TALKING SMART is the podcast of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers, a diverse union of more than 230,000 members. Each month, we bring you news, guests and discussions of interest to working families across the United States and Canada.
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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…
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…
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 they…
“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…
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…
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 workers,…
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…
