What SMART Local 103 does

SMART Local 103 (Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 103) is a regional labor union headquartered in Butte, Montana, representing sheet metal workers, HVAC technicians, fabricators, and installers across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Founded in 1888 and affiliated with the international SMART Union (Sheet Metal | Air | Rail | Transportation Union) and the SMART Northwest Regional Council, the organization operates from a 32-person staff across a main office in Butte, a regional office co-located with the Idaho Training Center in Firth/Idaho Falls, and two Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (JATC) facilities in Butte, MT and Firth, ID.

The union delivers services through a Member Portal, a free earn-while-you-learn Apprenticeship Program (apprentices start at $22.88/hr in MT/WY), an Organizing Program recruiting non-union workers via state-specific forms, and a Contractor Advantage program connecting signatory contractors with skilled labor. Supporting technology integrations include Total Track for apprenticeship records, NWRC Pay Dues for online dues collection, and the Union Label App for jobsite wage and benefits reporting. The union demonstrates member craftsmanship through showcased projects including the $66 million Shodair Children's Hospital HVAC, the Billings Clinic Bozeman Campus 125,000 sq. ft. ambulatory center, an Aerospace Office HVAC in Bozeman, and an eco-friendly Airport HVAC in Helena.

The business model is funded entirely by recurring member dues, with no publicly disclosed pricing. The go-to-market is community-led, relying on direct organizer outreach, location-based recruitment forms, member referrals, community events, and an active five-platform social media presence. Member-facing value is anchored on journeyman wages starting at $37.27-$38.14/hr plus over $24.50/hr in fringe benefits (full family healthcare, two defined-benefit pensions reported over 100% funded, 401(k), HSA), versus non-union rates of $25-$35/hr with limited benefits.

Name

SMART Local 103

Legal name

Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 103

Website

https://smw103.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SMART Local 103 is a regional labor union representing sheet metal workers, HVAC technicians, and installers across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming, delivering collective bargaining, earn-while-you-learn apprenticeships, benefits administration, and signatory contractor coordination funded by recurring member dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Services

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (23822), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700), Services-Employment Agencies (7361)

akta.pro primary industry

Taft-Hartley / Union Multiemployer Group Health Plans (FSAIAFAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Workforce Development Programs (WIOA/One-Stop Career Centers) (EDAAAOAA)

Keywords

• Labor union services
• Collective bargaining
• Sheet metal workers
• Apprenticeship training
• HVAC technicians

Headquarters

HQ city

Helena, Montana

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Dues: SMART Local 103 is funded through membership dues paid by union members. Dues support union operations, organizers' salaries, training programs, health insurance administration, and pension fund contributions. The union describes dues as an investment that provides returns through better wages, benefits, and working conditions negotiated on behalf of members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

SMART Local 103 is a labor union representing sheet metal workers and HVAC technicians across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. The union provides collective bargaining on wages and benefits, formal apprenticeship training through JATC Training Centers, grievance representation, and administration of health insurance and pension plans for its members. It also connects signatory contractors with skilled union labor through its Contractor Advantage program.

Product overview

SMART Local 103 is a Sheet Metal Workers trade union offering a unified portfolio of member services for sheet metal and HVAC professionals across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. The core offerings include a Member Portal for secure access to benefits and union resources, an Apprenticeship Program providing free earn-while-you-learn training at JATC Training Centers in Butte, MT and Firth, ID, an Organizing Program to recruit non-union workers, and a Contractor Advantage program linking signatory contractors with skilled labor. The union also showcases construction projects (Shodair Children's Hospital, Billings Clinic Bozeman Campus, Airport HVAC, Aerospace Office) demonstrating member craftsmanship, and provides auxiliary services including the Union Label App for workplace reporting, the SMART NWRC Member Portal, a SMART Scholarship Program for members and families, and the SMART MAP mental health peer training program. These products collectively serve to advance wages, benefits, job security, and professional development for union members while supporting contractors and growing membership.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Member Portal A secure online portal where union members can access benefits, member information, and union resources.
• Apprenticeship Program A premier apprenticeship training program providing paid, hands-on training for sheet metal workers, combining on-the-job training with classroom instruction, offered free of charge to apprentices.
• Organizing Program A program designed to help non-union sheet metal workers and HVAC professionals join the union, offering recruitment, orientation, and collective bargaining representation.
• Contractor Advantage A program connecting signatory contractors with highly trained union sheet metal workers, providing access to skilled labor, recruitment support, and administrative cost savings.
• Union Label App A mobile application that allows workers to label jobs, scan materials, and report issues related to jobs, wages, and benefits.
• JATC Training Center Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee training centers in Butte, MT and Firth, ID providing classroom and hands-on instruction for apprentices and journeymen.
• SMART Scholarship Program A scholarship program administered by the Sheet Metal Workers International Scholarship Fund for members and their families.
• SMART MAP Training Program A mental health awareness and peer training program conducted by SMOHIT that addresses mental health issues, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide prevention, and depression, providing peer mentor training for union members and their families.
• Pay Dues Portal An online platform for members to pay union dues, managed through the Northwest Regional Council.
• Collective Bargaining & Benefits Administration Collective bargaining services that negotiate wages, health insurance, pensions, and working conditions on behalf of members, along with administration of those negotiated benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Unionized workers earn 11% more on average compared to non-unionized workers (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• SMART NWRC (Northwest Regional Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Northwest Regional Council of SMART oversees union operations across the region. SMART Local 103 is affiliated with SMART NWRC, which provides administrative support, executive nominations, and coordinates regional union activities.
• SMART Union (International Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSheet Metal | Air | Rail | Transportation Union is the international union that SMART Local 103 belongs to. Founded over 100 years ago, SMART was one of the first unions to establish 100% employer-paid health insurance and formalized apprenticeship programs.
• SMACNA (Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMT SMACNA is referenced as a key partner organization for the sheet metal industry. The relationship between union contractors and SMACNA enables industry standards, collective bargaining, and workforce development.
• Tri-County MechanicalmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSignatory contractor that has completed major HVAC projects including Shodair Children's Hospital and Helena Airport. Represents the union workforce in delivering quality sheet metal work.
• Apollo MechanicalmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSignatory contractor that designed and installed HVAC systems for the Billings Clinic Bozeman Campus ambulatory center (125,000 sq. ft.).
• Air Controls, Inc.majorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSignatory contractor that completed the Aerospace Office HVAC project in Bozeman, MT.
• Vogts Heating & AircoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSoutheast Idaho HVAC contractor highlighted for over a century of quality work. Featured as exemplary contractor partner investing in people and building careers.
• SMOHIT (Sheet Metal Occupational Health Institute Trust)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMOHIT provides SMART MAP training - a mental health awareness and peer support program addressing drug/alcohol abuse, suicide prevention, and depression. Conducts 2-day training sessions for members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• United Association of Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Service Techs (UA): Closely related building trades union representing plumbers, pipefitters, and HVAC service technicians. Comparable as a craft union with similar apprenticeship structures, collective bargaining practices, and signatory contractor networks in the same construction industry.
• United Steelworkers (USW): Union representing workers in metals, manufacturing, and related industries with comparable collective bargaining, defined benefit pension, and apprenticeship structures. Closely aligned with sheet metal workers by metal-trade heritage.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): Major construction trades union with comparable structure: local chapters, apprenticeship training, signatory contractor model, and collective bargaining. Operates in the same commercial/institutional construction projects as SMART Local 103's members.
• SMART Local 18: Another SMART local chapter representing sheet metal workers in a different jurisdiction (Cleveland/Northeast Ohio). Directly comparable as a sister local operating under the same SMART International umbrella with identical member services, apprenticeship model, and signatory contractor structure.
• International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT): Construction trades union with similar local chapter structure, apprenticeship programs, and signatory contractor relationships. Operates on many of the same commercial construction projects as SMART Local 103's signatory contractors.
• Laborers' International Union of North America (LiUNA): Major construction trades union representing laborers on commercial and industrial projects. Comparable as a Building Trades Department affiliate with similar local chapter structure, training programs, and signatory contractor relationships in the same construction sector.
• International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental, and Reinforcing Iron Workers: Metal-related construction trades union with similar apprenticeship model, journeyman wage standards, and multi-state local structure. Comparable in serving skilled metalworking trades within the broader unionized construction industry.

Broad incumbents

• AFL-CIO: Largest U.S. labor federation that includes many building trades unions including SMART affiliates. Comparable as the macro labor organization providing political advocacy, policy coordination, and broader movement infrastructure relevant to SMART Local 103.
• SMART International Union: The international Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Union that SMART Local 103 is affiliated with. Directly comparable as the umbrella organization representing the same trade workers across North America, providing administrative support, training standards, and collective bargaining coordination.

Others

• Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA): National employer-side counterpart representing signatory sheet metal and HVAC contractors. Comparable as the negotiating partner for SMART Local 103's collective bargaining agreements and a key stakeholder in the same industry labor ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/smw103
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@smartlocal103
• Facebookfacebook.com/smartlocal103
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartlocal103
• Instagraminstagram.com/smartlocal103
• TikToktiktok.com/@smartlocal103

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SMART Local 103