trustee.

In 2024, SMART General President Coleman appointed Meslin as a trustee of SASMI (Stabilization Agreement of the Sheet Metal Industry). The following year, in 2025, Meslin was elected president of the New York State Council of Sheet Metal Workers, representing Locals 28, 38, 46, 58, 71, 83, 112 and 137.

Meslin is married and the proud father of three daughters. His commitment to family mirrors the dedication he brings to the members of Local 28, and he often credits his wife and daughters for their unwavering support as he continues to serve our union and the broader labor community.

Newly appointed International Representative Bob Butler has been a member of Local 17 (Boston, Mass.) for 40 years. He stepped into local leadership in 1997 as trustee and was subsequently elected to the local’s Executive Board. Butler was elected as a business representa­tive in 2002, a position in which he served until his election as business manager in 2012.

With Butler’s extensive knowl­edge of the trade and his experience in union leadership, he was elected president of the SMART Northeast Regional Council (NERC) in 2021 and led the four locals within this region. In 2022, Butler was appointed as a general vice presi­dent on the GEC, where he served until transitioning into his new role.

Alongside Butler, former Local 44 (Northeastern Pa.) Business Manager Don Dunne was also appointed an International represen­tative in February. Dunne has been a member of Local 44 since 1998 and graduated from the apprentice­ship in 2002. Shortly thereafter, he served as a trustee until his election as recording secretary in 2006. That same year, he expanded his contri­butions by becoming a part-time welding instructor for Local 44’s apprenticeship program, sharing his knowledge and skills with the next generation of sheet metal workers.

Dunne’s leadership continued to grow as he was elected business representative in 2012. His commit­ment to the membership was further recognized in 2018, when he was elected business manager. In 2021, he was reelected to serve as both business manager and financial secretary-treasurer.

Dunne also served as trustee for Local 44’s Funds and the Joint Apprenticeship Training Center. In 2021, he was appointed co-chair of SASMI. Beyond his roles within Local 44, Dunne has held several prominent positions in related organizations.

Congratulations, brothers!

A lot has changed in the many decades since sheet metal workers first organized in 1888. Back then, “tin knock­ers” were known for their snips and hammers; today, technological advancements like AutoCAD and artificial intelligence have not just shaped the way we work, but the world in which we live.

However, one thing has not changed: the pride that comes with being a skilled tradesperson. Being able to drive past a building and say, “I built that.”

That precise feeling is what Local 24 (central Ohio) member Roger Hoover drew upon when he titled his 2026 book, I Built That! And So Can You. Now available for purchase via Braughler Books, the 128-page book was called a “must read for students” by the Urbana Daily Citizen.

Roger Hoover

“We don’t have any books about anybody doing anything in the trades,” Hoover said in a recent interview with SMART. “I couldn’t find anybody who has written about it … and I thought, ‘Well, why not me?’”

Hoover, now 72 years old, joined our union in 1972. The sheet metal trade changed his life: Over the decades, he enjoyed a fulfilling career building his community, providing for his family and, following over 40 years in the industry, retiring with the comfort of a union-negotiated pension.

That was in 2016. After nine years of retirement, he came back to work to help build a General Motors plant last year — just 1.9 miles from his house.

“The first job I came out on was probably the best job I was ever on,” said Hoover, who has since been working on a data center project. “I really didn’t know how much pride I had in what I did until I came back, and then realized: Wow, this is really a great way to make a living.”

Hoover has enjoyed his return to the tools — but the fact that he even could come back to work is part of what inspired him to write I Built That! And So Can You.

Over the years, he said, he asked countless sheet metal workers whether they were happy they joined the trade. The nearly universal answer was “yes.” When he asked those same sheet metal workers if they would encourage their children to enter the trade, the answer, he explained, was frequently “no.”

That disconnect, resulting at least in part from American high schools’ unrelenting effort to push students to go to college rather than consider the skilled trades, has helped lead to today’s workforce shortage, he argued. There’s also the fact that despite the essential role SMART members play in communities across North America, very few people actually know what sheet metal workers do.

To that end, I Built That! was born.

With such an extraordinary range of experience — working in the industry as an appren­tice, draftsman, foreman, estimator, field supervisor, project manager and instructor — Hoover’s book has plenty of insights for both current members and future sheet metal workers. It includes stories from throughout Hoover’s career, which spans from the years predating the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to the high-tech data centers that he and thousands of other SMART members are helping build today. He has witnessed many innovations throughout his years in the trade — and he played a key role in more than a few.

One such project was one of the first-ever industrial solar panel jobs in the United States, where despite having little relevant experience, Hoover’s problem-solving skills — developed over the span of his career — helped with its success.

“That makes me such a proud member, because we really have been on the forefront of a lot of things,” he said.

Hoover has also played a part in helping our union and our industry expand. Starting in the 1990s, he partnered with SMACNA to deliver leadership classes across the United States and Canada, and he authored the Basic Sheet Metal Estimating Manual through the same partnership.

Today, with the publication of I Built That! And So Can You, he aims to keep spreading the gospel about working in the sheet metal industry, particularly to young people who may otherwise think the only road to job security is a college degree.

“People don’t understand what we do, and they don’t understand the incredible, incredible opportu­nity that’s available for kids coming into the industry, and with no debt,” Hoover said, adding:

“There’s a great amount of pride that goes into being a sheet metal worker. We do things that nobody else can do.”