SMART100 Spring 2022 Newsletter

SMART 100

SPRING 2022 UPDATES

A Word from Your Business Manager

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TRAINING CENTER NEWS

From the Field

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FUND NEWS

On the Money

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

In Memoriam

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SAFETY AND COVID UPDATES

Safety First!

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POLITICAL UPDATE

Beyond 100

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1OO UPDATES

Stay Connected

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TRUSTEES

Meet Your SMART Local 100 Trustees

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ABOUT SMART LOCAL 100 Sheet Metal Air Rail & Transportation Local 100 provides top-quality advocacy, support, and employment services for skilled sheet metal workers in the Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Cumberland, Richmond, Roanoke, and Norfolk regions. We care about quality construction because we live in the communities where we build. From drawing boards to grand openings, our members are true partners in the growth of our communities while receiving best-in-class wages and benefits. We ensure fair wages, job safety, quality health care, pensions, training, and more to support each generation of skilled sheet metal workers.

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SMART 100 UPDATE

Business Manager's Message

A WORD FROM YOUR BUSINESS MANAGER BROTHERS AND SISTERS, Welcome to our second quarterly newsletter. We have so many exciting updates to share with you as we continue to roll out new tools to keep you — our members — updated and informed.

As part of our efforts to better communicate with our members, monitor industry news and trends, and connect with partners, we have launched our first social media accounts on Twitter and Facebook. Having an easy-to-find social media presence is part of our mission to expand our member outreach, increase visibility, and make it easier to get messages out to members and others. We’ll be using both platforms to provide information, promote events, engage with partners, post news, and participate in public conversations about issues impacting our industry.

Please follow us on both platforms! On Twitter, you can find us at @SmartLocal_100. On Facebook, find us at facebook.com/SmartLocal100. See you there!

In May, we launched our new website, which will be your one-stop-shop for all things SMART Local 100. I’m so excited to share this new streamlined and user-friendly site with you. It will make it easier for you to connect with your union, learn what’s happening in the industry, find trainings, and learn about benefits, apprenticeships, and charitable and community improvement efforts across our local. For your convenience, you can find the website where it’s always been: SMART100.org.

The new, improved website, our new social media platforms, and our quarterly newsletters are all part of our commitment to keeping you and all of our members informed and excited about the great things happening in our union.

have opportunities for the best training possible, and that we all benefit from a growing market share. That’s how we’ll earn better contracts and maintain a healthier financial outlook for generations to come.

Please take a few minutes to check out our social media, give us a follow, and reach out to say hello! We are working every day to protect your rights and help you build your career.

In solidarity,

Richard LaBille III Business Manager SMART 100 Washington, D.C. • Baltimore • Cumberland • Roanoke • Norfolk • Richmond

In other news, we’ve been working hard to ensure a smooth merger of the Local’s healthcare funds and begin plans to do the same for our apprenticeship funds. Altogether, our end-goal remains the same as it has been all year: bringing all areas of Local 100 closer together and creating a stronger and more unified union. That’s how we will ensure everyone has access to excellent healthcare, all members SPRING 2022

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From the Field

From the Field MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: LONDON AND RYLEY ANTHONY At SMART 100, we like to say that we care about quality construction because we build where we live. For members London and Ryley Anthony — a father-daughter SMART Local 100 duo — that philosophy has become their professional mission.

into sheet metal working began at Fingles – and like her father, Ryley is a proud business owner, having recently opened her own outfit, Diversified Steelworks. Ryley is looking forward to being a union mechanic in just three more years.

For nearly 25 years, London has owned and operated Fingles Metalworks in Baltimore, MD, fabricating and installing sheet metal that powers the Baltimore transit system, D.C. Metro, New York City subway, and beyond.

London began working at Fingles with his father and uncle when he was just 15 years old, and it wasn’t long until a summer hobby became a lifelong career.

Baltimore is home for London and Ryley, and together with their staff, they are laying the foundation — literally — for their city and the greater Local 100 region. London says SMART 100 has allowed the Anthony family and their businesses to succeed:

Ryley, London’s daughter, is a talented and entrepreneurial apprentice at just 19 years old. Like her father, her journey

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SMART 100 UPDATE

“Being a SMART Local 100 member means a lot to me.

Fingles Metalworks is signed with the union because I believe in fair wages and benefits for all workers, and because I

Fund News

know the union will provide us with the trained and skilled employees we need to get the job done.”

While Fingles got its start in 1895, the story for Ryley’s Diversified Steelworks is only just beginning. With her own, union-powered LLC, Ryley can support her father’s projects through Fingles but also take on residential and artistic projects, all while developing her skills through Local 100’s apprenticeship program. Some might consider her sheet metal journey off the beaten path, but Ryley sees every day how wise her choices were and hopes more people will consider a career in the trades:

training programs. There are so many possibilities in life, and being in the trades and the union has been a great opportunity for me.”

This is the second in our series of SMART 100 member spotlights, where we highlight some of the incredible work of our members across Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. If you’d like to nominate a fellow member to be highlighted, please let us know by emailing us at Info@SMART100.org.

“To all the young people thinking about their future and weighing their options, and particularly to young women: don’t just look at college. Look at trades, unions, and their

SPRING 2022

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On the Money

On the Money NATIONAL PENSION FUND IS 81.5 PERCENT FUNDED, SMART PRESIDENT SAYS SMART General President Joseph Sellers, Jr. said that, as of January 1, 2022, the Sheet Metal Workers’ National Pension Fund is 81.5% funded and has been certified in the Green Zone. This means that SMART sheet metal workers and retirees can rest assured that their pensions are strong and healthy, giving them peace of mind that they can count on the National Pension Fund (NPF) in retirement.

“Our members and our industry have sacrificed a great deal to get the NPF to this place,” Sellers said. “They have seen

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SMART 100 UPDATE

changes to their benefits, and they have made the needed pension fund contribution increases. The Green Zone certification is a proud moment for our members, local unions, and employers, but we must continue to be vigilant in our management of the Fund to protect the retirement security of our members.”

The NPF has increased its funding percentage year after year for a decade, bringing it from critical status — as recently as 2013 — to its current level of strength. In 2010,

On the Money

They have seen changes to their benefits, and they have made the needed pension fund contribution increases.

The Green Zone certification is a proud moment for our members, local unions, and employers, but we must continue to be vigilant in our management of the Fund to protect the retirement security of our members.”

The Washington Examiner listed the NPF as one of the worst-funded union pension plans in the country. Now, 12 years later, the hard work and sacrifice of participants, local unions, and employers have led to an extraordinary turnaround that will benefit members for years to come.

After a long period of hard work, this is a moment worth celebrating.

It is also a moment for vigilance and foresight: there is more work to be done to ensure the NPF continues to grow. As Sellers points out, the volatile markets in 2022 demonstrate that we must continue to be attentive in our management of the NPF in order to protect the retirement security of SMART members. Nonetheless, growth in funding percentage from 52.3% in 2008 to 81.5% in 2022 is a notable signifier of the strength and commitment of our union — now and in the future.

Washington-area members should note that their pension fund is separate from the National Pension Fund.

SPRING 2022

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In Memoriam

In Memoriam Brother Raymond Arnold of Baltimore, Maryland Brother Charles Boyd of Baltimore, Maryland Brother Kenneth Burk of Odenton, Maryland Brother Burley Henley of Pulaski, Virginia Brother Henry Ingle of Annapolis, Maryland Brother Adrian Lambert of Dayton, Virginia Brother Daniel Lisenbee of St. Petersburg, Florida Brother Joseph Mattia III of Camp Springs, Maryland Brother Ronald Ranere of Fayetteville, Georgia Brother Joseph Rison of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

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SMART 100 UPDATE

Safety and COVID Updates

Safety First THE IMPORTANCE OF OBTAINING COVID-19 BOOSTERS NOTE: While SMART Local 100 encourages members to stay healthy, the local does not mandate vaccinations. SMART Local 100 follows federal, state, and local public health guidelines.

Obtaining booster shots is an important way to protect yourself and your community from COVID-19. As new strains emerge and cases continue to rise, we must stay vigilant and follow current guidance from the CDC. In response to these developments, the CDC advises those who have been fully vaccinated to schedule an additional booster shot. For those of you who may be immunocompromised, this vaccination is especially important.

Over time, vaccines may become less effective at preventing infection. As shown by the rise of the Delta and Omicron strains, the virus is rapidly changing, and it is important to ensure that you stay protected. Boosters can help to combat the severity of COVID-19 and keep our communities safe. By following current guidance, we can help to prevent new cases and mitigate the spread of the virus. We encourage you to obtain a booster shot if you are eligible for one. To schedule a vaccine appointment near you, visit vaccines.gov.

ORDER FREE COVID-19 RAPID TESTS The Administration recently announced that each household in the country is eligible to receive eight more COVID-19 tests at no charge. These rapid antigen tests will show results within a half hour and work regardless of symptoms. Once ordered, they will be delivered to your home via USPS within seven to twelve days.

Having access to over-the-counter tests is crucial to help prevent the spread of the virus. It is important to note that a negative result does not guarantee that you cannot pass COVID-19 to others. As we continue to navigate this pandemic, please engage in best practices like hand washing, wearing masks, and keeping tabs on any symptoms. We encourage you to take advantage of this free resource to help keep you and your family safe if you haven’t ordered them already.

To order your free rapid tests, visit COVIDtests.gov.

SPRING 2022

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Beyond 100

Beyond 100 NEWS AFFECTING OUR UNION AND OUR TRADE SMART congratulates New York Amazon workers for organizing the first-ever unionized Amazon warehouse An overwhelming majority of employees at the JFK8 Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, recently voted to join the worker-led Amazon Labor Union — becoming the first unionized Amazon warehouse in the United States. In response, SMART released the following statement:

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SMART 100 UPDATE

“We at SMART enthusiastically congratulate the Amazon workers at JFK8, who have pulled off an inspiring victory by choosing to form a union. Over the course of the campaign, workers across the country witnessed as Amazon used countless bad-faith union-busting tactics to mislead its employees. What Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island proved today is that captive audience meetings and multi-million-dollar anti-union campaigns are no match for the power of workers who stand together for a better future. Again, congratulations to the Amazon workers in Staten Island.”

Beyond 100

FORTUNE Magazine features Northern Illinois SMART member in piece about the benefits of working in the trades

SMART, other transit unions call on Washington labor leaders to fight ‘High-Viz’ railroad attendance policy

Tyler Zitzka, a 23-year-old member of SMART Local 265 in Illinois, told the financial magazine that he is on track to make six figures this year and is living proof that college isn’t necessary for everyone.

SMART and other labor unions are calling on the Biden administration, including Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg, to strike down the so-called “High-Viz” attendance policy at major rail operators, which penalizes union members for taking time off work and incentivizes coming in sick through a point system.

While most of his friends decided to go to college after high school, Zitzka became an apprentice, serving as an HVAC technician. He knew it was the right career path ever since a vocational teacher at his high school — now one of Zitzka’s fellow union members — introduced his class to the trade.

He calls the decision a no-brainer.

“I knew I didn’t have the school-based smarts,” Zitzka told Fortune. “I wanted to use my hands, get dirty, and be outside.

I’m happy to be where I’m at.”

Zitzka took home $58,000 as an apprentice, and this year, once he finishes his apprenticeship, he’s set to make between $90,000 and $110,000. Better still, he has no student loans to repay and was able to buy a home last year.

Under the new policy proposed by freight giant BNSF, rail employees must be ready at a moment’s notice, under threat of disciplinary action. The High-Viz policy enables BNSF to double up schedules and grind its workforce down, and uses supply chain issues and labor shortages as reasons for the controversial new point system.

SPRING 2022

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Beyond 100

President Biden calls for ARPA funds to be used to improve air quality in buildings The White House has released new ventilation and air quality guidelines for schools, colleges, and other building owners and operators in an effort to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading indoors.

The so-called Clean Air in Buildings Challenge, part of the Biden administration’s new strategy for handling this phase of the COVID fight, addresses how improving indoor ventilation can help keep people safe.

The recommendations, published by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, include creating an action plan to improve indoor air quality, optimizing fresh air ventilation, enhancing air filtration, and engaging people in the

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SMART 100 UPDATE

community. In each of those four categories, the plan includes detailed steps for building operators to consider.

Some of the suggested measures are short-term improvements, such as using portable air cleaners in areas with poor airflow. Others require longer-term investments, including upgrading heating, venting, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and installing extra ventilation.

The White House says funds from the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan can be used to help upgrade air quality in schools and public buildings.

Stay Connected

Stay Connected Did you know that SMART Local 100 has a brand new Twitter and Facebook? It’s a great way to stay connected with the latest from your union. Stay tuned for more to come, including email and text message update systems.

Don’t miss a single update. Head to SMART100.org/signup now to update your contact information.

We’re excited to unveil our new website, SMART100.org, rebuilt to service our members’ needs. From benefits to reps to apprenticeships and more, find everything you need on your computer or phone at the same old URL!

SPRING 2022

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Trustees

Meet Your SMART Local 100 Trustees Meet your SMART Local 100 trustees! Our trustee team is here to ensure that union general funds are well-managed, your benefits are administered exceptionally, and we’re investing proactively in the future for you, your family, and your union brothers and sisters.

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Richard “Richie” LaBille

Steve Sullivan

Joseph Pickens

Trustee of all Local 100 Funds

Trustee, General Fund

Trustee, General Fund

Jarrett Abbott

Michael Mahar

Warren Hackley

Roanoke Executive Board and Roanoke JATC Trustee

Washington and Baltimore JATC trustee

Vice President of Local 100, Washington JATC trustee

SMART 100 UPDATE

Trustees

Thomas (Tom) Killeen

William Allen

Michael Noble

Washington pension, 401k, vacation and Local 100 health fund trustee

Roanoke, Norfolk, Richmond JATC and Local 100 health fund trustee

Washington pension, 401k, vacation, Local 100 health fund and Cumberland JATC trustee

John Dumler

Chuck Sewell

Brian W. Diehl

Washington pension, 401k, vacation and Local 100 health fund trustee

Washington pension, 401k, vacation, Local 100 health fund and Baltimore JATC trustee

Cumberland JATC Trustee

SPRING 2022

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Local 100 Union Hall/Washington, D.C. Area Office (Headquarters) 4725 Silver Hill Road Suitland, MD 20746

Contact Us

301-568-8655

800-492-8004

301-967-1683

Info@SMART100.org