SHEET METAL WORKERS
The SMART Northeast Regional Council was formed in 2021 to centralize our resources throughout the region. By creating a united front among our locals and contractors, we are able to bring new jobs for our collective workforce, making us stronger and more nimble in the fight ahead. The SMART Northeast Regional Council is composed of Locals 17, 40, 63, and 83. Our locals span across New England. With over 4,000 members and counting, we use our collective bargaining power to fight for better training, benefits, and wages for our workers and a better future for our communities.
PRESIDENT'S REPORT
Brothers and Sisters,
This summer started with some great jobs keeping our members hard at work. We are happy to welcome Local 83 into the fold, as they recently joined the SMART Northeast Regional Council. Get a glimpse into what's going on at Local 83 on pages 10-11.
Our brothers and sisters at Local 40 share some upcoming events and their dedication to improving school air quality on pages 6-7, while our brothers and sisters at Local 63 share some upcoming projects and recent apprenticeship contest winners on pages 8-9.
Speaking of contest winners, we are proud to share that our very own Shamaiah Turner, Business Development Representative for the SMART Northeast Regional Council, received a well-deserved award this spring for her dedication and leadership. Read more about this incredible achievement on page 14.
Attending your local's meetings is essential for staying active in your union. It's the best way to join in discourse with your union brothers and sisters and to get your voice heard. The decisions made in these meetings impact your and your local's future, and we need you to attend so you can be part of those decisions.
Winning back work hours
Our union is proud to lead the way in winning back hundreds of thousands of work hours for our members. Every hour we recover is a testament to our unwavering commitment to upholding the highest standards of safety, equity, and union solidarity. Read more about the many projects we transformed from non-union to union in the Local 17: Equality Fund Victories article.
Staying active in your local
Attending your local meetings is essential for staying active in your union. It's the most powerful way to participate and make your voice heard. The decisions made in these meetings impact your and our local's future, and we need you to attend so you can be part of those decisions.
In Solidarity,
Robert Butler President SMART Northeast Regional Council
LOCAL 17: LOCAL 17'S 2024 EQUALITY FUND VICTORIES
So far in 2024, we have won back nearly 200,000 work hours for Local 17 members and counting.
By turning non-union jobs into good, equitable union jobs, we're ensuring worksites in our neighborhoods are safe and completed with the best community standards and the most responsible contractors in their respective regions.
Local 17 continues our pattern of keeping our members employed for every job possible.
LOCAL 17 EQUALITY PROJECTS 2024: BY THE NUMBERS
9 105 job sites across 5 states: Rhode Island, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts and Maine
9 30 signatory contractors
9 181,418 additional hours awarded to our members and counting 20 OF THE LARGEST OF 2024'S EQUALITY PROJECTS
for women in union apprenticeships. We’re proud to be part of this effort, creating more opportunities for women and making the industry more welcoming.
SPOTLIGHT ON BENEFITS
In late October, our Local 17 and Local 63 joined over 500 tradeswomen at the second-annual Women Build Boston. In December, trade sisters from 17, 40, and 63 joined leadership at Tradeswomen Build Nations, the largest gathering of tradeswomen in North America.
As a member of Sheet Metal Workers Local 17, you have a right to quality healthcare, retirement benefits, and more. You have the right to stand with your fellow workers and hold your employer to a higher standard without fear of repercussion.
Over 4,000 union sisters. Read more about the conference on page X as Local 40 member highlights her experience.
Your Board of Trustees continually evaluates the benefits we offer and looks for opportunities to enhance those benefits while maintaining a financially sound Insurance Fund. We depend on you as a member of the Fund, and you should depend on us to provide benefits that meet your needs and are easy to use.
LOCAL 40 UPDATE
REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT
Summer is finally here, and with it Local 40 is experiencing full employment. The shops hum along pumping out metal and the journeypeople inside are installing ductwork, while the members in the field are busy installing exterior systems. As the year progresses, we can look forward to more work under PLAs in Local 40; 19 plus communities have partnered with the building trades to build their municipal projects with union labor. These local governments understand that union labor can help people in those communities find lasting careers throughout the construction industries.
We can’t wait to celebrate Labor Day with our Local 40 family picnic, partnered with the Hartford Yard Goats, on Saturday, August 31. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. for a 6:10 p.m. game time.
The political season will be here just after Labor Day. This past legislative session the state of Connecticut dedicated more than $120 million to improving school air quality, vital work for our balancing contractors. Find additional details at: SenateDems.ct.gov/connecticutdedicates-more-than-120-million-to-improvingschool-air-quality
Local 40 will participate in labor walks, along with other Building Trades Locals throughout the state of Connecticut, which will take place on Saturdays starting September 7 and go through November 9. These labor walks will focus on getting union members to other union households for local and national politicians who support SMART and the building trades, both Republican and Democrat.
Enjoy your summer and remember — let’s help our fellow union brothers and sisters in the good times also.
John Nimmons
Local 40 Regional Manager SMART Northeast Regional Council
Scan this QR code to learn more about improving school air quality
Congratulations to Brandon Rahaim who placed 2nd in the Region 1 Architectural Apprentice Contest.
Our members with F&F Mechanical fabricated and installed 430,000 lbs. of galvanized, black iron, and stainless steel, along with the installation of 34 exhaust fans, 27 SS exhaust stacks, 10 AHUs, boilers, generators and more at Connecticut Children’s new Patient
Local 40 members on-site at the Connecticut Children’s new Patient Tower site.
Shawn Penta, Abdiel Valentin, Mike Gonet, and Al Silver at the Great Wolf Lodge at Foxwoods project. Our members working for Yankee Sheet Metal have installed 22,000 lbs. of PVC coated ductwork on-site there.
Left to right: Regional Manager John Nimmons, Labor Management Representative Fred Descy, second-year apprentice Brandon Rahaim, and Coordinator Jason Sherman.
Tower.
LOCAL 63
REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT
Brothers and Sisters,
As we head into Summer 2024, work in Local 63 is picking up. Several larger projects are scheduled to start mid to late summer and we anticipate a busy fall and winter.
There are multiple schools in the planning and design stages throughout Western Massachusetts, as well as recent talk of moving forward with a new Hampden County District Court House in the city of Springfield.
Several major capital improvement projects at the UMass Main Campus in Amherst, Massachusetts are in the planning and design phase, slated to begin in late 2024 and early 2025.
Recently Local 63 was host to the SMART Region 1 Apprenticeship Contest where apprentices from 12 Northeast Locals competed in different categories such as HVAC, TAB, Industrial Welding, Architectural, as well as a standalone 2nd year Apprentice competition. Two (2) Local 63 contestants placed 2nd and one (1) Local 63 contestant placed 3rd in their respective categories. Congratulations to all who competed, you are the future of Local 63. I would also like to thank Local 63 Apprentice Coordinator Scott Demers and his team of JATC Training Instructors for all their hard work behind the scenes to make this event a success.
Massachusetts Building Trades Unions are supporting several Labor bills in the Senate and House. We are asking every member to be on the lookout for QR code flyers that support these bills in your shops and on job sites. It only takes two minutes to scan, attach your name, and send a letter to the senators and representatives that represent the town or city in which you live.
As always, I remain committed to working collectively with Northeast Regional Council representatives from all four (4) Locals to provide new work opportunities for our members and reduce administrative costs for our hardworking Brothers and Sisters.
In Solidarity,
Michael J. LaFleur
Local 63 Business Manager
SMART Northeast Regional Council
LOCAL 83
REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT
Brothers and Sisters,
As the summer begins, our work opportunities continue to grow and look to be steadily increasing throughout the rest of the year. Since joining the SMART Northeast Regional Council, our local has been able to utilize the new resources available to us and continue to grow our market share.
Local 83’s commitment to continuing education has been enhanced through a grant from the ITI to bring on a full-time coordinator for the first time. With this great opportunity, our local will be restructuring some of our older curriculum and adding new classes to our roster to continue building our educational program.
As we all know, it is an election year, and it is important to support politicians who help our union causes. Many positive strides have been accomplished and we all need to work together to continue our movement.
I look forward to working together to continue our growth with work opportunities, education, and expansion in market share.
In Solidarity,
Robert Monahan Local 83 Regional Manager
SMART Northeast Regional Council
SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Congratulations to this year’s Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 scholarship recipients! We are proud to help hardworking students achieve their goals by creating opportunities for them to succeed.
In April, Local 17 had the pleasure of awarding 36 scholarships to local high school seniors and college students, totaling $178,000 in both one-year and four-year scholarships. These awards can be crucial for students pursuing higher education and it is our
privilege to assist in that process. We can’t wait to see what these bright, young students achieve in the future!
Thank you to the Hayward family (Bob, Scott, and Sean) for leading the scholarship committee for three generations, and for their continued dedication this year. The Local 17 Scholarships Fund has been established for over four decades, working to support the next generation. Over that time, our union has been proud to provide over $2 million in scholarship funds, and we are thrilled to continue this initiative in 2024.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE WINNERS!
Four-Year Scholarship Winners
• Natalie Svagdis, Senior at Braintree High School
Amount: $16,000 — $4,000 per year
Sponsor: Grandfather, John Svagdis
• Nicole Donato, Senior at Whitman Hanson High School
Amount: $14,000 — $3,500 per year
Sponsor: Father, John Donato
• Sophia Lesinski, Senior at Triton High School
Amount: $12,000 — $3,000 per year
Sponsor: Grandfather, John Dostie
• Kaelyn Engeian, Senior at Groton Dunstable High School
Amount: $10,000 — $2,500 per year
Sponsor: Grandfather, Paul Engeian
• Avery Tufts, Senior at Weymouth High School
Amount: $8,000 — $2,000 per year
Sponsor: Grandfather, Thomas Donelan
Memorial Scholarship Winners
$4,500/One-Year Scholarships
• Matthew Tracy, Senior at Natick High School
Joseph J. Nigro Memorial Scholarship
Sponsor: Great Grandfather, Jasper Buono
• Sophia Alysse Calder, Student at Suffolk University
Charlie F. Geary Memorial Scholarship
Sponsor: Grandfather, George Psaros
• Lily Mackin, Senior at Weymouth High School
James M. Kelly Memorial Scholarship
Sponsor: Father, Joseph Mackin
Lottery Scholarship Winners
$4,000/One-Year Scholarships
• Ava Collins, Senior at Weymouth High School
Sponsor: Father, Richard Collins
• Nicholas Marcotte, Student at UMass Lowell
Sponsor: Father, William Marcotte
• Benjamin Wheeler, Senior at Boston College High School
Sponsor: Grandfather, Harold Wheeler
• James Cassell, Senior at Haverhill High School
Sponsor: Father, Paul Cassell
• Katie Rose Cronin, Student at Providence College
Sponsor: Grandfather, Ronald Cronin
• Teagan Cioffi, Student at Kennesaw State University
Sponsor: Grandfather, Patrick Costello
• Kali Sevene, Student at Norwich University
Sponsor: Father, Gordon Sevene
• Dennis Oberg, Student at Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Sponsor: Grandfather, Dennis Oberg
• Michaela Nicholson, Student at Northshore Community College
Sponsor: Father, Michael Nicholson
• Christina Costello-Cioffi, Student at Bridgewater State University
Sponsor: Father, Patrick Costello
• Megan Elizabeth Ciampa, Senior at Winchester High School
Sponsor: Father, David Ciampa
• Ashley Sweeney, Student at Endicott College
Sponsor: Father, Jeffrey Sweeney
• Riley Madison LeBlanc, Student at Chapman University
Sponsor: Father, Peter LeBlanc
• Kaitlyn Hess, Student at UMass Amherst
Sponsor: Father, Wayne Hess
• Caitlyn Nelson, Student at Bridgewater State University
Sponsor: Grandfather, Festus Joyce
• Colleen Kelly, Student at University of Rhode Island
Sponsor: Father, Peter Kelly
• Alexander Correia, Senior at Timberlane Regional High School
Sponsor: Grandfather, Louis Russell
• Aaron Johnson, Student at Northeastern University
Sponsor: Father, Robert J. Johnson
• Willow DiGravio, Student at Coastal Carolina University
Sponsor: Father, Darren DiGravio
• Nicolas Manganiello, Student at Coastal Carolina University
Sponsor: Grandfather, Kevin Delorey
• Kylie Anne Maher, Student at Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Sponsor: Father, Daniel Maher
• Adrienne Fencer, Student at Simmons University
Sponsor: Father, Richard Fencer, Jr
• Benjamin James DeBoer, Student at Curry College Sponsor: Father, James DeBoer
• Haylee Coupal, Student at UMass Lowell Sponsor: Father, Dennis Coupal
• Daniel Scolaro, Student at Saint Anselm College
Sponsor: Father, John Scolaro
Alternate Scholarship Winners
$1,500/One-Year Scholarships
• Edward Reilly, Student at Clemson University
Sponsor: Grandfather, Louis Russell
• Katelyn Sweeney, Student at Stevens Institute of Technology
Sponsor: Father, Jeffrey Sweeney
• Kendra Ditullio, Student at Sacred Heart University
Sponsor: Father, Darren Ditullio
BUILDING WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION AWARDEE SHAMAIAH TURNER
We are proud to share that Shamaiah Turner is the first Sheet Metal Worker Local 17 member to receive the Tradeswoman of the Year Inspire Award from Building Women in Construction (BWiC). This recognition, which was awarded to her at the March ceremony, honors her achievements as a strong ally and advocate for bringing women into the union trades. Turner founded the Local 17 Women’s Committee, which she also chaired, and currently serves as the chair of the SMART International Women’s Committee. These acts alone exemplify her leadership and commitment to growing the sheet metal working industry, but it doesn’t stop there. She has also been an active union member throughout the past decade and now holds the position of Business Development Representative for the SMART Northeast Regional Council.
“It is my distinct honor to accept this award, especially knowing those who have come before me, including two of my trade sisters Savy Dee and Jenaya Nelson,” says Turner. “I am inspired by all of my trades sisters every day and am so happy with how we’ve grown
the movement over the past decade. I look forward to seeing what we accomplish next.”
Boston leads the nation with its percentage of women in trade apprentices at more than triple the national average, and Shamaiah Turner is one of the industry leaders making the trades more welcoming to future women apprentices and journeymembers.
Each year, the Associated General Contractors select only five BWiC Inspire Award recipients from community nominations. These awards intend to highlight women who are committed to their careers in construction and demonstrate leadership, generosity, and innovation.
I am inspired by all of my trades sisters every day and am so happy with how we’ve grown the movement over the past decade. I look forward to seeing what we accomplish next.”
THANK YOU, PRESIDENT BIDEN
The Biden-Harris Administration supported unions through not only words, but actions. Their work to bring good jobs with safe working conditions and family-sustaining wages directly impacted all of our members. This administration has created better opportunities for everyone, specifically providing opportunities for underrepresented groups to establish their careers in the trades.
Thanks to the Biden-Harris Administration, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has brought billions in federal funds to support various projects across our represented areas. With President Biden in office, our communities benefitted, and so did our workers. Job creation is now through the roof, including an estimated 3,600 full-time equivalent job years projected for the Vineyard Wind 1 project in Massachusetts alone.
In America, it's all about creating good opportunities for people to succeed and build a life. The Biden-Harris Administration knows this and continues to provide support and funding that creates union jobs. We applaud this administration's commitment to prioritizing climate-conscious employment and vital infrastructure enhancements.
NERC ELECTION RESULTS
PRESIDENT BOB BUTLER • FINANCIAL SECRETARY-TREASURER RUSSELL BARTASH
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: FRED DESCY • JASON WRIGHT • KYLE VIOLETTE • MIKE MATTHEWS
PATRICK MCCORMACK • PAUL CONNORS • SEAN HAYWARD • MIKE LAFLEUR
JOHN NIMMONS • ROBERT D. MONAHAN • JOE HILTZ • JUSTIN FORDE • ZACHARY PELLETIER
Your story:
• Your full name and local (required)
• Trade (required)
• Current employer (required)
• Years as a member of SMW Local 17 (required)
• Your favorite project, how you came into Local 17, or a valuable lesson you've learned
• All stories and photos will be considered, but not guaranteed to be published. SMW Local 17's communications department will lightly edit your stories so they flow well, like in a news article.
We look forward to hearing your stories!
