About Us
Local 437 was chartered as a local of the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association July 26th, 1963. Currently, Local 437 has members working in the Sheet Metal and Roofing Industries in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. Our skilled tradesmen and women work primarily in the ICI (Industrial, Commercial, Institution) sector of the construction industry, both on job sites and in production shops.
Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association (SMWIA) was founded in 1888. Internationally the SMWIA represents 150,000 members throughout Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico in areas such as HVAC installation, fabrication, repair, and service; architectural sheet metal; manufacturing, metal roofing, railroad and shipyard work and a range of other industries and occupations.
Some things you may want to know about being a union member:
- Because we bargain collectively, union members earn about 27% more than their non-union counterparts.
- Union members and their family enjoy health & welfare coverage that only a small fraction of their non-union counterparts enjoy.
- Unions help local communities by generating more revenue for workers and that contributes to better schools, public works and other community programs.
- Earlier union members fought for many of the benefits we now take for granted. The eight-hour day, overtime pay, health care coverage, occupational safety laws, workers’ compensation, minimum wage, retirement security and unemployment insurance were unheard of until the advent and continuing efforts of the labour movement.
- Unions have been a strong advocate of the working family. Thanks to unions, workers have had the option of working stable hours-allowing them time to provide for family stability. Unions have also been at the forefront of medical and family leave efforts that allow parents to stay home with their children or care for an elder.
- Today, the labour movement serves as a powerful voice for working families in the global economy.
- Unions are fighting outsourcing and the exploitation of cheap labour overseas while curbing abuses of part time and temporary labour here at home.