SMART’s nose for solidarity

As anyone who’s strapped on a homemade mask knows, it’s the details that matter. Like nose clips, so you can breathe easily. SMART Local 100 Business Rep Tom Killeen reports that last week a nurse in Connecticut looking for those metal nose strips called up SMART Local 40 – after all, sheet metal is part of the name of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation union. Local 40 Manager Dave Roche contacted the Hillery company in Groton, Connecticut and they started making and giving away the strips – made by sheet metal union members -- to local sewing groups. “At this point our International became involved and is now spearheading the effort, providing aluminum metal nose clips for anyone who wants them,” Killeen told Union City. Volunteer groups providing masks to first responders and hospitals can order the free clips here and the requests are then routed to the local SMART Army Coordinator (Killeen is Local 100's coordinator), who then works with local contractors to fill the order. “SMART Local 100's contractors and members are currently churning out clips and have pledged to make 100,000 by the end of this week,” Killeen said. Yesterday they sent out more than 10,000 clips to volunteer groups throughout the metro DC area. The materials for this project have been either donated by the contractors or their suppliers. “In addition, our contractors in most cases are footing the bill for the labor but in some cases our members are staying after hours on their own time to make the clips,” Killeen adds. “This is truly an effort by the people for the people of these United States and once again unions are there to contribute and help.”
photos: (left) Wesley DeHeart; (bottom right, l-r) Scott Jessee, Thomas Brazerol, Steve Chandler and Robert Bennett Jr, all with Stromberg Metals; photo by Tom Killeen

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