Sheet Metal Workers' Local 104

Important! To ensure your mail-in ballot is received in time for Election Day make sure you are requesting a ballot AT LEAST 15 days prior to the election and mailing it in AT LEAST 7 days before November 3rd!

Fred Braker, a longtime member of SMART SM Local 19, was one of many sheet metal and sign workers who were employed on the construction of the Trump Taj Mahal c...asino in Atlantic City, NJ. According to Braker, his employer and many other small contractors never were fully compensated for the work they performed causing ruin for the men and women they employed. It was a profitable endeavor for [Trump], noted Braker. Just the people who did the work didn’t get paid, that’s all. In Braker's 37 years, he was unemployed for only 9 months, all a result of the financial devastation wreaked by Trump's business practices, which saw multiple construction firms like his employer go out of business due to Trump's non-payment. He says Donald Trump "hurt a lot of working people" in Atlantic City and beyond, profiting off of their unpaid labor. "We worked hard," adds Braker. "We were earning our living. It was not fair. It’s still not fair."

SMART has endorsed Joe Biden as the blue collar candidate due to his background and stand with SMART members over his career. Share this image on your Facebook... feed to show you stand with Joe Biden as he delivers his acceptance speech tonight. Take part in our Union Strong Watch Party at https://tinyurl.com/bidenunion #BlueCollarBiden See more

Tick tock, tick tock...It's been 2 years & SJ Construction Workers are still waiting for a wage theft ordinance to protect them. Click the link to tell City leaders to enact a responsible construction ordinance and stop giving developers taxpayer handouts! Here is the link: https://oneclickpolitics.global.ssl.fastly.net/messag/edit

Local 104 members who have received your Cali Bear mask or buffemail a photo to [email protected], of you wearing them on the job site. The Local 104 magazine is looking to make a collage of proud Local 104 members working safely on the job!

We're proud that Local 104 members can play a part to help protect others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Click the link to see how the SFO Sheet Metal Shop is doing just thatand get recognized for it! https://www.sfoconnect.com/superhero-week

SMW 104 Local News June 2020 is now available! Follow the link to read the latest issue.

As our offices and Training Centers reopen Local 104 has put in to place safety precautions when visiting. The video below describes what you need to know as we open up again.

Amid the current pandemic and our efforts to create opportunities to get our members back to work and create future work hours, we are now witnessing protests across the nation and in our cities. The death of George Floyd is abhorrent and unconscionable, and the reality of systemic racism within the United States has reached a justified boiling point. People of all ethnicities, genders, and experiences are mobilizing to address their legitimate frustration over a decades-long... failure to reform police practices. Racism continues to show that something is deeply wrong in our country. Unfortunately, some use peaceful demonstrations as an opportunity to incite violence and destruction. Local 104 strongly condemns all acts of racism and violence. We must also not let the destruction distract from both mourning George Floyd’s death and seeking the institutional change we need. We need leadership throughout this country to step up and help us heal, regardless of political party affiliation. However, the journey of healing can only begin with everyone fighting racism together, and it needs to start right now. We are proud of Local 104’s leadership record as we continue to fight for racial and economic justice in our communities throughout California. In communities where there are disproportionally people of color with traditional barriers to employment, we actively work with National Building Trades MC3 certified Pre-Apprenticeship programs because everyone deserves an opportunity at a middle class career if they have both the drive to work hard and the desire to succeed. Several notable organizations we partner with are: Rising Sun Center for Opportunity and Cypress Mandala in Oakland; YouthBuild in Stockton; CityBuild in San Francisco; the Fresno Area Multi Craft Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program; the Sacramento Employment and Training Agency; the Oxnard Unified School District Training Program; SLO Partners in San Luis Obispo; the Trades Introduction Program in San Mateo; and the Trades Orientation Program in San Jose. As a membership, you fight for equity within our industry by demanding construction projects have Project Labor Agreements ensuring a local workforce and new opportunities into our apprenticeship program for local residents, and that everyone on that project will be paid area standard wages with benefits. Finally, it’s important that we all take this time to look at ourselves and ask what we can do to effect real change in our communities. Volunteering with a charity, working with activist groups to raise awareness of an issue, and making sure that you are exercising your right to vote are all a great place to start. We must respect each other regardless of our differences. We must choose kindness, tolerance, understanding and empathy of one another. We must come together as a society and treat one another with respect and dignity.

Thank you Santa Cruz Warriors for all of your hard work on mask making! We are happy to partner with you to ensure that our community has masks and is safe!

Local 104 General Foreman Joe Jaramillo showing off the new Local 104 mask! Coming to a jobsite or shop near you, be on the lookout!

Due to the current circumstances of COVID-19 Local 104 has decided to cancel the following events: Family Day at the Ballpark (June 7th) and the Membership Golf Tournament (July 18th). To stay updated for event cancellations or events that may be rescheduled stay updated by reading the Daily Brief you receive as a member and the upcoming 104 newsletter.

To those who missed last Thursday's first Local 104 Virtual Trivia Night, no worries, because we are going to have another one in a week! We received very positive feedback and we're looking forward to the next one! Sign up below and compete against other Local 104 families! When: Tuesday, April 28, 2020, 5:00 pm PST to 6:00 pm PST Where: On your computers, tablets or smart phones at your family’s dinner table! We will be using Zoom and Kahoot software that are free and you d...o not need to download the applications beforehand. If you want to download the apps, that’s ok as well. Your team is your family and/or anyone in your home. You will be competing against other Local 104 members and their families! Cost: Free for members and your families! We are limiting this to the first 150 spots (1 spot per family), so please register quickly! You can sign up by using this form (just note, we will need members' IA numbers to verify they are members of Local 104): https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSeeqZD3MXHckiD3NE/viewform Once you are signed up, you will get a confirmation that you are signed up. On Tuesday, April 28, you will receive instructions via email of how to sign on using your mobile device/tablet/computer. Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place!* Categories include: Sports, Movies, History, Science, a Secret category, and some Local 104 specific bonus questions! GOOD LUCK! If you have any questions, please call or text Vince Sugrue at (925) 487-1194 *Please note, Local 104 full-time officers and staff can play, but cannot win prizes*