New Law Protects Offsite Fabrication Work

SMART Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 49 secured a major win for sheet metal workers in April 2025 with the passage of new legislation that expands prevailing wage protections to include offsite fabrication on public works projects.

Signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, the legislation closes a loophole that allowed out of state and low road contractors to undercut local union labor on public projects. For Local 49 members and signatory contractors, it is a meaningful step toward protecting work hours, strengthening market share, and creating a more level playing field across New Mexico.

“The way this type of bill helps us grow our membership is, it increases our volume of market share by having equal wages across fabrication shops,” said Local 49 Business Manager and Financial Secretary Treasurer Isaiah Zemke. “Everyone’s having to pay that same state prevailing wage for these public works projects.”

For years, offsite fabrication has been a weak point in public works enforcement in many places. Even when a project itself was covered by prevailing wage or a project labor agreement, contractors could still push fabrication work to outside shops paying lower wages. That made it harder for union contractors to compete and cost union sheet metal workers valuable hours.

Local 49 saw that challenge clearly and made the decision to act.

Heading into the 2025 legislative session, the union laid the groundwork early. Leadership developed a bipartisan endorsement questionnaire, opened conversations with elected officials from every party, and brought lawmakers into the union’s world to better understand the trade, the work, and the stakes.

“We started early on with developing an endorsement questionnaire process that was bipartisan,” Zemke explained. “It was sent out to all state reps, all state senators — Republican, Independent, Democrat, whatever party affiliation. Following that, we had an open house with everybody that we endorsed. We brought them into the house of labor, of sheet metal workers; we educated them on fabrication, educated them on what sheet metal workers do in the industry.”

That effort helped Local 49 build support, identify sponsors, and move the bill forward with backing from leaders in the House, Senate, and the governor’s office. But support alone did not get it across the finish line. Local 49 stayed involved throughout the process, showing up as advocates, expert witnesses, and a united voice for the industry.

“From there, we strapped our boots on and went and did the work of not only being expert witnesses, but also lobbying the bill in the state legislature here in 2025,” Zemke said.

This victory may not have made national headlines, but its impact will be felt where it matters most — on jobsites, in fabrication shops, and at home around kitchen tables. It means more opportunity for Local 49 members. More fair competition for signatory contractors. More hours worked under proper standards. More support for families, pensions, and the long term future of the trade.

This is what union leadership looks like. It is strategy. It is advocacy. It is doing the work before the spotlight ever shows up.

Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 49 is proud to have helped get this legislation across the finish line and proud to keep fighting for the sheet metal workers who build New Mexico every day.