TALKING SMART

A lot has changed in the many decades since sheet metal workers first organized in 1888. Back then, “tin knock­ers” were known for their snips and hammers; today, technological advancements like AutoCAD and artificial intelligence have not just shaped the way we work, but the world in which we live. However, one thing has not changed: the pride that comes with being a skilled tradesperson. Being a...

We hear about anxiety, stress and burnout all the time, but loneliness — the feeling of being cut off or unseen, even when surrounded by others — has become one of the most serious public health challenges of our time, and it’s hitting working people hard. Loneliness impacts every element of a person’s life, from their happiness at home to their ability to do their job. To help us understand the l...

Even the strongest among us can fall: to exhaustion, to despair, to the weight of the fight. But in this union, we don’t leave any member behind.   In the third episode of Talking SMART, we’re joined by Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust (SMOHIT) Administrator Aldo Zambetti and Jeremy Holburn of the SMOHIT Helpline, a 24/7 helpline that SMART members and families can call whenever the...

“You are not alone. You don’t need to walk alone. Your union is here — we have your back.” In the second episode of this season of Talking SMART, we’re joined by SMART Director of Wellness and Mental Health Support Chris Carlough and Union EAP CEO Ben Cort. Together, their work helps ensure that SMART members and families across the United States and Canada don’t have to face life’s challenges alo...

The newest episode of the Talking SMART podcast is LIVE NOW!   This is the first episode in the first-ever themed season of Talking SMART, which will focus on mental health. Over the course of the season, SMART members and guests will dive into the concept of mental wellness, what different types of mental illness can look like, the resources available to members and their families and much more....

In this Talking SMART special episode, SMART General President Michael Coleman, SMACNA President Anthony Kocurek and returning guest host Dushaw Hockett discuss the Belonging and Excellence for All initiative, also known as BE4ALL.   Their conversation, which took place at the end of August 2023 during the SMART Leadership Conference, explores why BE4ALL is so vital for the unionized sheet metal i...

For this episode of Talking SMART, we sat down with Local 28 Business Agent Marvin Tavarez to discuss his journey from working non-union to being organized into SMART. He breaks down some of the myths about organizing into a union versus taking a more traditional full apprenticeship route. “Some people are like ‘Oh, that’s the backdoor, that’s the backdoor,’ ” says Tavarez. “But at the end of the...

In this episode of Talking SMART, we’re digging into the fight to improve rail safety at both the state and federal levels in the weeks following the disaster in East Palestine, Ohio.  The East Palestine derailment and other well-publicized accidents since have made clear what SMART-TD and rail labor have been saying for years: Precision Scheduled Railroading is bad for workers, the public and the...

This episode, we’re talking about how a wave of new megaprojects – or projects valued at over $1 billion – is creating unprecedented job opportunities for SMART sheet metal workers across the United States and Canada, as well as driving new changes and growth in the benefits available to SMART members.    Darrell Roberts   John Daniel   Ken Colombo To meet the ongoing demand for sheet metal worker...

This episode, we’re talking about the Belonging and Excellence for All project, also known as Be4All. As a joint effort of SMART, union signatory contractors in SMACNA, and the International Training Institute, the project is tasked with working to ensure that all members, particularly those from historically underrepresented groups, feel welcome and experience all the opportunities that come with...

This episode, we’re talking about how the SMART Army is growing in Canada. Started in 2017, the SMART Army is a key vehicle for getting involved in our communities, raising our visibility and highlighting the important work SMART members do, as well as the essential services we provide. It is also a great way to improve our image among the voters, community leaders, and politicians whose support w...

Organizing is the foundation of our union and our labor movement, and recent years have seen an explosion of union organizing across America. From Starbucks stores and the Amazon Labor Union, to SMART campaigns in Washington state and New Jersey, workers have shown that they are eager to unionize – and unions like SMART are ready to answer the call.   Eli Baccus Our featured guest is Eli Baccus, a...

A conversation with two SMART members who serve their communities in local elected positions about the importance of having regular working people in office.    Matt Cherry Last episode, we heard from Joe de la Cruz, a SMART sheet metal worker in Groton, Conn., who is also a state senator, proudly serving the communities of Groton and New London. This episode we sit down with two more SMART member...

A conversation with 25-year sheet metal worker and Connecticut State Rep. Joe de la Cruz Over the next two episodes, we sit down with SMART members who have successfully run for local or statewide public office. We discuss their sheet metal and transportation careers, what motivated them to run for elected office, specific steps they took to build and run successful campaigns and key issues they f...

BNSF "Hi-Viz" Attendance Policy and National Rail Contract Negotiations Were Focus of Discussion In this episode of Talking SMART, we sit down with SMART TD President Jeremy Ferguson to talk about a subject that is foremost on the minds of many members. In February 2022, BNSF arbitrarily changed its attendance policy and took advantage of a pro-management judge to force (as of now... this episode...

Back in April 2021, we met with Steve Dodd and Greg Hynes to talk about the first 100 days of the Biden administration. We have brought them back for this Talking SMART episode to talk about the first year of the administration and, more specifically, its impact on SMART members.    Steve Dodd Brother Dodd is SMART’s Director of Governmental Affairs and a member of Local 137 in New York City. He s...

Chris Carlough September was Suicide Prevention Month. This episode of Talking SMART is focused on suicide prevention, substance abuse disorder and all the resources and support available to our members through the SMART Member Assistance Program, or SMART MAP. Our featured guest is Chris Carlough, SMART’s director of education and a man who wears many hats in our union. In addition to preparing n...

Louise Medina In our new Talking SMART episode, we focus on mentorship, mutual support in the workplace, and working pro-actively to address issues such as hazing, bullying and discrimination. Our featured guests are SMART Local 265 Business Representative Louise Medina and Local 265 member Mike Powers. Every member has had at least one person in his or her career who has stood up for them, provid...

In our new Talking SMART episode, we dig into freight rail issues that affect both the safety of railroad workers and the safety of communities around the country. Our featured guests are SMART Transportation Division Kansas State Legislative Director Ty Dragoo and Transportation Division Nebraska State Legislative Director Bob Borgeson. Ty Dragoo Brother Dragoo followed his father into the railro...

Back in January, we met with Steve Dodd and Greg Hynes to talk about the 2020 election and what to expect from the Biden-Harris administration. We have brought them back for this Talking SMART episode to talk about the first 100 days of the administration and, more specifically, its impact on SMART members.    Steve Dodd Brother Dodd is SMART’s Director of Governmental Affairs. He spoke with us ab...

IL Locals Hit the Road to Help Texans    Matt Gugala April is SMART Army Month of Community Action. And this episode our featured guest is Matt Gugala, an organizer with SMART Local 265 and the SMART Army coordinator for the state of Illinois. Brother Gugala has been in the sheet metal trade since 1995, and was accepted to the apprenticeship program in 2002. He has worked on a wide variety of proj...

  Ronnie Hobbs April is SMART Army Month of Community Action. And this episode our featured guest is Ronnie Hobbs, a true SMART Army pioneer.  Brother Hobbs is the SMART Transportation Division legislative director for the state of Virginia, and a member of Local 854 in Portsmouth. In addition to working for Norfolk Southern and lobbying state legislators in Richmond, he is the state’s SMART Army...

Ep. 11: Indoor Air Quality and Re-opening Schools & Workplaces   Dave Bernett This episode, our featured guest is Dave Bernett, the administrator at the National Energy Management Institute Committee, or NEMIC. Brother Bernett works with a team of professionals developing workforce training and personnel certifications for SMART members and employers in the sheet metal construction industry. With...

This episode, we sit down with two of SMART’s national legislative leaders, Steve Dodd and Greg Hynes, to talk about the assault on our capital and what to expect after the January 20 inauguration. We also discuss the significance of the Georgia Senate race and Democratic control of the Senate, SMART’s legislative priorities in 2021, SMART’s election mobilization efforts, and what the Biden/Harris...

  Richard Andrade Our guest this episode is Richard Andrade, who has been a member of TD Local 1081 in Arizona for 26 years. Brother Andrade is a Democratic member of the Arizona House of Representatives, representing District 29, which covers parts of Phoenix and Glendale, Ariz. He is running for re-election in 2020 for his fourth term in the state House. A third-generation railroader, Andrade fi...