International Association of Sheet Metal Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART) Workers

­The International Association of Sheet Metal Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART) Workers is a North American labor organization that coordinates the activities of 700 different local unions consisting of 203,000 members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Labor Union, National/International Union
Ideological Alignment: Left of Center
Issue Areas: Labor Policy
Website: smart-union.org
Formation:

2011

President:

Joseph Sellers, Jr.

Location: Washington, DC View on map
Tax ID: 46-4039786
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $440,167,272 Revenue: $100,258,317 Expenses: $99,600,320

Contents

    In the 2022 election cycle, SMART’s political action committee made $1,580,000 in campaign contributions, 98.32 percent of which went to Democratic Party candidates. 2

    History and Leadership

    International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers or SMART was formed in 2011 as a result of the merger of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association and the United Transportation Union 3 after several years of negotiation that began between 2007 and 2008. 4 SMART traces its origins through its predecessor organizations to the establishment of the National Labor Union in 1866; the Tin, Sheet Iron, and Cornice Workers’ International Association; and the establishment of the Order of Railway Conductors of America in 1868. 4

    SMART was officially chartered by the AFL-CIO labor federation in 2013. 4

    SMART’s leadership team consists of a general president, general secretary-treasurer, and the president of SMART’s transportation division. Joseph Sellers, Jr. has been the president of SMART since May 1, 2015. Prior to becoming president, Sellers was SMART’s 11th general vice president from August 2009 to August 2014. 5 In 2017, Sellers was selected as a member of the Trump administration’s Task Force on Apprentice Expansion. 6

    Joseph Powell is SMART’s general secretary-treasurer and Jeremy Ferguson is the president of SMART’s Transportation Division. 7

    Activities

    International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers coordinates the activities of approximately 700 different local unions consisting of 203,000 members in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. SMART’s membership consists of  sheet metal workers, service technicians, bus operators, engineers, conductors, sign workers, welders, production, and others. 8 The union is divided into departments specializing on Rail and Transit, Sheet Metal, Production and Manufacturing, Metal Trades and Shipyard, Railroad Mechanical and Engineering, and Contractors and Partners. 9

    SMART’s Transportation Division is the largest railroad operating union in North America, consisting of 500 SMART-TD local unions. 10 SMART members are employed on all Class I railroads in the U.S. and also are employed by 45 different bus and transit systems. SMART’s sheet metal arm also includes 150,000 members. 8

    SMART operates the SMART Women’s Committee to advocate for women in the sheet metal industry. 11 Each year the Women’s Committee hosts programming at the Tradeswomen Build Nations conference with the North American Building Trades Unions (NABTU). 12

    SMART Women’s Committee supports and the far-left Black Lives Matter movement. The committee has called for SMART to support the critical race theory-influenced concept of anti-racism and act to dismantle what the committee calls “systemic racism” in the United States. 13 SMART also operates the “Belonging and Excellence for All” initiative to support critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion programming throughout the union. 14

    In 2021, SMART and SMART TD adopted a critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity and inclusion statement. 15 16 SMART participated in left-of-center labor union and activist protests across the midwestern United States in 2011. 4

    SMART is allied with the Center to Protect Workers Rights, labor union-funded Economic Policy Institute, left-of-center Jobs to Move America, NABTU’s Tradeswomen Build Nations, 17 and others. 18 SMART also participates in national programs to support military veterans seeking jobs in the building and trades industry, 19 offers scholarships to its members who are studying mechanical engineering and architecture, 20 and hosts monthly podcast focused on labor union issues. 21

    Political Activities

    SMART has legislative staff in Washington, D.C.; Ottawa, Canada; and in all state and provincial capitals 22 to advance its political and legislative agenda at the national and subnational levels in the U.S. and Canada. 23 SMART’s membership mobilizes and engages politically through the SMART Action Center 24 and “SMART Army” volunteer organization. 25

    SMART’s Transportation Division also helps drive the union’s legislative activities and has played a large role in Amtrak national rail network negotiations. 8

    SMART opposes right-to-work laws that allow workers not to fund union activities and supported the passage of the Biden administration’s Infrastructure and Investment Act. 22

    In July 2020, In July 2020, SMART endorsed Joe Biden for president. 26 SMART also endorsed the 2016 presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton (D). 27

    SMART leadership opposed transportation industry attendance policies during the COVID-19 pandemic and its legislative department and transportation trades department lobbied with the AFL-CIO labor union on these issues in 2020. 28

    Political Action Committee

    The SMART Political Action League (PAL) is a federal political action committee that is funded by voluntary union member contributions from SMART members and national and local union staff. PAL works to advance members’ interests and make direct contributions to federal political candidates, state-level candidates, other PACs, and national and state-level political parties. PAL also funds get-out-the-vote and voter registration activities. 29

    According to Open Secrets, PAL raised $3,871,856 and spent $4,348,071 in the 2022 election cycle. Democrats received 98.32% of PAL’s $1,581,000 campaign contributions during the 2022 election cycle. 2 Also in 2022, PAL hosted a reception featuring Reps. Richard Neal (D-NJ), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Donald Norcross (D-NJ). 30

    In the 2020 election cycle, PAL raised $4,018,557 and spent $3,701,489. Democrats received 96.93% of PAL’s $1,513,800 of federal campaign contributions. 2

     

    SMART’s Transportation Division also operates its own PAC, SMART TD PAC. 31 In the 2022 election cycle, SMART TD PAC raised $2,215,413 and spent $1,765,079. Its expenditures included $607,700 of political contributions to federal candidates. Democratic Party candidates received $532,800 of these contributions. 32

    In the 2020 election cycle, SMART TD PAC raised $2,596,670 and spent $2,311,510. Its expenditures included $974,850 to federal candidates. Democrats received 85.35% of these campaign contributions. 33

    Lobbying Spending

    In 2021, SMART reported $1,658,560 of spending on political activities and lobbying to the U.S. Department of Labor. 34 SMART reported $1,067,882 of lobbying expenses to the Department of Labor in 2020. 35

    Funding

    International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) receives its funding from union member dues. In 2021, the organization reported revenue of $147,329,704 and expenses of $131,799,332. 34 In 2020, SMART reported receipts of $144,319,983 and disbursements of $131,371,838. 35

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $440,167,272 $100,258,317 $99,600,320 View
    2023 $383,575,543 $90,549,606 $75,716,496 View
    2022 $338,446,824 $84,456,341 $71,265,151 View
    2021 $341,534,153 $165,897,586 $63,673,277 View
    2020 $294,123,286 $82,985,639 $59,489,393 View

    Revenue Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 1307

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Michael ColemanGENERAL PRESIDENT$566,302
    Jeremy R FergusonPRESIDENT – TRANSPORTATION$447,123
    Joseph PowellDIRECTOR OF MEGA PROJECTS (RETIRED – JULY, 2024)$445,004
    Anthony SimonGENERAL CHAIRPERSON – TRAN$386,239
    Kevin C BrodarGENERAL COUNSEL – TRANSPOR$358,756
    Darrell RobertsASSISTANT TO THE GP$350,851
    Jason BensonDIRECTOR OF ORGANIZING$340,730
    Paul PimentelDIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS$336,793
    Thomas WiantASSISTANT TO THE GP$335,365
    Christopher CarloughDIRECTOR OF WELLNESS$333,710
    Steve DoddDIRECTOR OF GOV'T AFFAIRS$332,277
    David GoodspeedDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION$319,786
    John DanielGENERAL SECRETARY-TREASURE$312,892
    Vincent Tessitore JRVICE CHAIRPERSON – TRANSPO$312,256
    Thomas FischbachDIRECTOR OF JURISDICTION$296,105
    Louise MedinaDIRECTOR OF SPECIAL PROJEC$293,842
    Chadrick J AdamsVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,557
    Alvy HughesVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,557
    Brent LeonardVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,557
    Jamie C ModesittVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,557
    Joe M LopezVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,557
    David B Wier JRVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,556
    James C SandovalVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,556
    Gary W CrestVICE PRESIDENT – TRANSPORT$293,556
    Gregory K HynesNATIONAL LEGISLATIVE DIREC$293,556
    Joseph M LaprestaGENERAL CHAIRPERSON – TRAN$288,390
    White SamuelDIRECTOR OF EDUCATION$279,756
    Peter KennedyDIRECTOR OF RAILROAD$279,230
    Charles J CassityALTERNATE NATIONAL LEGISLA$275,943
    James WhiteDIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC CAMP$268,486
    Jameal WallDIRECTOR OF CANADIAN AFFAI$255,547
    John M EllisGENERAL CHAIRPERSON – TRAN$254,449
    Christopher L Griffey5TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$210,960
    Warren MayCONTROLLER (RETIRED – DECEMBER, 2024)$206,685
    Ray Reasons6TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$95,860
    Richard H Werner3RD GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$92,368
    Robert Butler5TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$90,845
    Arthur Tolentino2ND GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$85,519
    Billy Kenyon4TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$79,614
    Derek Evans1ST GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$79,407
    Thomas Debartolo8TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$77,299
    Jason Pedersen9TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$68,284
    Lance Deyette7TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$62,212
    Matthew Fairbanks11TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$50,152
    Stephen Langley10TH GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$36,224
    Gary Masino3RD GENERAL VICE PRESIDENT$10,075

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $129,500
    • Number of Grants: 5
    • Number of Funders: 2

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $100,0002020 International Assn of Smart No 104Charitable donation
    $7,5002020 International Assn of Smart No 104Charitable donation

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $375,000
    • Number of Grants: 3
    • Number of Recipients: 2

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $125,0002024 Northeast Regional Council of SmartPROGRAM SUPPORT
    $125,0002023 Northeast Regional Council of SmartPROGRAM SUPPORT
    $125,0002023 Southwest Gulf Coast Regional CouncilPROGRAM SUPPORT

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    Contact Us

    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About SMART.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers Website. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/about-smart/.
    2. “PAC Profile: Sheet Metal, Air, Rail & Transportation Union.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/spending-section.
    3. “UTU, sheet metal workers’ union now merged as Smart.” Progressive Railroading. December 21, 2011. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://www.progressiverailroading.com/labor/news/UTU-sheet-metal-workers-union-now-merged-as-SMART–29267.
    4. “History of SMART.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/about-smart/a-brief-history-of-smart/.
    5. “Leadership.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/about-smart/leadership/.
    6. “GP Sellers Named to President’s Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. October 16, 2017. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/gp-sellers-named-to-presidents-task-force-on-apprenticeship-expansion/.
    7. [1] “Leadership.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/about-smart/leadership/.
    8. “About SMART.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/about-smart/.
    9. “We Are SMART.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/smartcareers/.
    10. “SMART Transportation Division.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/smart-transportation-division/.
    11. “Submit Your Sister Story.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/smart-women/.
    12. “Women’s Committee.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/get-involved/committees/individual-committees/womens-committee/.
    13. “Juneteenth Statement From SMART Women’s Committee On Black Lives Matter Movement.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. June 19, 2020. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/statement-from-smart-womens-committee-on-black-live-matter-movement/.
    14. “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/our-priorities/diversity-equity-and-inclusion/.
    15. “SMART SMANCA Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. January 2021. Accessed January 12. 2023. https://smart-union.org/smart-smacna-diversity-equity-inclusion-statement/.
    16. “TD Diversity & Inclusion Committee.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/get-involved/committees/individual-committees/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-committee/td-diversity-inclusion-committee/.
    17.  “Tradeswomen Build Nations.” North American Building Trades Union. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://nabtu.org/twbn.
    18. “Union Links.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/resources/union-industry-links/.
    19. “Helmets to Hardhats.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART). Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/tag/helmets-to-hardhats/.
    20. “Sheet Metal Scholarship Programs.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/why-join-smart/scholarships/sheet-metal-scholarship-programs/.
    21. “Talking SMART.” Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Union. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/talking-smart/.
    22. “Legislative Issues.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/our-priorities/legislative-issues/.
    23. “Who We Are.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/who-we-are/.
    24. “Action Center.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, and Rail Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/get-involved/action-center/.
    25. “SMART Army.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, and Rail Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/get-involved/smart-army/.
    26. “SMART endorses Joe Biden for president.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. July 1, 2020. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/smart-endorses-joe-biden-for-president/.
    27. “Sheet Metal Workers endorse Hillary Clinton.” SNIPS – For Sheet Metal & HVAC Contractors. March 1, 2016. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://www.snipsmag.com/articles/91937-sheet-metal-workers-endorse-hillary-clinton.
    28. “A message to all TD members and retirees from President Ferguson.” March 20, 2020. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/a-message-to-all-td-members-and-retirees-from-president-ferguson/.
    29. “Political Action League.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/get-involved/pal/.
    30. “SMART Political Action League reception welcomes political leaders, honors local activism.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Workers. August 6, 2022. Accessed January 12, 2023. https://smart-union.org/smart-political-action-league-reception-welcomes-political-leaders-honors-local-activism/.
    31. “Transportation PAC.” International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://smart-union.org/get-involved/transportation-pac/.
    32. “SMART Transportation Division PAC Contributions to Federal Candidates.” Open Secrets 2022 Election Cycle. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/smart-transportation-division/C00001636/candidate-recipients/2022.
    33.  “PAC Profile: SMART Transportation Division.” Open Secrets. Accessed January 13, 2023. https://www.opensecrets.org/political-action-committees-pacs/smart-transportation-division/C00001636/summary/2020.
    34. “Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers National Headquarters.” (DOL File Number 000-073), Form LM-2 Labor Organization Annual Report, 2021, Statement B. https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=812941&rptForm=LM2Form
    35. “Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers National Headquarters.” (DOL File Number 000-073), Form LM-2 Labor Organization Annual Report, 2020, Statement B. https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=750357&rptForm=LM2Form.