WINTER 2021
SMW17 UPDATE
DELIVERING RESULTS IS WHAT WE DO
CONGRATULATIONS
MARTY WALSH
REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN WORKER PG. 9
BUILDING OUR POWER: INTRODUCING THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL COUNCIL PG. 4 WINNING GREAT JOBS: ARLINGTON AND SHARON HIGH SCHOOLS PG. 6
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3 BUSINESS MANAGER’S REPORT 4 NEWS 6 FEATURED PROJECTS 8 NEW PARTNER SPOTLIGHT 9 LABOR SECRETARY MARTY WALSH 10 GIVING BACK 11 IN MEMORIAM
ABOUT
SHEET METAL WORKERS LOCAL 17 Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 is a building trade union representing more than 2,700 skilled and licensed workers throughout Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. We stand together as the most highly trained professionals in the industry, bringing the top safety standards and quality to every project. Local 17 was formed in 1896 so that men and women working in the sheet metal industry could bargain collectively for better work standards. Today, our members enjoy dignified contracts, industry-leading wages and healthcare, and a sound pension plan they can count on after retirement. 1157 Adams Street, Dorchester, MA 02124 (617) 296-1680
BUSINESS MANAGER'S REPORT BROTHERS AND SISTERS, I hope you and your family are staying safe and well. First and foremost, I want to make sure that you’ve heard the news about the SMART Northeast Regional Council. You should have received two letters — one from General President Joseph Sellers, Jr. and one from Local 17 — outlining this change. Effective May 1, 2021, Local 17 will be forming this Council with Local 63 and Local 40. The decision was made by General President Sellers in order to centralize our resources and increase our market share in the region. This is not the governing structure we had envisioned moving forward. However, to successfully accomplish our goals, we must embrace this Council together, with everyone’s full participation and support. In this new structure, Local 17 will be playing a central role. General President Sellers has appointed me to serve as President and Russell Bartash has been appointed to serve as Financial Secretary-Treasurer.
Overall, the economic outlook for 2021 looks promising for Local 17. Check out some of our upcoming projects:
6-10 BILLION
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BILLION
SUFFOLK DOWNS BAYSIDE EXPO CENTER
2
MASSACHUSETTS BILLION GENERAL HOSPITAL
2
BUILDING HOUSING AUTHORITY, BILLION CHARLESTOWN/SOUTH BOSTON
1.5
EDISON PLANT, BILLION SOUTH BOSTON
1.5
ALEXANDRIA CAMBRIDGE, BILLION OLD MET PIPE LOCATION
1
WASHINGTON VILLAGE
1
CAMBRIDGE CROSSING
BILLION BILLION
The formation of this Council will not change our Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) nor our benefits structure. Your level of representation will remain the same. As we restructure locally, we also prepare for a new era in our nation’s history. Boston’s own Marty Walsh has been nominated as Labor Secretary and will be a key ally for us in Washington. We’ll continue to push President Biden to represent our best interests, including strengthening workplace protection standards, securing project labor agreements for federal projects, upholding prevailing wage compliance, and maintaining our apprenticeship standards. Working in partnership with the Foundation for Fair Contracting, we’ve successfully won two public bid protests at Arlington and Sharon High Schools. Worcester Air has been awarded Arlington High School and Apex has been awarded Sharon High School. Overall, the economic outlook for 2021 looks promising for Local 17. Boston and Cambridge alone have approved over 20 billion dollars in new construction projects, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Bayside Expo Center, and Cambridge Crossing. It’s critical to make sure your information is up to date. If you haven’t already, please register for our new Union Fusion online portal. By signing up, you’ll be able to pay your dues online, update your personal information, and get the latest updates from the Hall. Sign up at SMW17Boston.org. Thank you again for your hard work and dedication to our Union and for your collective support as we embark on this new chapter. In Solidarity,
Business Manager Sheet Metal Workers Local 17
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NEWS
BUILDING OUR POWER:
INTRODUCING THE NORTHEAST REGIONAL DISTRICT COUNCIL
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On May 1, 2021, Local 17, Local 40, and Local 63 will join to form the SMART Northeast Regional Council. This decision, made by General President Sellers, Jr., will centralize our resources and increase our market share in the region.
to represent their individual union on the Regional Council. There will be 9 Executive Committee Members, including 5 Committee Members from Local 17, 2 Committee Members from Local 40, and 2 Committee Members from Local 63.
Per this new structure, the Council will conduct its first election in June 2024, and elections will take place every three years thereafter, according to the Regional Council Bylaws. Starting in 2024, the President and Financial Secretary-Treasurer will be elected by the full membership of all the local unions in the Regional Council. The members of each local union will also elect Executive Committee Member(s)
General President Sellers has appointed the following members to represent Local 17 on the Executive Committee in the interim: Paul Conners, Sean Hayward, Michael Matthews, Patrick McCormack, and Jason Wright. We welcome Local 40 and Local 63 into the fold, and we look forward to building our Council together.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY THE NEW COUNCIL STRUCTURE: ▪ Our Local collective bargaining agreement (CBA) will still be in effect, including holding regular union meetings. Please note that for the safety of all and to comply with state COVID-19 laws and guidelines, we cannot have union meetings at this time. ▪ Our member benefits, including your pensions and health coverage, will stay the same and remain under the Local 17 Funds. ▪ Our Local number will also stay the same regardless of Council leadership. ▪ Our level of representation and commitment to you and your family will not waver.
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FEATURED PROJECTS
WINNING GREAT JOBS ARLINGTON AND SHARON HIGH SCHOOLS Nothing is more important than returning to our families safe and sound at the end of each day. So when contractors try to shortchange our members and cut corners on safety, we’re the first to take a stand. Last November, Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 formed a new partnership with the Foundation for Fair Contracting of Massachusetts (FFCM). The organization, led by Executive Director Karen Courtney, makes sure workers get the prevailing wage rates they deserve, and that the fairest, most responsible contractors win project bids. When a contractor bids on a project, FFCM’s team investigates to ensure the wage and safety standards are what contractors claim. That’s exactly what FFCM did for both the Arlington High School and Sharon High School projects. When a contractor in the bidding process
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failed to disclose a death on their job site, FFCM alerted the building committees and got them to award the bid to our partners, Worcester Air and Apex, respectively. Thanks to our partnership with FFCM, we’re bringing hundreds of jobs to our members. Both the Arlington and Sharon High School projects will now have Local 17 workers on site, working alongside contractors who have workers’ best interests in mind. We know that these efforts will ultimately help students learn in the best-built schools possible. We look forward to our continued work with FFCM to hold contractors accountable, maintain a level playing field, and keep workers safe.
Sharon High School Apex will help build the 240,000-square-foot Sharon High School. The $126 million project is expected to be completed in 2022.
Arlington High School Thanks to the FFCM and the Arlington Building Committee, Local 17’s workforce with Worcester Air will help build a new high school for over 1,700 students. The first wing of the $290.8 million project is slated to open in January 2022.
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PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
BREAKING BARRIERS:
WOMAN-LED DUCTED AIR SYSTEMS At Local 17, we’re committed to making the building trades an inclusive space for all. We began that work with the 20% by 2020 pledge to make 20% of our apprentice workforce women by the end of last year, and we’re always looking for ways to support new voices in the industry. We’re proud to partner with the woman-led contractor Ducted Air Systems, LLC. Led by Mary-Ann McCurry, Ducted Air Systems was formed with the mission to expand women’s presence in the trades not just on the job site, but at every level.
As Ducted Air Systems continues to expand, McCurry’s goal is to create a diverse shop not just for women, but for any underrepresented voice in the trades. “They told me I was the first woman to sign on with a Local in a very long time,” McCurry shared. “There’s always more glass ceilings to shatter, and I’d love to be a part of that.” Thanks to this partnership, we can look forward to a new wave of opportunities in the Ocean State.
McCurry got her start in the construction industry as an Operations Manager at NEXGEN Mechanical, where she noticed a shortage of union sheet metal contractors in Rhode Island. McCurry, who received an M.B.A. at the University of Rhode Island, has long been an advocate for the trades as a stable and dependable career path for women. “For people in the trades, the sky’s the limit,” McCurry said. “I think there’s a huge opportunity, especially for women, to advance through the trades. There’s opportunity, longevity, stability. There’s a tremendous path to success for people in trades, and there’s no reason why women should be left out.”
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Left to Right: Labor Management Representative John Cody, 1st Year Apprentice Matthew Peloso, Ducted Air Systems President Mary-Ann McCurry, Dave McCurry, Business Manager Robert Butler, Journeyman Brendon Car
LABOR CHAMPIONS
REPRESENTING THE AMERICAN WORKER:
LABOR SECRETARY MARTY WALSH
We're excited to congratulate Mayor Marty Walsh on his nomination as Labor Secretary. Mayor Walsh has a long history of fighting for working families, and Local 17 is proud to be a part of his historic rise as the first former union leader Labor Secretary in nearly 50 years. In his new role, Walsh has promised to double down on fighting COVID-19, strengthening workplace protection standards, renewing paid leave benefits, and expanding access to unemployment benefits. We also trust Marty to reach across the aisle and form partnerships where others can't. Our own Business Manager Bob Butler has attested to Walsh's bridge-building approach to labor. “Marty’s a different animal. He’s got a union ticket in his pocket,” Butler told Bloomberg News. “Not everybody’s going to agree with Marty’s policies, but at the end of the day, they know he’s got the best interest of organized labor at heart.” We thank each and every member who stood out for Joe Biden and contributed to this great win for working families. And we look forward to Marty's leadership.
“
Not everybody’s going to agree with Marty’s policies, but at the end of the day, they know he’s got the best interest of organized labor at heart.” - Bob Butler, Local 17 Business Manager
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GIVING BACK
FEEDING LOCAL FAMILIES When working families need help, Local 17 is always there to lend a hand. This holiday season, our members showed up for our Brothers and Sisters in IATSE Local 11 and UNITE HERE Local 26, donating $1,000 of food as part of the Greater Boston Labor Council’s Union Food Drive. Thanks to all of our Local 17 members who were able to contribute and feed those in need.
BRINGING HOLIDAY CHEER TO QUINCY KIDS Local 17 members lent a hand to Santa’s Workshop this past year, donating dozens of Legos, Barbie dolls, and games at our Toys for Kids Christmas Drive. Each year, our members’ gifts bring a little extra holiday cheer to the children of Quincy, Massachusetts. In 2020, that cheer was even more necessary. With many working families put under even more strain due to COVID-19, the Toys for Kids Christmas Drive provided much-needed relief. We’re proud of our members for delivering every year.
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IN MEMORIAM
2020 IN MEMORIAM Our thoughts and prayers are with the following members' families and friends, along with the Brothers and Sisters who worked beside them. Their outstanding work and dedication will never be forgotten. Master Adams
Jeffrey Honea
Wendell C. Bager
Harry Jones
Normand A. Bourgeois
Paul Lombardo
Roland Brousseau
Eugene E. MacFadgen
Paul Burns, Sr.
Richard Mahoney
Paul F. Canavan
James L. McCarty
Philip J. Cannata
Michael P. Meehan
Nicholas Caspoli, Jr.
Gaetano S. Mistretta
David M. Clancy
James S. Oliver
Richard L. Colantuoni
Edward C. Parker
Brian Crovetti
Angelo A. Porcaro
Normand R. Dumont
Calvin Potter
Daniel J. Dwan
William Roux
Joseph A. Estrella
Richard B. Rumble
Robert Fanning*
Gaspare Scurti
Joseph F. Feeney
John H. Smith
Robert Fudge
Robert Sturk
Robert Greaves
Vincent Vendice
John F. Green
Anthony Vinitsky
Ronald Haslam
Elliott R. Whyte
*Former Business Manager and Business Agent
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Sheet Metal Workers Local 17 1157 Adams Street, Dorchester, MA 02124
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