<p><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/374732357" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0"></iframe>&nbsp;</p> <p>Meet new SMACNA board member Shasta Erickson, Vice President of Miller Bonded in Albuquerque, Mexico. She talks about how she got into construction, how she got involved with SMACNA, and how the organization has helped her and her company. She also discussed some of the workforce development issues in her area. </p>

<p><a href="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/chuck_grassley_393x600.jpg?sfvrsn=3d2bc7a5_0"><span class="captioned"></span></a><a href="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/chuck_grassley_457x600.jpg?sfvrsn=b2bc7a5_0"><span class="captioned"></span></a><a href="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/chuck_grassley_457x600.jpg?sfvrsn=b2bc7a5_0"><span class="captioned"><img src="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/chuck_grassley_457x600.tmb-thumb200.jpg?sfvrsn=b2bc7a5_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Chuck_Grassley_457x600" title="Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA)" style="float: right; margin-left: 12px;" data-openoriginalimageonclick="true" /></span></a>Senate Finance Committee Chair, Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Senate HELP Committee Chair, Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released their comprehensive pension reform proposal on November 20. &nbsp; </p> <p>The proposal, outlined in a Grassley &ndash; Alexander White Paper, is complex and contains provisions that are likely to draw criticism from both Democrats in the Senate and from stakeholders whom it would affect.&nbsp; However, it is hoped that this current proposal will be a catalyst for bipartisan, bicameral action to address the failures in the current system.</p> <p>For background, the House-passed Butch Lewis Act, provided a solution only for failing plans with a loan program many feared would never be paid back and had no chance of passing in the Republican controlled Senate.</p> <p><a href="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/lamar_alexander_457x600.jpg?sfvrsn=282bc7a5_0"><span class="captioned"></span></a><a href="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/lamar_alexander_457x600.jpg?sfvrsn=282bc7a5_0"><span class="captioned"><img src="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/lamar_alexander_457x600.tmb-thumb200.jpg?sfvrsn=282bc7a5_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="Lamar_Alexander_457x600" title="Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)" style="float: left; margin-right: 12px;" data-openoriginalimageonclick="true" /></span></a>A <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019-11-20%20Multiemployer%20Pension%20Recapitalization%20and%20Reform%20Plan%20White%20Paper.pdf"><strong>twelve page summary</strong></a> of the Grassley &ndash; Alexander White Paper is available, and the <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2019-11-20%20Multiemployer%20Pension%20Recapitalization%20and%20Reform%20Plan%20Technical%20Explanation.pdf"><strong>full technical explanation</strong></a> of the Grassley &ndash; Alexander White Paper has also been prepared<strong>.&nbsp;&nbsp; </strong>&nbsp;</p> <p>Members and Chapter of SMACNA along with SMACNA staff have been consistently reaching out to both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill urging action and modernization of the multiemployer system and repeatedly emphasizing the issues important to construction industry employers. </p> <p>SMACNA will be evaluating and commenting on the current proposal and working with construction industry partners to make sure any final proposal addresses the concerns of construction industry plan stakeholders.</p> <p>Previous information relating to multiemployer pension reform is available <a href="https://www.smacna.org/news/latest/archive/2019/07/25/house-passes-pension-rescue-bill"><strong>here</strong></a>.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.smacna.org/docs/default-source/pdf-photos/philadelphia-sheet-metal-contractor-100th-anniversary-letter-final.pdf?sfvrsn=6e28c7a5_2"><img src="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/smca-of-philadelphia-600x379.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=6314c7a5_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="SMCA of Philadelphia-600x379" title="SMCA of Philadelphia-600x379" style="float: right; margin-left: 12px;" /></a>Eight Members of the U.S. Congress recently recognized and congratulated The Sheet Metal Contractors Association (SMCA) of Philadelphia and Vicinity for their 100^th anniversary.</p> <p>These eight Members of Congress wrote, &ldquo;SMCA of Philadelphia and Vicinity has been an industry leader in Business Management Education, Construction Safety, Industry Communications and Marketing, Labor/ Management Relations, and through the National SMACNA Organization, a leader in the technical standard setting arena. All the while SMCA has strived to build a friendly relationship among competitors in the sheet metal construction industry while working to have the members' voices heard by local, state, and federal officials and representatives.&rdquo;</p> Please take a few minutes to read the entire letter <a href="https://www.smacna.org/docs/default-source/pdf-photos/philadelphia-sheet-metal-contractor-100th-anniversary-letter-final.pdf?sfvrsn=6e28c7a5_4" title="here">here</a>.

<p><a href="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/sma-logo-v3-600x130.png?sfvrsn=a429c7a5_0"><img src="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/sma-logo-v3-600x130.tmb-medium.png?sfvrsn=a429c7a5_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="SMA-Logo-V3 600x130" title="SMA-Logo-V3 600x130" style="float: right; margin-left: 12px;" data-openoriginalimageonclick="true" /></a>Setting up and using the SMACNA Safety Meeting App is now easier than ever, thank to several new How-To videos that are now available on the official <a href="https://safetymeetingapp.com/demo/"><strong>SMACNA Safety Meeting App page</strong></a>.</p> <p>The videos give all prospective SMACNA Safety Meeting App users a quick overview of how to utilize the most important features of the App. This includes checklists, incident reports, meetings, and user management.</p> <p>Start your <a href="https://safetymeetingapp.com"><strong>free 30-day trial</strong></a> of the SMACNA Safety Meeting App today, and please contact Mike McCullion, SMACNA&rsquo;s Director of Safety &amp; Health at <a href="mailto:mmccullion@smacna.org"><strong>mmccullion@smacna.org</strong></a> for any questions about the App.</p>

<p><a href="https://ahrexpo.com/"><img src="https://www.smacna.org/images/default-source/2019/20ahr_e_smacna_reg_210x210.tmb-medium.jpg?sfvrsn=f429c7a5_1" data-displaymode="Thumbnail" alt="20AHR_E_SMACNA_REG_210x210" title="20AHR_E_SMACNA_REG_210x210" style="float: right; margin-left: 12px;" /></a>As an official <a href="http://www.ahrexpo.com"><strong>AHR 2020</strong></a> endorser, SMACNA encourages members and chapter executives who are going to be in attendance in Orlando, FL from February 3-5, 2020 to stop by booth #4442. You can meet the SMACNA National staff on hand and take a few minutes to experience firsthand the powerful search engine of the SMACNA eLibrary, view an updated version of our exciting hype video, see a preview of the Ignite Your Career initiative, and learn about all the resources that are currently available to our members. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>As an added bonus, SMACNA National technical staff members Mark Terzigni, Director, Engineering &amp; Technical Resources, and Pat Brooks, Senior Project Manager, will be leading three unique free educational sessions available for all AHR attendees. These sessions will cover the following topics: HVAC Air Duct Leakage, HVAC Duct Construction Standards - Metal &amp; Flexible, and HVAC Duct Design for High Performance Air Distribution Systems. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>The annual AHR Expo is the world&rsquo;s largest HVACR event, attracting the most comprehensive gathering of industry professionals from around the globe, and SMACNA will be exhibiting once again in 2020. This event promises to bring tens of thousands of attendees and exhibitors together from across the globe for three days of networking, exploring and learning about the latest innovations in our industry. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>SMACNA members interested in attending the AHR Expo 2020 can learn more information by visiting <a href="https://ahrexpo.com/"><strong>www.ahrexpo.com</strong></a>.</p> <p> <br class="t-last-br" /> </p>