Sheet Metal Workers Local 49

Retiree Spotlight: Gloria Cadena

Fifty-one years with the same employer, System Components, Horizon, TX. Fourteen years as a union steward. A career defined by steadfastness, loyalty, and standing up for the people around her.

Please join us in congratulating Sister Gloria Cadena on her retirement.

Gloria spent more than five decades on the job and made every year count. As a union steward, she fought for safer working conditions, better facilities, and respect for the workforce. She helped push for the company to replace a leaking roof that had become a safety concern, renovate bathrooms that were not suitable for workers, and repave the shipping and receiving area to make it safer for drivers and pedestrians.

Gloria also served on the negotiating committee and played an important role in securing Memorial Day as a paid holiday.

That is what union leadership looks like. Not just holding a title, but showing up, speaking up, and making the workplace better for the next person.

Congratulations, Gloria. Thank you for your 51 years of dedication, your service as a steward, and your commitment to the union.

Skip the job jumping. Learn a trade. Earn your place. Build your community.

If you just graduated high school and you’re looking for a real path forward, the sheet metal trade is worth a hard look.

Our apprentices don’t just wait around waiting for opportunity. They learn the trade, get on jobsites, use their minds, work with their hands, and help build the systems that keep New Mexico and West Texas moving.

Detailing. HVAC. Architectural sheet metal. Welding. Fabrication. Installation. Real work. Real skill. Real purpose.

We’re looking for people who show up, listen, learn, work hard, solve problems, and aren’t afraid to earn their place.

Learn more on our website today👉 https://smwlu49.org/. Click APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNTIES to apply to our training program today. Must be 18 to apply.

Know a recent grad who needs to hear this? Please share or tag in the comments!

MEMORIAL DAY

On Memorial Day, we remember the men and women who gave everything in service to our country.

Their sacrifice gave us the freedom to gather, work, build, and spend time with the people we love.

As you enjoy time with family and friends this Memorial Day weekend, please take a moment to remember what the day is really about.

We honor them. We remember them. We are grateful.

DENTAL
Benefits Beyond the Basics

Strong wages matter.
Strong benefits matter more.

Dental coverage is part of the total package at Local 49, because taking care of our members means covering the whole picture.

Don’t just get hired.
Get backed.

Join us today. 👉 https://smwlu49.org/contact

Brother Matt Allen started his career as a welder’s apprentice in 2006. He turned out as a journeyman, built a strong career in the trade, and is now helping lead the next generation as JATC Training Coordinator.

As Isaiah Zemke said, Brother Allen’s leadership, dedication, and vision are helping drive real improvements across the JATC, from the quality of training programs to the growth of apprentices.

His story is a reminder of what an apprenticeship can lead to: a career, a future, and the chance to help build the trade for the next generation.

Read the new blog on our website to learn more about Matt’s story and the work happening at the JATC. https://smwlu49.org/matthew-allen-drives-jatc-transformation/

Retiree Spotlight: Jerry Arms

Two months into retirement, Brother Jerry Arms carries with him a career built on hard work, service, and respect for the trade.

For Jerry, the best memories came from the jobs, the people from Local 49, and the brothers and sisters he met across the country. His biggest accomplishments go beyond the work itself: the friendships made, watching younger members grow in the trade, and years spent in instructor training with members from all over the U.S.

Jerry served as Coordinator from 1999 to 2020 and held multiple leadership roles, including executive board, trustee, president, and recording secretary from 1997 to 2018. That is a legacy of showing up, leading, and helping build the next generation.

His advice to younger members is simple and solid:

“Stay with the trade. Learn everything you can. It makes you more valuable, and you will only get out of the trade what you are willing to put in.”

In retirement, Jerry enjoys IDPA pistol shooting, hiking, and driving his Chevelle around in the daytime.

Congratulations, Brother Arms. Thank you for your years of service, leadership, and dedication to this trade.

If you are interested in pursuing a career like Jerry's, join us. Contact us today on our website at https://smwlu49.org/contact/.

Elite Climate Solutions Joins Local 49

SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 49 is proud to welcome Elite Climate Solutions as a newly signed contractor to the New Mexico Building Trades CBA.

Elite Climate Solutions is a woman owned provider of commercial HVAC services, specializing in complex systems and proactive maintenance for facilities throughout the region. Led by Alyssa Donner, CEO and Majority Owner, and Gabriel Washburne, COO and Operations Lead, the company brings a union trained workforce, a people first culture, and serious trade knowledge to the table.

Gabriel has been a proud Local 49 member since 2015, bringing union experience, field leadership, and Local 49 pride into this new chapter.

This is what growth looks like. More signatory contractors mean more work opportunities for our members, a stronger contractor base, and more control over market share across New Mexico and West Texas.

Signing a new contractor does not happen every day. This is a major step forward for Local 49, our members, and the future of union sheet metal work in our region.

Welcome to the family, Elite Climate Solutions.

Local 49 members: our 2026 Endorsed Candidates list is now available on our website.

These endorsements support candidates who stand with working families, union labor, apprenticeship training, strong wages, and safe jobs.
Members are encouraged to review the endorsed candidates, stay informed, and make their voices heard in the 2026 election cycle. Strong turnout matters. Strong labor representation matters. The future of our work depends on both.

New Mexico is days away from the start of the absentee and early voting in the primary election. To check your voter registration and/or to find a voting site, visit: https://www.sos.nm.gov/voting-and-elections/voter-information-portal-nmvote-org/

Read the full blog to see the candidates Local 49 is endorsing this election cycle. https://smwlu49.org/local-49-backs-pro-labor-candidates/

Signing Day at Valley High School !

Eight students. Eight stoles. Eight letters of intent signed.

Sheet Metal Workers Local 49 was proud to celebrate the presentation of stoles and the signing of apprenticeship letters of intent alongside industry contractors Butler Sheet Metal, Yearout Mechanical, JB Henderson Construction Co., Inc. , and Miller Bonded Inc. .

Each student receiving a stole completed 3 to 4 years of prerequisites through Valley High School’s Engineering the Future program, where students can choose from eight different career pathways built around real skills, real work, and real opportunity.

This is what the future of the trades looks like. Hard work recognized. Commitment honored. Careers beginning.

Congratulations to every student who earned this moment!

SMART Local 49 is proud to endorse Deb Haaland for Governor of New Mexico.

We stand with leaders who understand the value of skilled trades, union apprenticeship, safe jobs, and wages that working families can build a life on.

Deb Haaland has made it clear that she supports expanding trade education, strengthening New Mexico’s workforce, and protecting workplace standards for the people who keep our communities moving.

For our members, our apprentices, and the next generation of sheet metal workers, this endorsement is about opportunity, respect, and a stronger future for working families across New Mexico.

SMART Local 49 is proud to stand with Deb Haaland.