SMART Newsletter Winter 2023

UPDATE

DELIVERING RESULTS IS WHAT WE DO

FAIR PAY FOR OFFSITE

WORKERS PAGE 15

ABOUT 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, and 63 spanning across New England. With nearly 4,000 membersand 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.

NORTHEAST REGIONAL COUNCIL

PRESIDENT'S REPORT

Brothers and Sisters,

As we head into spring, I hope you and your families are doing well. 2023 has already become a big year for the SMART Northeast Regional Council.

Members like you are the backbone of our unions, and your hard work deserves to be celebrated. Our members have been doing incredible work at Watertown, where we are helping to build a new life sciences building that will drive research and innovation. Take a deeper look at this work on pages 4-5.

Last year, we fought hard to close the prevailing wage loophole that contractors exploit to underpay workers who do their work in a shop rather than at a job site. We’re back at it this year with two new bills, HB.106 and S.714, that would close the loophole and ensure fair pay for offsite workers. Learn how to support our efforts on page 15.

We want to make sure members are fully updated on your benefits and how to use them – because you’ve earned them. Learn more and read about your SASMI benefits on page12.

In Solidarity,

Robert Butler President SMART Northeast Regional Council

WATERTOWN SPOTLIGHT

Local 17 is hard at work building a new life sciences building in Watertown, Massachusetts. Located at 85 Walnut Street, the 215,000 square foot space will provide state-of-the-art labs and facilities. The research that will happen here has the potential to change the world — and our union is proud to play a part in making that possible.

Thanks to our advocacy, we were able to leverage our partnerships and our investment coalitions to convert this worksite to a union one. Expanding opportunities for our members is one of the most important things we do, and strengthens our union.

Take a look at the work our members are doing at the job site!

LOCAL 40 COAST GUARD’S CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

IS UNION-MADE

The U.S. Coast Guard’s Center of Excellence in New London featured 24x24” stainless steel tiles with PVDF coating in Matterhorn white to match the Coast Guard Academy boats. Several journeypersons and apprentices (Goran Durbic, Andres Loaiza, Joe Atkins, Rob Brown, Randy Labonte, Anthony Adams, and Anthony Rabassa) working for Ernest Peterson, our oldest architectural shop, have installed 19,600 square feet of stainless steel panels, gutters, and accessories.

ANOTHER PROJECT AT UCONN: THIS TIME, A NEW HOCKEY ARENA

Greenwood Industries was awarded the siding package for the new hockey arena at UConn Storrs campus! The job peaked with 10 journeypersons and five apprentices. The job also consisted of 4,700 square feet of Pac-clad corrugated panels inside the arena and 19,000 square feet of exterior panels. Additionally, Greenwood installed 2,000 square feet of acoustic panels for the screen wall, 25,000 square feet of Dri-Design panels, 10,000 square feet of composite panels, and 3,700 square feet of sound proofing panels. This is the third large-scale exterior job Greenwood has installed at the flagship campus for the University of Connecticut.

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES GET UNION TRADE OPPORTUNITIES

In February, the Connecticut State Building Trades partnered with the Building Trades Training Institute (BTTI) to host a meeting for Ukrainian refugees.

Anatoli “Toli” Bouzko, a 24-year member of Local 40 and native of Ukraine, is spearheading this effort to bring Ukrainians into the trades within our state. BTTI is also connecting the Ukrainians with resources to ease their entrance into our community.

The Connecticut State Building Trades’ executive director, Joseph Toner, and BTTI director, Yolanda Rivera, joined union organizers from various trades to detail what the building trades has to offer. It’s safe to say that the Ukrainians who attended this meeting were truly impressed with what organized trades can do for them and their families. Some even signed up for training the next day!

We’re grateful for Toli making these connections between trades and our new neighbors and wish them all the best of luck!

LOCAL 63 REGIONAL MANAGER’S REPORT

Brothers and Sisters,

As we head into spring, our contractors continue to bid and are awarded work. Worcester County is very busy, and new bidding opportunities, both public and private, continue to present themselves weekly. Work in the Pioneer Valley has also increased. The long-anticipated New Soldiers Project in the City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has moved to the bid phase under a Project Labor Agreement (PLA).

Additionally, we’re pleased to report there are multiple schools in the planning and design stages throughout western Massachusetts, including recent talk of moving forward with a New Hampden County District Court House in the city of Springfield. Several major capital improvement projects at UMass-Amherest’s main campus are in the planning and design phase, slated to begin in late 2023 and early 2024.

Finally, our training facility will host our first Sheet Metal Masters License Preparation Class for journeypersons who wish to pursue their Sheet Metal Masters License in Massachusetts. The class filled up quickly, so keep an eye out for the next class if you are interested in pursuing your Massachusetts Sheet Metal Masters License.

Wishing you and your families a safe and healthy 2023!

In Solidarity,

Michael J. LaFleur

Local 63 Business Manager

SMART Northeast Regional Council

LOCAL 63 ORGANIZING

Local 63 proudly welcomes Barnaby Heating & Cooling of Berkshire County as our newest signatory contractor. Barnaby Heating & Cooling is a familyowned full mechanical & HVAC contractor located in Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Owner Nick Barnaby has successfully built a highly-skilled and

motivated team of individuals and plans on continuing to grow his company and capture more market share.

Congratulations to Local 63 Marketing Representative Daniel Mulcahy for his ongoing efforts to grow Local 63’s membership and contractor base!

TAKE ACTION: CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MASSACHUSETTS WORKERS

Our fellow workers across the Massachusetts Building Trades Unions are fighting to support legislation that supports our rights and protects workers. Together, we can help ensure that these bills are passed. Contact your state representative (https://smw17.org/ MArep) and ask them to support the following:

An Act Authorizing Project Labor Agreements

This legislation will establish procedures and standards for the Commonwealth and its subdivisions to voluntarily enter into project labor agreements with appropriate labor organizations.

HB3012 (Representative Marjorie Decker)

SB2027 (Senator Paul Mark)

An Act Ensuring a Skilled Workforce

This legislation will advance opportunities for apprentices to complete their training and ensure a skilled workforce in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by requiring registered apprentices on all public construction projects

HB1839 (Representative Pete Capano)

SB1163 (Senator Lydia Edwards)

An Act to Prevent Wage Theft and Promote Employer Accountability

This legislation increases accountability for labor violations and strengthens enforcement powers to stop wage theft and level the playing field for all businesses.

HB1868 (Representative DanDonahue)

SB1158 (Senator Sal DiDomenico)

An Act Relative to Compliance with the Prevailing Wage Laws of the Commonwealth

This legislation updates the prevailing wage law to include offsite fabrication work for qualified projects.

HB1943 (Representative Jeffrey Roy)

SB1171 (Senator Paul Feeney)

WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION WEEK

March 5 - 11 was Women in Construction Week! This year we celebrate the contributions of women in the construction industry and the progress that has been made to advance gender equality in this field.

Here at the SMART Northeast Regional Council, we want women to know the building trades unions have a place for you. On average, you will earn 23% more in a union than women without a union. You

We’ve been leading the way in breaking down barriers and opening more doors in New England, where Massachusetts has tripled the national average of female apprentices. In fact, 92% of all women apprentices in Massachusetts can proudly say they are union members.

This Women in Construction Week, and all year round, we want to thank all our trade sisters —

SASMI BENEFITS

WORK BOOTS BENEFIT

Are your work boots not cutting it? Are they worn-out or ill-fitting? Or are you buying your very first pair?

Good news: you can get work boots (up to $275) through your SASMI benefits!

You are entitled to a pair of USA-made, union-made Thorogood or Carolina boots. This benefit covers the cost of the boots up to $275, but if you want a pair that costs more, you only have to pay the difference!

For a $300 pair of boots, for example, the cost to you would be only $25. Please note that there’s no reimbursement for any unused funds.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this fantastic benefit and get a high-quality pair of work boots that will suit your needs, keep you protected, and last a long time to come.

You can apply for this benefit through the member portal. All you have to do is log in, navigate to "Applications", and submit your application. You'll then get an email with instructions on how to order your boots. And don't worry: shipping, returns, and exchanges are free.

ANNUAL PHYSICAL BENEFIT

Did you know that you have an Annual Physical Benefit through SASMI that would cover any additional costs you or your dependents may encounter in receiving a yearly physical exam? For example, if you need to miss work to get your exam or if you have out-of-pocket incidental expenses, this benefit can help.

SASMI’s Annual Physical Benefit is intended to help you cover costs, like specific tests or screenings, or hidden fees, like mileage and time away from work, so you and your family can take full advantage of this crucial preventative care. Members can receive $200 per calendar year for their physical exam, and $100 for covered family members, up to a maximum of $600 total per family per calendar year.

You must be an active member and eligible for the benefit when you (or your family member) get preventative care and apply for help. Once you or your family member has a checkup, you have 12 months from the appointment date to claim this benefit.

Read more details on eligibility and how to claim this benefit here.

We hope you’ll utilize this important benefit to access preventative care for yourself and your family.

JOHNSON SHEET METAL CONTRACTOR SPOTLIGHT:

The family that works together, stays together. That’s especially true for Joe and Jake Johnston, a father and son who belong to Local 17.

For four generations, the Johnston family has been running Johnson Sheet Metal (without a “t”) in Holbrook, Massachusetts. Joe’s grandfather, James Johnston, founded the company right after World War II ended. It was his son, Joe’s father Joseph, who convinced James to unionize the shop in 1958 — and the family has been members of Local 17 ever since.

What started as a small operation with just 4-5 people is now a thriving union workshop with a team of 15-20 members, many of whom have been working for Johnson Sheet Metal as long as the family itself. Together, they have established the business as a local leader in the sheet metal industry, working on homes and hospitals and doing the measuring, fabricating, and sawing in-house.

For Joe, who has been part of the shop “since diapers,” having a family business has been a deep source of joy. “We’re four generations of sheet metal workers. It’s made a life for me, my father, my grandfather, and now my kid. You can’t ask for much more than that,” he says proudly.

Joe’s father, Joseph, passed away in January at the age of 95. After a full life and 70 years as a member of Local 17, he leaves behind a legacy that’s built to last.

His grandson and Joe’s son, Jake, is excited to continue the family business, hoping to grow it while keeping the fundamentals that have made it such a success.

Members like Joe and Jake Johnston, and the generations that came before them, are the backbone of our union. We celebrate them and thank them for their outstanding work!

FAIR PAY FOR OFFSITE WORKERS

You work hard and deserve to be paid a living wage — no matter where your work gets done.

In Massachusetts, prevailing wage laws set baseline wages for construction workers to ensure they are paid fairly. But a loophole allows contractors to skirt the prevailing wage by underpaying workers working in a shop rather than at a job site. These contractors even hire non-union, out-of-state workers for projects, shortchanging Massachusetts families and harming our state's economy.

SMART Northeast Regional Council has been fighting to close the prevailing wage loophole for the last two years. In 2022, we got very close to getting this bill passed, but unfortunately, it never came up for a vote. With your help, we can pass this important bill this year – with a new governor and legislative session, we’re closer than ever.

Two new bills in the Massachusetts State Legislature, House Bill 1943 and Senate Bill 1171, would level the playing field by preventing contractors from underpaying offsite workers and removing their incentive to hire workers out of state.

It will take all of us to pass these bills and guarantee fair pay for workers. So stand with your union brothers and sisters, and show your state legislators that thousands of sheet metal workers are united behind these bills.

Take Action:

Scan the QR code and urge your state legislators to close the prevailing wage loophole by sponsoring House Bill 1943 and Senate Bill 1171.

HELP IS A CALL AWAY

Balancing work and life can be a lot. We've all had to deal with a bad day at work or stress at home. As sheet metal workers, we also have some of the toughest jobs in the country. Just like we take care of our physical health, we must also take care of our mental health.

If you're going through a rough patch, you're not alone. 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental health issues each year. Ignoring the problem doesn't work, but reaching out for help can. There's no shame in asking for what you need.

As a SMART member, you can access free counseling, substance abuse resources, and more through Modern

Assistance. This benefit provides a full range of services for eligible members and their dependents.

For 34 years, Modern Assistance has been New England's leader in providing mental and physical health resources to construction and trade unions. When you reach out, you will be put in touch with experienced counselors who truly understand the needs of SMART members.

You can contact Modern Assistance anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call (800) 878-2004 or scan the QR code to visit their website. Cantonese, Mandarin, and Spanish-speaking staff are also available.