Casey Van Den Heuvel, SMW Local 104 | Tom Buffenbarger

On today’s episode of the America’s Work Force Union Podcast, Casey Van Den Heuvel, business representative for Sheet Metal Workers Local 104, shared insights into the ongoing challenges faced by union workers in California’s Monterey and Santa Cruz regions. The discussion centered on the fight to maintain Project Labor Agreements (PLA) in Watsonville, the importance of union activism and member engagement, as well as broader challenges related to fair contracting and construction industry standards. Local 104 has over 9,000 members and spans 49 counties in California, from the Oregon border to Ventura County.  Tom Buffenbarger, independent labor voice and retired International President of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the Boeing strike in St. Louis, his thoughts on Ford Motor Company Chairman Jim Farley’s comments on America’s skilled labor shortage and the uncertainties facing the U.S. economy in 2026.