One Voice, One Goal: Setting aside differences to lobby for the greater good.

One Voice, One Goal:

Setting aside differences to lobby for the greater good.

There’s an old saying that goes, “If you don’t like how the table is set, turn over the table.” In many ways this perfectly sums up the role of lobbying. While the term “lobbying” may conjure some negative connotations, there’s no denying that lobbying for good can make a substantive, positive difference to industry and people.

“Lobbying has resulted in a number of positive changes to our industry,” explains Michael Coleman, business manager and president of Local 33. “We successfully stopped the Right-towork legislation, successfully stopped the repeal for Prevailing Wage law that effectively removes labor wages and benefits from the competitive bidding process on public works projects, and stopped an energy bill that would have relaxed the standards for energy efficiency. We were able to pass a Contractor Licensing bill that made it harder for people to do work who didn’t have the appropriate licenses, and probably the biggest success is the Fire Life Safety legislation.”

Indeed, the Fire Life Safety legislation (SB 143) is a perfect example of how effective lobbying can make such a profound change that it could effectively save lives. SB 143, signed by Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham earlier this year, makes New Mexico the first state in the nation to ensure that fire and smoke dampers and smoke control systems are properly tested and inspected in accordance with National Fire Protection Association standards.

Making these kinds of changes at the government level isn’t easy. When individuals and groups don’t agree on everything, lobbying can be challenging because it requires everyone to be on the same page and present a united front.

“The key is not to get bogged down in the small things and instead keep your eyes on the horizon and work together,” says Christopher Walker, executive vice president for CAL SMACNA. “It is too easy to swerve off our objectives by the few things we may not agree on. We cannot let them get in the way of our focus.”

Dion Abril, executive administrator for SMART Western States Council, agrees with Walker, and says ironing out any creases before going in front of lawmakers is essential. “Because I am not involved in any labor-management negotiations, I can use that to our benefit.”

When Abril attends union meetings he observes the room and can see when something isn’t popular just by the reactions on people’s faces.

“It just takes some emotional intelligence,” he says. “If we don’t sort this out before we attend city council meetings or present in front of the Energy Commission, they will see this, too. It shows our cards. We need to ensure we come together as one to effect change at the higher level.”

Collaborative relationships between SMACNA contractors and SMART craftspersons have improved dramatically over the years.

“Negative press and perception are certainly the most difficult hurdles to get over, and the only way to do that is to show we are working together and that we are on the same page,” Coleman says. “Yes, perceptions can be damaging, but this hurdle is not insurmountable. It just takes patience and perseverance.”

Since Coleman entered the industry 35 years ago as a sheet metal worker, and particularly since he was elected an official in 1999, he has seen a dramatic change. “Today, it’s far easier to lobby together as the union and employers. We all understand we either sink or swim together. We can put aside our differences and focus on things that benefit the industry.”

Walker echoes Coleman’s sentiments and says that in California, labor-management lobbying has been improving. “There has been a marked improvement over the past several years because we have a common sense of purpose and a desire to protect our future in a rapidly changing marketplace,” he says.

However, this kind of change didn’t happen overnight. Thomas E. Martin, SMACNA Cleveland president, explains that these relationships, like any relationship, require hard work and dedication. He says that at the root of everything there must be trust.

Coleman, Abril, and Walker all agree. “To build trust you have to stay in touch daily,” says Walker. “I work with labor and their attorneys. We have regular conference calls, and we do a ton of face-to-face meetings.”

Abril adds that it takes a lot of coordination and effort to make it work. “You are dealing with a lot of personalities, and meetings allow you to build those blocks accordingly,” he says.

When Abril came to California from Arizona in 2015, he had the opportunity to start fresh. “I didn’t know the past relationship, so I took advantage of that and reached out and chatted with Chris Walker, my counterpart,” he says. “We started talking, and our relationship grew. We realized that though we disagreed on some little things, there were far more that we agreed on.”

Having a strong foundation is the integral starting block when it comes to successful lobbying. Education, or lack thereof, can lead to bad decisions and a “no” vote on a bill that would, in fact, benefit everyone.

Over the past few years, SMACNA and SMART have been actively trying to educate politicians, firefighters, and the general public so they can get a better handle on the industry and its challenges. “We start with basic education, such as training center tours and demonstrations on fire dampers,” Coleman says. “We teach them how important it is, not just to our industry, but also to people in general.”

He has found that presenting the facts with a focus on public safety is far more effective than making it a union or non-union issue.

“We get the contractors involved any time we have any group of people in, whether it’s the governor or state fire marshal, and we show them we work in partnership, which makes it easier for them to believe what we are saying,” Coleman says.

He adds that politicians need to understand that SMART and SMACNA members are in their corner and not going anywhere. “Republican or Democrat, it doesn’t matter. We don’t identify them as one or the other now. It is about whether they are pro-labor or anti-labor. We have plenty of Republicans that are pro-labour in the state of Ohio because we take the time to educate them and take them on training tours. The only reason we still have prevailing wage and no right-to-work is because of Republican support.”

Indeed, successful lobbying is a constant education and one Coleman, Walker, Abril, and Martin don’t take for granted, because for every success there are failures, and the failures are where the biggest lessons are learned.

“I would say one of our biggest successes, the Building Energy Efficiency Standards – Title 24, is also one of our biggest failures,” Abril says. “During that process, we got a chance to practice getting along and working on something that provides an opportunity for both labor and management. It has been going on for years, and the last couple of years our combined work has brought us here quicker, but we had to learn a lot about communication during that time.”

As SMACNA and SMART in California now set their sights on enacting new standards for carbon dioxide monitoring and ventilation in schools and West Virginia continues to battle with anti-labour politicians over the HVC Licensing bill, there continues to be a lot of work ahead.

However, there does seem to be a basic formula to successful lobbying. “You will hear a lot of the same verbiage from all of us, and that is the recipe to success,” Abril says. “People who are willing to put their egos away and persevere with just one goal in mind: the future of the industry. So often there is too much focus on the word lobbying, but in the end, it’s really about safety and human comfort.” ▪

Natalie is an award-winning writer who has worked in the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, the United States, and Canada. She has more than 23 years experience as a journalist, editor, and brand builder, specializing in construction and transportation. When she’s not writing, you will likely find her snowboarding, mountain biking, or climbing mountains with her rescue dog.