Tag: General President Michael Coleman

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On Monday, March 9, the Trump administration’s Department of Labor (DOL) issued new guidance regarding registered apprenticeship programs. SMART General President Michael Coleman gave the following 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.

“Our union’s registered apprenticeship programs are the bedrock of the sheet metal industry — for workers, for union contractors and for our country. Through our strong registered apprenticeships, working Americans get trained at the highest standards, make a living while learning the trade, and build the infrastructure that our communities rely on. This has set the bar for our industry and our nation for generations.

“But this model depends on rigorous standards that apprenticeship programs must meet to avoid undermining our high-quality training — and the Department of Labor’s guidance puts those standards at risk. This guidance would encourage apprenticeship programs to focus on speed instead of skill development, create a 30-day ‘shot clock’ for the DOL to rubber stamp new programs in a rush, and increase flexibility for employers — potentially reducing the current emphasis on protecting workers and creating opportunity for all apprentices.   

“There’s a lot more to be said about this dangerous guidance. But I’ll get straight to the point: This is a threat to SMART members, our families, our apprenticeship programs and tradespeople everywhere. We urge the Department of Labor to change course, and we call on the president to stand up for our nation’s workers by strengthening the standards that protect them.”

On Friday, May 22, 2026, Judge Waverly D. Crenshaw Jr. dismissed the criminal case against Kilmar Abrego Garcia, “ruling that the Trump administration had brought human trafficking charges against him as part of a vindictive effort to punish him for challenging his wrongful deportation to El Salvador last year,” according to the New York Times. SMART General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement in response:

“From the beginning, our demand has been simple: Kilmar, like every single one of our members and every person in this country, must be granted his constitutional right to due process. He must be given his day in court. In Nashville, Kilmar was given his day in court, and on Friday, we saw just how important that is — for Kilmar, for his family and for the principles of justice that we all rely on. We will continue to stand for Kilmar’s rights and for every person’s right to due process, because that is what makes this country great.”

On May 19, 2026, United States President Donald Trump endorsed the Railway Safety Act, urging congressmembers to include the legislation in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill.

“From day one, we’ve said that we will work with any administration to benefit our members, and that we will keep calling balls and strikes on the policies that impact our members. This is a strike. We have stayed true to our commitment, and we welcome the White House’s support for including the Railway Safety Act in the Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill,” said SMART General President Michael Coleman in response. “The Railway Safety Act is just common sense: for SMART-TD members, railroaders and communities nationwide. We applaud this administration for supporting this legislation, and we urge Congress to swiftly pass the Railway Safety Act as part of the final Surface Transportation Reauthorization bill.” 

On Monday, March 9, the Trump administration’s Department of Labor (DOL) issued new guidance regarding registered apprenticeship programs. SMART General President Michael Coleman gave the following 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.

“Our union’s registered apprenticeship programs are the bedrock of the sheet metal industry — for workers, for union contractors and for our country. Through our strong registered apprenticeships, working Americans get trained at the highest standards, make a living while learning the trade, and build the infrastructure that our communities rely on. This has set the bar for our industry and our nation for generations.

“But this model depends on rigorous standards that apprenticeship programs must meet to avoid undermining our high-quality training — and the Department of Labor’s guidance puts those standards at risk. This guidance would encourage apprenticeship programs to focus on speed instead of skill development, create a 30-day ‘shot clock’ for the DOL to rubber stamp new programs in a rush, and increase flexibility for employers — potentially reducing the current emphasis on protecting workers and creating opportunity for all apprentices.   

“There’s a lot more to be said about this dangerous guidance. But I’ll get straight to the point: This is a threat to SMART members, our families, our apprenticeship programs and tradespeople everywhere. We urge the Department of Labor to change course, and we call on the president to stand up for our nation’s workers by strengthening the standards that protect them.”

On February 24, 2026, Senator Jon Husted of Ohio and Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington introduced the Railway Safety Act of 2026. SMART General President Michael Coleman issued the following statement in response:

“Rail safety isn’t a Red issue or a Blue issue. It’s about keeping our country and our members safe and secure.

“Over three years ago, the devastating Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, showed just how important it is for lawmakers to listen to rail workers. That disaster put local families, railroaders and an entire town at risk. The image of that chemical explosion shocked our country — except the SMART-TD members who had been demanding a change even before that day, and who have continued to call for real solutions ever since.

“With the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2026, Congress can answer that call and take concrete actions to keep Americans safe: new safety standards for hazardous materials, train length regulations, two-person crews and more. We thank Senators Husted and Cantwell for introducing this crucial bill, and we call on Congress to stand with our members and pass it into law. Because as SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson stated when the legislation was introduced, safety is not a political issue. It is a moral obligation.”

SMART General President Michael Coleman released the following statement after the shooting of Minnesota resident Alex Pretti on January 24, 2026:

“On Friday, January 23, tens of thousands of working people in Minnesota — including thousands of our union brothers and sisters — exercised their First Amendment right to take a stand against the conduct of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, including the shooting of Renee Good just weeks ago. They did what working people have done for generations in the fight for justice, equality and the American dream: They brought everything to a stop and said, enough is enough. No more chaos in our streets. No more shootings of civilians.

“The facts are clear about what happened the next day. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, our American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union brother, was exercising his First Amendment right and his Second Amendment right, legally carrying a firearm while filming ICE officers. Brother Pretti was pepper sprayed, tackled and killed in the street. Multiple eyewitness videos appear to show that Pretti was not holding his weapon. What he was doing, in his last moments before he was shot multiple times in the back, was helping a woman who herself had been pepper sprayed.

“Our union is full of brothers and sisters just like Alex Pretti. Proud Americans who care deeply for our veterans, as Pretti did — he was a dedicated intensive-care unit nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Union members who aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in. Working people who practice their right to own and legally carry a firearm, just like Alex Pretti.

“This cannot stand. We cannot have government agents killing people in the street. We cannot have people afraid to go to work because of what’s happening outside their doors. We cannot sit back and let government agencies dictate the everyday lives of working people without facing any consequences.

“We mourn Alex Pretti, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his loved ones, his AFGE brothers and sisters, and the working people of Minnesota. We urge SMART members to contact their members of Congress and call for the immediate end to this chaos and violence.”

On January 8, the United States House of Representatives voted to pass a clean extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax subsidies, which would stop a huge price hike in health care costs for working Americans.

“For months, SMART members have been calling on Congress to stand up for working families and pass an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. Yesterday, the House of Representatives heard our demand, passing a bill that would extend these subsidies for three years,” SMART General President Michael Coleman said. “The fact that representatives of both parties voted for this bill is proof that our issues aren’t Red or Blue — they’re just common sense. Both Republicans and Democrats recognized that these subsidies help the Americans who build and move our country get the care they need.

“The passage of this extension in the House is a huge win for SMART members; without these subsidies, SMART members would have seen their health care costs go up as insurance companies shifted the cost burden onto our strong benefit plans. Now, we need the Senate to pass and send this bill to the president’s desk. SMART applauds the worker allies who voted for this legislation, and we call on every senator who stands with working Americans to quickly pass this law.”

Brothers, sisters and friends,

I want to wish you and your families a very happy holiday season. No matter what you celebrate — Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or your own tradition — this is a special time of year. I hope each and every one of you gets the chance to enjoy time with family and friends: observing your family traditions, cherishing the ability to see loved ones, and reflecting on the things we all value as working people.

The holiday season also gives us a chance to reflect on the past year.

Brothers and sisters, we faced some huge challenges in 2025. We had to fight back against attacks on our jobs, on our collective bargaining rights, even on our basic freedoms. Above all, we had to face constant attempts to divide us. To make us afraid of each other — of our own SMART brothers and sisters.

That’s why one of the things I’m most grateful for, this holiday season, is our union.

Just like everyone has their own holiday traditions and celebrations, we have our individual differences across SMART. That’s natural — we span different countries, states, provinces, backgrounds, industries and beliefs. But no matter what those differences are, we are a union family. And we all believe in the right to good jobs, the right to have a good life and the right to be able to spend time with the people we love, whether during the holidays or any other time of year.

All of those values — and our ability to see them come to fruition in our lives — come from our common ground: our solidarity. And I believe that’s a big part of what we all celebrate during the winter holidays. The spirit of giving, the idea of common humanity, the practice of extending a hand and helping those in need. I see members doing all those things in communities across North America, whether participating in Toys for Tots toy drives, helping pack meals for elderly neighbors or simply making sure our fellow SMART brothers and sisters are doing okay. That makes me so proud to represent you, and that is the true character of our union.

So as we close out the year, I hope you’ll join me in recommitting to our unity. Together, let’s stand united, all of us having each other’s backs, in 2026 and beyond.

As always, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the many members and SMART families who are working during the holidays. The essential jobs you do to build and move our two nations will never go unappreciated by your union brothers and sisters, and we all thank you.

So again, happy holidays to you and your families. Enjoy the season, and please stay safe.

In solidarity,

On December 11, 2025, a federal judge ordered the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention. SMART General President Michael Coleman released the following statement in response:

“In August, Kilmar Abrego Garcia saw his family for the first time in months, after he was first illegally deported to El Salvador, and then held in custody after he returned to the United States. Days after he reunited with his wife and children, Kilmar followed the law and attended a mandatory check-in with Immigration and Customs Enforcement — and he was immediately detained.

“He has not been with his family since.

“It is almost impossible to imagine what Kilmar, his wife, Jennifer, and his young children have experienced over these months.

“But today, after even more months of separation, Kilmar and his family have finally been given the chance to see each other again. We are thankful that this family will finally be reunited.

“The fight for Kilmar has always been about due process. It is one of the pillars that this great country was founded on. A pillar that actually DOES make America great. We fight for this due process every day for our members, and we will continue to fight for it and every right that our members deserve.”

Brothers, sisters and friends,

I want to wish you and your families a very happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It is about the things that matter in life: Loved ones. Community. Our health, and our well-being.

As SMART members, these values are especially meaningful. We are part of the movement that fought to protect those things that matter to us — and so all of us could enjoy days like Thanksgiving. We continue to fight so that every single person gets the pay, the benefits and the respect they deserve.

And it’s not lost on any of us that we have many members working, even on Thanksgiving, keeping our nation moving. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for everything you do, and know we do not forget the sacrifice you made.

We all have different traditions on days like Thanksgiving. Some of us eat turkey. Some of us watch football. Others just take the opportunity to see family. But no matter what your tradition is, I hope we all take the chance to think about what we’re grateful for.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent all of you. And on behalf of the SMART General Executive Council, I hope you have a great Thanksgiving.

Enjoy the holiday, and please stay safe.

In solidarity,