For this episode of Talking SMART, we sat down with Local 28 Business Agent Marvin Tavarez to discuss his journey from working non-union to being organized into SMART. He breaks down some of the myths about organizing into a union versus taking a more traditional full apprenticeship route.
“Some people are like ‘Oh, that’s the backdoor, that’s the backdoor,’ ” says Tavarez. “But at the end of the day, it all comes down to educating the membership. You know, if you’re not organizing members in, you’re gonna be working against them and not with them.”
Tavarez also discussed his efforts to help build a rank-and-file building trades movement, including organizing rallies attended by thousands in New York City.
“As soon as I got into the union,” says Tavarez, “I felt like I needed to give back, someway, somehow. I was getting so much from the union… what can I do to contribute? So, I started a rank-and-file movement on Facebook. Started with like five members. Within a year, year and a half, it grew to over 10,000 members on social media.”
At the end of this episode, in his last open mic segment before he retired at the end of May 2023, former SMART General President Joseph Sellers discusses the road ahead for SMART, as we work to train a new generation of members and staff up scores of large “megaprojects” across the United States and Canada.
Return to Talking SMART index page.
Talking SMART is a member of the Labor Radio Podcast Network — working people’s voices, broadcasting worldwide 24 hours a day.
A Conversation about the Belonging and Excellence for All Initiative
Fighting for Freight Rail Safety
New Benefits and Incentives for Sheet Metal Travelers
Belonging and Excellence for All (BE4ALL)
SMART Army Canada Mobilizes for Terry Fox Cancer Run
Securing Our Future Through Organizing
“You’re either at the table, or you’re on the menu”
Ep. 20: SMART Member Brings Voice of Working Families to CT Statehouse
Ep. 19: Conversation with SMART TD President Jeremy Ferguson
Ep. 18: The 1st Year of the Biden-Harris Administration
Ep. 17: The SMART Member Assistance Program
Ep. 16: Mentorship and the "I Got Your Back" Campaign
Ep. 15: Long Trains, Two-Person Crews and Rail Safety
Ep. 14: The 1st 100 Days of the Biden-Harris Administration
Ep. 13: Illinois SMART Army Delivered When Disaster Struck
Ep. 12: The SMART Army is on the Move in Virginia
Ep. 11: Indoor Air Quality and Reopening Schools & Workplaces
Ep. 10: What to Expect After Jan. 20
Ep. 9: As AZ State Rep, TD Railroader Fights for Working Families
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Tucker Carlson Podcast
The Matt Walsh Show
The Glenn Beck Program
Mark Levin Podcast
The Michael Knowles Show