Member Engagement & Renewed Partnership With Local 265

As I write this, we’re fresh off the 2024 Annual Conference, which included a four-night stay in Canada’s iconic “Castle in the Rockies,” the Fairmont Banff Springs. This event was almost immediately sold out, and we were thrilled to see many new faces on the trip this year! Our group enjoyed plenty of camaraderie and amazing local experiences, along with an informational business session designed to strengthen our commitment to our industry and continue looking for ways to reach our collective goals.

As an association, it’s important to us to continue bringing new content to our membership meetings and lineup of course offerings. Have a topic you’d like to learn more about? Let the SMACNA Greater Chicago team know! Engagement drives innovation and pushes us all to be better; not just in our own businesses, but as an industry-leading association. We remain committed to making sure our local contractors and labor partners have the tools they need to succeed.

To that end, it’s no secret that last year saw a spike in the number of labor union strikes throughout the country, leading up to a challenging negotiation cycle for many in the construction industry. The SMACNA Greater Chicago Negotiating Committee and our counterparts at Local 265 worked together to come up with a new four-year agreement, which is effective from June 1, 2024, to May 31, 2028. See page 17 for a detailed update.

With November approaching, we’re anxious to see how the election will impact our industry. To plan for whatever the future holds, be sure to stay informed of political developments and on top of key trends. We’re all navigating this together!

Jeff Lukitsh

President, SMACNA Greater Chicago