The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

The LMC resumes its Mid-Level Leadership Program today at Rockhurst University. Sessions continue through March 16.

A packed room at Union Station kicked off the effort to retain Kansas City, Mo.'s earnings tax today. Speakers included LMC Co-Chair Duke Dujakovich, GKC AFL-CIO president, and Terry Bassham, CEO of KCPL, who are among six campaign co-chairs. LMC board member Allen Dillingham, Builders' Association, is also a campaign co-chair. Many business and labor leaders attended as well as leaders from surrounding cities.

Given the impact of an earnings tax repeal on the metro area economy, the LMC urges members and friends to support the retention campaign.

The LMC opposes elimination of the earnings tax, which funds 40 percent of the city's general fund, until alternatives are in place. KCMO voters must reauthorize the tax in April, though bills in the Missouri legislature would take that right away from voters and eliminate the tax.

The LMC mourns the death of Ray Beagle, a giant in the history of labor-management relationships. Ray was instrumental as management counsel in developing the first National Master Freight Agreement in the trucking industry, working with the Teamsters particularly Jimmy Hoffa. He represented the industry on national bargaining committees and in administering the agreements for more than 25 years. He later had roles in labor relations as general counsel of AMC Theaters and with the firm Lathrop & Gage. LMC members may remember the fascinating account of his years serving the trucking industry at the LMC's celebration of the Rockhurst University centennial in 2010. Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 13 at the Kansas City Art Institute. More details available in his Kansas Star obituary and at mcgilleymidtownchapel.com.

The LMC congratulates and offers assistance to interim Jackson County Executive Frank White, who succeeds past LMC Co-Chair Mike Sanders in leading the county.

LMC Board of Directors Summary of Minutes
Jan. 21, 2016, 8:30 a.m. • JE Dunn Construction Co.

Attending: Sam Alpert, James Daley, Brian Deitz, Allen Dilllingham, Dave Dudzik, Michael Kitchen, Bob Jacobi.

•Thanks to Brian Deitz and JE Dunn Construction for hosting.

•M/S/C to approve the Financial Report.

•M/S/C to approve the 2016 Issues Agenda:

Federal
•Support construction of the Keystone pipeline project. President vetoed bill to require authorization and indicated that he would not approve the application.
•Note: we also expressed support for a federal transportation bill, which was passed.
Watch List:
•Oppose a benefits tax in federal health care reform; Any future stimulus funds include significant vertical construction projects. No significant action on either front, though bi-partisan bills have been introduced to address the “Cadillac tax” and several presidential candidates have called for repeal (all GOP, plus Clinton and Sanders).

Missouri
•The LMC supports reasonable and effective economic development incentives. While the LMC supports ensuring that tax credits and other incentives are cost effective, we want to preserve those tax credits crucial to economic development such as the historic tax credit, tax increment financing and enact an angel tax credit and data center incentives.
•The LMC opposes legislation to impose “right-to-work.”
•The LMC supports maintaining and increasing Medicaid eligibility and adequate provider reimbursement.
•The LMC supports state funding for a comprehensive transportation plan.
•The LMC supports Prevailing Wage in its present form.
•The LMC supports development of a statutory framework for public employee collective bargaining in Missouri to reduce uncertainty for workers and for public employers.

Watch: Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation, Utility Rates & Energy Capacity, Education/Kansas City School District.

Kansas
•The LMC supports reasonable and effective economic development incentives.
•The LMC supports continued funding for the comprehensive transportation plan.
•The LMC opposes immigration reform proposals that would put the burden of I-9 verification on contractors for subcontractors. Verification responsibility should fall only on the direct employer of those workers.
Watch: Kansas “driveway” tax (proposed requirement for impact study if increasing user fees).

Local
•The LMC opposes elimination of the Kansas City, Mo. city earnings tax until an alternative is in place.

Other issues, such as state and local ballot proposals, will be considered when they are ready for votes. Priority issues for the 2016 legislative sessions likely will be prevailing wage, transportation funding, Medicaid expansion and KCMO earnings tax in Missouri, transportation funding in Kansas and the KCMO earnings tax on the April 5 ballot. A campaign kickoff for the earnings tax campaign will be Monday, Jan. 25, 10:30 a.m. at Union Station. The LMC supports continuation of the tax until an alternative in in place.

•The 2016 Anniversary and Awards Dinner will be April 21 at Argosy Casino. The board identified and prioritized possible keynote speakers. Sponsorships and reservations are coming in at a good pace.

•M/S/C to pursue a Thursday evening in October at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts for the 2016 Public Officials Reception. The time will be changed to 5:30-7:30 p.m.

•The Construction Committee is working on recruiting and placing more minorities and women in the construction industry. Board members agreed that the path from K-12 to apprenticeship, community college and four-year programs needs more promotion as well as the industry’s current programs and successes in workforce diversification.

•M/S/C to recommend for reelection at the April 21 meeting the following officers and board members whose terms expire this year: Sam Alpert, Co-Chair; Alise Martiny, Secretary; Don Greenwell, Treasurer; Mike Kane and John Phillips, Executive Committee; KC Borden, Dave Dudzik and Chuck Tarpley for the Board of Directors. Additional nominations will be developed later, particularly for Management Vice Co-Chair.

•The next board meeting will be at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 13 at Turner Construction Co., 2345 Grand, KC MO 64108.

ªM/S/C to adjourn at 10:45 a.m.

The LMC Board of Directors meets Thursday, 8:30 a.m. at JE Dunn Construction Co. And the Mid-Level Leadership program resumes Jan. 27 at Rockhurst University.

The LMC celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Dr. King's principles of nonviolence, confronting issues openly, communication and seeking common ground inspire the LMC's mission. The LMC also continues to work towards Dr. King's vision of opportunity for all, such as with the Construction Committee's workforce diversity effort. Whether you are working today or not, we urge you to remember Dr. King's vision and ways we can help fulfill it.

Construction Committee Learns about OSHA Stand-Down May 2-6

Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes

 8 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

Attending:  Terry Akins, Sam Alpert,  Greg Davey, Brian Dietz, Jerry Helmick, Matt Johnson, Bill Livingston, Alise Martiny, Brian Wood, Bob Jacobi.

•Thanks to Rosana Privitera Biondo and Mark One Electric Co., Inc. for hosting.

•Condolences to Greg Lever for his loss.  The NICE Board meeting today is cancelled.

•Presentation on the National Safety Stand-Down by Brian Wood, OSHA.  The Stand-Down will be May 2-6; the focus is on ladder safety though participating organizations can choose their own topic(s).  All contractors are welcome to participate.  Details are available from Brian (816-283-0545, [email protected]) and at www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/index.html.

•The Cerner project is nearing the last elements of Phase I.  The project is now meeting MBE/WBE and workforce goals.

•The LMC seeks an Independence resident to serve on the city’s CDBG advisory board.

•The Missouri and Kansas legislatures have convened.  In Missouri, the LMC will focus on prevailing wage, transportation funding (in both states) and earnings tax bills, though there are already more than 50 on various topics being tracked.  HB 1540, on benefit fund reporting, is of particular concern as well.

•The KCMO earnings tax will need support both in the legislative session and for the April 5 renewal vote (a campaign kickoff will be Jan. 25; see below).  In addition to the impact on the city’s ability to provide services, elimination of the tax would imperil many incentivized private projects that rely on e-tax revenues as part of the financing.  LMC members and friends are urged to educate their employees/members/friends and to contact legislators.

•The Workforce Subcommittee has developed an implementation plan to increase placements of minorities, women and KCMO residents on jobs.  Committee members will be contacting contractors and crafts soon.  Concern is also expressed regarding proposals for KCMO residence goals, particularly on projects that already have agreements in place.  LMC members and friends are urged to contact council members to discuss this issue, and the committee will have further discussions.

The Bricklayers are seeking apprenticeship applicants.

•Congratulations to Jackson County for its selection of Frank White as interim county executive and Crystal Williams as chair and Teresa Galvin as vice chair of the legislature.  Diversity in such leadership positions is important.

•Upcoming events:

  *KCPS Community Forum with Superintendent Candidates, 5:30 p.m., Paseo High

  *Kansas Legislature session begins, Jan. 11

  *MCA Strengths Finder Workshop, Jan. 19, 8 a.m.-noon, JCCC

*CREW Kansas City Quarterly Luncheon, “Women & Risk Taking,” Jan. 19, 11:30 a.m.,

    Grand Street Cafe.

  *Campaign kickoff in support of KCMO earnings tax, Jan. 25, 10:30 a.m., GKC Chamber of

    Commerce board room, Union Station

  *Missouri Prevailing Wage Rate reports due, Jan. 31

  *Midwest Construction Safety Conference, March 24-5, Adams Pointe Conference Center

  *Election Day, April 5 (KCMO E-Tax Renewal, Local and School)

  *iBuild Showcase, April 14, 2016, Bartle Hall

  *LMC 37th Anniversary and 17th Annual Awards Dinner, April 21, Argosy Casino

  *Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 10-13, 2016, Camden on the Lake

  *LMC Craig Whitaker Memorial Golf Tournament, July 18, 2016, Oakwood CC

  *Primary Election, Aug. 2

  *General Election, Nov. 8

•Next Meeting: 8 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

•Note: The April meeting coincides with iBuild, so that meeting will be cancelled or rescheduled.

•Adjourn

The mission of the Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City is to enhance collaboration by solidifying trust and communication between labor and management in the community.

Congrats to LMC members JE Dunn Construction Co., Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, KCPL and McCown Gordon Construction Co. for earning KC's Healthiest Employers recognition from the Kansas City Business Journal.

Best wishes to the Missouri General Assembly, which begins its 2016 session today with new leaders, Ron Richard in the Senate and Todd Richardson in the House. The LMC will announce its agenda for both Missouri and Kansas after its board meeting Jan. 21.