MARCH MEMBERSHIP MEETING RECAP

We were excited to welcome John Daniel, SMART Local 265 President and Business Manager, as our featured speaker during the March Regular Membership Meeting. During his engaging presentation, Daniel gave a “state of the union” update, provided information on the new Illinois Fire and Smoke Damper Inspection Act and the accompanying opportunities for contractors, and gave a recap on important topics covered during the Partners in Progress Conference.

State of the Union

The Local 265 pension fund is proud to continue to be 100% funded (compared to National’s 82% funded pension fund), even with the downturn last summer. The average age of members is 46 years old, and 30 members retire each year. According to Daniel, those retiring are our industry’s knowledge base, and we are challenged to figure out ways to fill the void when they’re gone. With 149 apprentices currently working through the Local 265 apprentice program, it’s a start, but more must be done to continue to develop a workforce that sees this industry as a desirable career path with opportunities to grow.

Partners in Progress Recap

The generational gap is a continued theme in recent years, and an issue our industry continues to struggle with. A number of industry speakers touched on the topic of recruitment during the recent Partners in Progress Conference in March. Because younger generations tackle problems differently than what the industry is used to, employers must view these current and future employees differently. This is an opportunity for SMACNA Greater Chicago leaders to lean into change and work together to find new solutions that will help retain our talent and elevate the future of our industry as a whole.

Succession planning was another hot topic during the conference. Again, this ties back to industry knowledge leaving with retirees and finding ways to fill that void. Daniel encouraged members, particularly those owners who are thinking about retiring in the near future, to make sure they’ve developed a sound exit strategy and are working to cultivate and prepare the next leader now while there’s time.

Illinois Fire and Smoke Damper Inspection Act

As of January 1, 2022, the Illinois Fire & Smoke Damper Inspection Act went into effect, requiring all inspections and testing of HVAC fire dampers and smoke dampers be conducted by individuals certified by the International Certification Board (ICB) and accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) or another nationally recognized certifying body in HVAC fire life safety (see page 9 for full details). In addition to the opportunities presented to member contractors by this new legislation, Daniel spoke about the need to diversify. By adding new certifications and specialties, like fire life safety, service and architectural sheet metal to your portfolio, contractors make it possible to increase market share and boost yearly man hours.