WINTER 2022
NORTHEAST REGIONAL COUNCIL
SMART UPDATE DELIVERING RESULTS IS WHAT WE DO
CELEBRATING LABOR WINS
President Biden mandates project labor agreements for large federal projects P.8
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 PRESIDENT’S REPORT 4 LOCAL 40 UPDATES 6 LOCAL 63 UPDATES 8 CELEBRATING LABOR WINS 10 MEMBER SPOTLIGHT 11 WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION
NORTHEAST REGIONAL COUNCIL
ABOUT THE SMART NORTHEAST REGIONAL COUNCIL 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, and 63 spanning across New England. With nearly 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, I hope everyone has had a pleasant start to 2022 and I hope you and your families are safe and well. This year marks an exciting time for the Regional Council, as we debut three brand new websites to better connect with our membership. The new SMART Northeast Regional Council website, SMART-NERC.org, launched last December and features the full Executive Committee and exclusive Council news updates. Be sure to check the website regularly to stay informed on important announcements. Earlier this year, we were also proud to launch updated websites for both Local 40 (SMWLocal40.org) and Local 63 (SMWSMARTLocal63.org). Members in Connecticut, Western Massachusetts, and Northern New England can now connect with their unions, stay up-to-date on news and events, and apply for our family-sustaining wages and benefits. The holiday season may not have gone as planned for many, given the sudden spike of the COVID-19 omicron variant. In light of this unforeseen surge, I’d like to reiterate the importance of following COVID-19 safety protocols on the job site and getting your COVID-19 vaccine or booster if you have not done so already. Any FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines available have been proven to lower the risk of serious illness or death, and they continue to be the most effective defense we have against this pandemic. As a Council, we pride ourselves on our commitment to workplace safety, and I urge each and every one of you to do your part to mitigate the spread, including wearing masks when necessary, getting tested before gathering, and staying home when sick, especially while experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. If you’re not feeling well or have symptoms of acute respiratory illness, it is recommended that you stay home and not come to work until you are free of fever. Nevertheless, we have a lot to look forward to in 2022. This spring, we will be renewing our fight to close the prevailing wage loophole in Massachusetts, ensuring that thousands of prefab workers receive proper wages for their hard work. Stay tuned in the coming weeks for opportunities to educate your fellow community members and advocate for this important piece of legislation. We will also continue to show up at the ballot box for pro-worker candidates as elections heat up. Thanks to your dedication, we successfully pushed Lydia Edwards through the special primary election in December, and on to win the general in January despite below-freezing temperatures on Election Day. We appreciate everything you do to elect candidates that will fight for our rights as workers and freedoms as citizens! We will need your enthusiasm for the fights ahead. In the meantime, stay safe and continue to check your local’s website and social media pages for updates on upcoming meetings, and opportunities to give back to our communities. Thank you again for your dedication to workers in the Northeast and beyond. In Solidarity,
Robert Butler President SMART Northeast Regional Council
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Local 40 Regional Manager’s Report
LOCAL 40
REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT Brothers and Sisters, With the formation of the SMART Northeast Regional Council, I am proud to note that Local 40 has undergone some improvement and has taken steps towards advancement. For example, Local 40’s HVAC shops have begun actively bidding jobs outside of Connecticut, providing greater work prospects for our members. In addition, our local is currently bringing in new apprentices who will be our first-year class in the upcoming school year. We also have several project labor agreements (PLAs) currently in place and more that will be signed shortly. Work in Connecticut is looking promising moving forward into 2022 and 2023. However, as we head into the 2022 election cycle, this reminds us of the importance of electing pro-labor candidates. Having labor-friendly leaders puts us to work and keeps us working. The repercussions of the policies and practices by anti-PLA advocates will affect the construction industry statewide. Our success as an industry and as sheet metal workers depends on having state and municipal leaders that know the importance of skilled, union labor.
Yale Kline Tower
Our goal as your representatives is to continue on this trajectory, bringing more opportunities to our members here in Connecticut and through the council area. In Solidarity, John Nimmons Local 40 Regional Manager SMART Northeast Regional Council
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Yale New Haven Hospital Saint Raphael Campus
LOCAL 40 AND 63 WEBSITE SPOTLIGHT
RECENT WORK WON ONGOING PLAs ▪ Yale Kline Tower, $100 million ▪ Yale Peabody, $180 million ▪ Windsor Locks Train Station, $48 million ▪ Windham High School, $100 million ▪ University of Connecticut Science One, $180 million ▪ University of Connecticut Supplemental Utility Plant, $50 million ▪ Bulkeley High School, $160 million ▪ Chamberlin Middle School, $48 million ▪ New London High School, $100 million ▪ New London Middle School, $56 million ▪ General Dynamics Electric Boat Shipyard, $800 million ▪ Yale New Haven Hospital Saint Raphael Campus (Phase 1), $900 million
FUTURE PLAs ▪ University of Connecticut Honors Dorming Hall, $90 million ▪ Burns Middle School, $50 million ▪ Bowers Middle School Manchester, $50 million ▪ Torrington High School, $180 million ▪ Killingly Middle School, $48 million ▪ Killingly Community Center, $36 million ▪ New London Community Center, $32 million ▪ Bloomfield Community Center and Town Hall, $28 million ▪ XL Center, $40-$65 million ▪ East Hartford City Hall MEP, $26 million ▪ Yale Science Hill, $500 million (2023) ▪ Yale Dorming Halls, $200+ million ▪ Tweed Airport Terminal ▪ Bradley Airport Terminal ▪ New Britain DATA Center, $200 million
NO PLA ▪ Frito-Lay ▪ 101 College Street DIMEO union core ▪ 100 College (2 phases)
COMMEMORATING RETIRED BUSINESS MANAGER DAVE ROCHE David “Dave” Roche, a dedicated member and delegate of Sheet Metal Workers Local 40 and advocate in the Connecticut labor movement, has retired after over fourty years of service. After joining the Local 40 apprenticeship program right out of high school, Roche went on to serve as the Vice President in 1993 until being elected the Business Manager in 2003. He has held many additional positions of leadership, including President of the International Nuclear Hazardous Materials and Power Plant Council, U.S. Vice President of the SMART Roofing and Building Enclosure Council, and Labor Co-Chair of Sheet Metal Workers’ International Training Institute’s National Apprenticeship Contest. In 2021, at the time of retirement, he left behind his active positions of co-chair of the Benefits Fund and Financial Secretary-Treasurer. Roche has also been a prominent member of the Connecticut AFL-CIO, holding many positions before serving as the General Vice President until his retirement. We can confidently say that David Roche is one of the most hard-working and dedicated members of Local 40, SMART, and the Connecticut labor movement as a whole that we've ever known. We are proud to have had David as a leader and wish him the best in the next phase of his life, a well-deserved retirement!
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Local 63 Regional Manager’s Report
LOCAL 63
REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT Brothers and Sisters, As we emerge into 2022, putting the recent COVID-19 surge from holiday gatherings behind us, I would like to thank our members. I am once again amazed at the resilience and dedication of our members who put their masks and boots on each and every day to get the work done despite unforeseen obstacles. Coming from a smaller local within the Council, I have seen the benefits of working together throughout the New England region. The combined resources of our Regional Council have allowed Local 63 to launch an innovative new website and has provided our local access to a new modern dues reporting system. The spillover of technology that always seemed to be just beyond our reach is now at our fingertips. The website and dues system is just the surface of what can be done. With the progressive leadership and spirit of cooperation within the Northeast Regional Council, we will continue to work together in solidarity to reduce administrative costs and increase work opportunities for all members. As we look ahead in 2022, we know our work is not done. There is much to work towards in the coming months. With our building trades contract expiring in June 2022, we will use our collective bargaining strength and fight to expand your benefits, improve your education, and raise your wages. Local 63 leadership is always fighting to enhance further the lives of our hard-working brothers and sisters and their families. Fraternally Yours, Michael J. LaFleur Local 63 Business Manager SMART Northeast Regional Council
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RECENT WORK WON
Holyoke Soldiers Home Holyoke, MA $400 million
Rentschler Biopharma Offices Milford, MA $10 million
Amazon Uxbridge, MA $50 million
Holyoke Behavioral Health Holyoke, MA $34 million
Springfield College Springfield, MA $25 million
Amazon Worcester, MA $25 million
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Celebrating Labor Wins
CELEBRATING LABOR WINS
PRESIDENT BIDEN MANDATES PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS FOR LARGE FEDERAL PROJECTS
When President Joe Biden entered office last year, he promised to usher in the most labor-friendly administration in history. Biden understands that unions built our country and they built our middle class, and his latest executive order is a strong show of support for the work we do every day. On Friday, February 4, President Biden signed an executive order requiring all federal projects over $35 million to use project labor agreements (PLAs). PLAs are widely used across New England, and they ensure that our tax dollars go to safe, efficient projects and family-sustaining wages for the workers that build them. By requiring PLAs for all major federal projects, this administration ushered in a significant new era for labor.
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PLAs don’t only benefit the workers who work under them. They benefit our communities and taxpayers, too.
Project labor agreements ensure that: ▪ Workers receive fair wages, benefits, and protections on the job ▪ Contractors adhere to the highest safety standards possible ▪ Our workforce receives industry-leading training, leading to safer, more efficient job sites We’re proud to have witnessed such an important act of solidarity from our nation’s highest office. Thanks to this historic announcement, we can look forward to building back our country together.
MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE MOVES TO CLOSE THE PREVAILING WAGE LOOPHOLE Earlier this year, Massachusetts lawmakers advanced two pieces of legislation that would close the off-site prevailing wage loophole. As H.2046 and S.1189 move up into the Labor and Workforce Development Committee, we must ensure that all Massachusetts workers are fairly protected—as the law intended. Without these bills, our current prevailing wage laws leave a dangerous loophole that allows contractors to underpay and even misclassify workers involved in off-site prefabrication. These workers do the exact same job as those who work on the job site, and they deserve equal pay to match. We will continue to call upon Massachusetts legislators in the coming weeks to support these bills and stand up for the workers who build our Commonwealth.
TAKE ACTION Sign the petition to close the prevailing wage loophole today:
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Member Spotlight
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT PATRICK MCKUNES
For most people, getting stuck in traffic on 93 is one of the least exciting things that can happen to you. For Local 17 member and Marine veteran Patrick McKunes, it was life-changing. On the afternoon of December 29, 2021, McKunes was on his way to a doctor’s appointment when he took a wrong turn onto 93. “It was one of those chance things, I don’t know why I did it,” McKunes said. “But everything would have been different if I hadn’t.” As traffic began to slow, McKunes noticed a man running up to cars, yelling for help. He didn’t speak much English, but when he slammed his hands on the hood of McKunes’ car, McKunes could make out the words, “My wife! My baby!” From there, his military instincts kicked into gear. McKunes pulled his truck behind the man’s van, which had been parked in the merging lane holding up traffic. McKunes angled his car to block any oncoming traffic and shield the van from any errant passersby, a technique he learned from his Marine training. In the passenger side of the van, a woman had already begun to give birth. Another passerby started coaching her through her dilations, and McKunes directed a concerned onlooker to dial 911. “We deliver the baby, and from having three kids I know the most important thing is to keep the baby warm,” McKunes shared. “Luckily, I had a couple of clean shirts in the back of my van — one was a Christmas gift from the job site, and another was a long-sleeve Patriots polo I was supposed to wear to a wake the day before.” McKunes swaddled the newborn in the Patriots shirt and instructed the new parents to sit in the car with their heat turned up until the authorities and an ambulance could arrive. Realizing they were coming down the wrong side of the
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highway, McKunes ran across three lanes of traffic to flag them down. When the ambulance arrived and the baby started to cry, McKunes breathed a sigh of relief. “As a father, I know everything’s okay when you hear the baby cry,” McKunes said. “It means it’s getting airflow, its lungs are working properly.” The father, still visibly shaken, began to give out hugs and handshakes, thanking the men and women who had helped deliver his baby. McKunes shared that he had heard from state troopers that the baby was healthy and made it to the hospital in good condition. “Some Local 17 guys had even seen me on the highway, and they couldn’t believe when I told them what happened,” McKunes said. “When my employer found out I had given up my shirt, they sent me a new one with a stork that read, ‘Delivering Babies on 93.’” As a military man, McKunes is used to acting in times of emergency. A year after settling into civilian life and joining Local 17, he joined the Air Force to return back to the fast-paced lifestyle he had grown to miss. “I’m not a desk job kind of guy,” McKunes admitted. “Military and union life keep me on a constant go, and that’s how I like it. My wife says it’s in my DNA.” Whether it was luck, fate, or training that brought Patrick McKunes to 93 that day, he knows one thing for sure. “That kid is definitely going to be a Patriots fan,” he laughed.
WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION LOCAL 17 IN ACTION
HONORING WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION On March 1 through March 7, building trades across the nation celebrated Women in Construction Week, a time to emphasize the ever-growing role of women in the construction industry and the importance of gender diversity in our trade. Although we are making progress, we must continue to narrow the gender gap in the construction trades. As a Council, we believe in equal pay for equal work and equal skill, ensuring that women receive the same treatment and benefits as their male coworkers on the job site. We want to encourage more women to reap the family-sustaining benefits of union contracts. Women under union contracts make 30.9% more per week than women who are not covered by a contract. They are also more likely to participate in pension plans. Getting more women into the union trades is one of the best ways we can improve the lives of working families. Union wages and benefits make a difference, and encouraging more women to share in those benefits makes our union stronger, too. The more voices we have at the table, the better equipped we can be for the fight ahead. Women play an increasingly important role in the construction industry and the SMART Northeast Regional Council is proud to be a part of that growth.
NEW SASMI BENEFITS SASMI has recently added programs to help our members and their families stay on top of their preventive medical care.
Additional benefits include: ▪ Annual Physical Benefit gives you $200 (up to a maximum of $600 total per family, per calendar year) just for going to your yearly check-up. ▪ COVID-19 Vaccination Benefit entitles members to $200 for receiving a COVID-19 vaccine (dependents can receive $100) and covers any interference with work from side effects. ▪ Maternity Benefit reimburses 60% of your hourly wage for up to 12 weeks if you are unable to work due to pregnancy or recent delivery. ▪ Benevolent relief covers SASMI members in times of extraordinary circumstances, such as floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. To get started, just sign in to your Member Portal, click “Applications,” and download and submit the accompanying form. We hope these offerings help you to make the best health decisions for yourself and your family.
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Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 1157 Adams Street Dorchester, MA 02124
INTRODUCING THE NEW SMART REGIONAL COUNCIL WEBSITE We’re proud to announce the launch of our brand new SMART Regional Council website. Stay up to date with real-time union updates and more, all in one sleek, user-friendly place.
Just visit SMART-NERC.org or scan this QR code to see for yourself.