Sheet Metal News
SMART Local 80 shows what union solidarity means in Detroit
For SMART members, solidarity means action — from the jobsite, to the cab of a locomotive, to city council meetings, to marches and rallies, and well beyond. And for members in Detroit, it meant taking on harsh conditions to make life better for local students: On March 13, Local 80 staff and nine member volunteers volunteered to help clean up the park ahead of the annual Detroit St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Sister Kim Collier Paves the Way Forward for Women in Wyoming
After more than three decades working as an engineer for Union Pacific, Sister Kim Collier (Local 1857, Green River, Wyo.) will be the first one to tell you that she’s pretty much seen and done it all. As Women’s History Month approaches its last full week, read on to learn more about her unexpected entry into the industry and why she believes that welcoming more female members starts with us.
Trump administration’s Labor Department issues dangerous guidance on registered apprenticeship — GP Coleman responds
On Monday, March 9, the Trump administration’s Department of Labor (DOL) issued new guidance regarding registered apprenticeship programs. Read SMART General President Michael Coleman's statement in response. "I’ve said since January 2025 that I’m committed to calling balls and strikes with this administration. Calling for one million new apprentices? That’s a strike. Getting to one million apprentices by lowering the standards and potentially damaging our union’s apprenticeship programs? That’s a ball, no question."
Members and contractor benefit from union advantage in Sacramento
Union membership brings real change to workers and employers alike, and Div 15 Tech, Inc. out of Sacramento, California, is proof. “I should have done this 20 years ago,” said Div 15 Tech owner Blake Harrison.
From Stuck in Traffic to Blazing the Trail: The Rise of AVP Markeisha Haynes
Alternate Vice President Markeisha Haynes has ascended the ranks of SMART-TD leadership while still working as a Bus Operator, ensuring that she stays connected to her members’ needs and fights for the changes that they want to see. As we continue to celebrate Women’s History Month, read on to learn more about her 20-year union journey, including what she considers her most significant accomplishment that came from simply trusting her gut.
Local 19 organizes to secure opportunity for sheet metal workers in New Jersey
When companies use low-road contractors on construction projects and lower local jobsite standards, sheet metal workers, communities and businesses suffer — which is exactly why SMART local unions organize to make sure that doesn’t happen. For SMART Local 19, a campaign that started with a Chick-fil-A construction site in Glassboro, New Jersey, eventually led to a huge victory for sheet metal workers and communities across the state.
Local 27 members become owners of new signatory contractor
When two members of SMART Local 27 (Southern New Jersey) started to think about starting their own sheet metal company, the local initiated organizing conversations right off the bat. The result? Local 27’s latest signatory contractor: SteelCraft Industrial, a specialty steel fabrication company in Keyport, New Jersey.
SMART leaders train to better advocate for our union in Effective Communication class
Whether explaining HVAC systems to aspiring sheet metal technicians, talking to policymakers about project labor agreements or explaining the benefits of union membership to workers on a jobsite, communication is a key skill for SMART union leaders. That’s why the SMART Education Department held its most recent edition of the Effective Communications class in Houston, Texas, during the week of March 2, 2026.