SMART Local 17 Labor Representative Don Nazaroff is retiring after serving sheetmetal workers for sixteen years.
“I thoroughly enjoyed my career and the benefits that allow me to retire in dignity through my union,” said Nazaroff. “I met a lot of great people along the way through the labor movement and I really appreciate them all and everything I learned. I’m just grateful that I was able to be part of a union family and enjoyed the benefits that we’ve all fought for and continue to fight for.”
Nazaroff was born in Lewiston and grew up in Minot and Greene, where he lives to this day. When he got out of high school his mother and grandmother urged him to go to college, but after talking to his uncle, who was a pipefitter on the Alaskan oil pipeline, he thought about joining the Plumbers and Pipefitters.
“Then I realized that I don’t have a problem with following in my father’s footsteps and joined the Sheetmetal Workers,” Nazaroff said. “My father was a member of Sheetmetal Workers Local 545 and I thought to myself, ‘you know what? He did well taking care of his family with his union pay and benefits. Maybe I should look into that.”
So he applied for both the Plumbers & Pipefitters and the Sheetmetal apprenticeship programs. It just so happened that the Sheetmetal Workers called him back first so he went and signed up. When there was an open position for an agent and organizer in 2006, Nazaroff decided he wanted to represent his fellow members just like the union had taken care of him. He also was passionate about workplace justice so he pursued the job and became a labor representative for the local in Maine.
“During my career, I learned the importance of members taking care of members and educating each other about the importance of the labor movement and understanding why we have a collective bargaining agreement,” he said. “Members need to understand that we need to take care of each other in the same way the corporate world takes care of itself. We have an eight hour day, overtime, health care and retirement because we fought for it.”
Nazaroff said his goals now are to relax, go for hikes, golf, go up to camp, be on the water and visit family and friends. Congratulations on a well-deserved retirement brother!