The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

The House Economic Development Committee will hold hearings on bills to limit or eliminate Missouri's prevailing wage Tuesday. Please contact committee members with your views. Feel free to ask the LMC for more information.

The LMC mourns the passing of former Kansas State Rep. Tim Carmody, who worked well with us during his time in the legislature in the 1990s and early 2000s.

The LMC Construction Industry Committee next meets at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 9, at Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

The Missouri Senate perfected SB 19, "right-to-work," yesterday. A final vote will take place to advance it out of the Senate. Since the House and Senate versions of "right-to-work" are different (the Senate bill has a grandfather clause, so it would not affect contracts in place until they expire or are amended), one of the houses will need to pass the other's bill for it to go to Gov. Greitens, who has indicated he would sign it.

A Senate committee also advanced a bill to eliminate prevailing wage in the state, a stance also taken by Gov. Greitens. While the issue has not been given priority by legislative leaders, supporters of prevailing wage are educating legislators and urge you to contact them on the issue.

The Missouri Senate continues to debate "right-to-work," SB 19. Please contact Senators and the Governor's office to express opposition.

LMC Board Updates Issues Positions, Adds Board Members and Nominates Officers

Summary of Minutes

LMC Board of Director Meeting

8:30 a.m. • Jan. 25, 2017 • Rockhurst University

Attending:  Sam Alpert, TIm Bell, Bret Bonge, KC Borden, Allen Dillingham, Mike Kane, Michael Kitchen, Jason Mendenhall, Bob Jacobi.

•M/S/C to accept the financial report.

•M/S/C to make the following changes to the LMC Issues Agenda:

  —Support continuation of Davis-Bacon in any new federal infrastructure program

  —Opposed any federal “right-to-work” law

  —Support state matching funds for the downtown UMKC performing arts campus

  —Support reinstatement of a local option for prevailing wage in Kansas

  —Support the three ballot questions comprising the city of Kansas City, Mo., $800 million bond issue

  —Support prevailing wage on projects with economic development incentives

  --Support modernization of Kansas City International Airport

•The LMC will encourage members to meet with leaders of the effort to preserve Missouri historic tax credits.

•The proposed merger between Kansas City Power & Light Co. and Westar Energy is expected to close in the second quarter this year.  Public hearings in Kansas are next week.  The companies are working to minimize the impact on jobs.

•Reservations are being taken for the 38th Anniversary Celebration and 18th Awards Dinner at Argosy Casino April 20.  The deadline for sponsorships to make the printed program is late February.

•M/S/C to hold the 2017 Public Officials Reception in October, with Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts the first choice.

•M/S/C to elect Jason Mendenhall to the board to complete the term of Jack Bainbridge.

•M/S/C to elect Danny Gercone to the board to complete the term of Ron Johnson.

•M/S/C to nominate Don Greenwell as Secretary and Alise Martiny as Treasurer to be elected at the Awards Dinner.

•M/S/C to nominate Jason Mendenhall as Vice Co-Chair (Labor) to be elected at the Awards Dinner.

•The following committees will be revived/established:  Leadership/Nominating, Marketing and Membership and Workforce Development.  Committees on events and programs will be established as need and interest arise.  Alise Martiny and Don Greenwell will be asked to serve on the Leadership/Nominating Committee.  Board members are welcome to volunteer for these committees and/or to suggest other participants as well.

•The next meeting will be 8:30 a.m., Wednesday, April 12, location TBA.  Volunteers for a location are welcome.

The LMC mourns the passing of Bob Aylward, brother-in-law of co-founder and past co-chair Bill Dunn Sr., last week. Services are Monday.

We also mourn the death of Yodano Ventura, and will miss the excitement he brought to Kansas City Royals teammates and fans.

The LMC is disappointed that the Missouri House perfected HCS HB 91, "right-to-work," today. We do appreciate the amendment by Rep. Kevin Corlew to focus enforcement to civil, not criminal, means, and the votes by these area representatives against or "present" on the bill:
Ira Anders, Lauren Arthur, Jerome Barnes, Richard Brown, Ingrid Burnett, Jon Carpenter, Pat Conway, Kevin Corlew, Randy Dunn, Mark Ellebracht, Brandon Ellington, Galen Hidgon, Bill E. Kidd, Jeanie Lauer, Gail McCann Beatty, DeRon McGee, Judy Morgan, Greg Razer, Rory Rowland, Joe Runions; TJ Berry, present.

The bill will face a final vote in the House, then moves to the Senate.

Construction Committee Discusses Legislation, Economic Development

Construction Industry Steering Team

Summary of Minutes

 8 a.m., Thursday,  Jan. 12, 2017,

Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

Attending:  Sam Alpert, Jim Albano, Greg Chastain, Brian Dietz, Jerry Helmick, James Isom, Dave Kirkpatrick, Ruben Lara, Bill Livingston, Alise Martiny, Jason Mendenhall, Greg Lever, Bob Jacobi.

 

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

•Jason Mendenhall will be succeeding Jack Bainbridge as President and Business Manager of Heavy Construction Laborers Local 663.

•Project Updates:  the baseball fields project is on schedule, and there are many KCMO water projects.  A major Branson project, Spirit of 76—was given to Carson Mitchell.

•The Missouri House Economic Development Committee passed out a “right-to-work” bill, HB 91, with no grandfather or referendum clauses.  The bill goes to the Rules-Legislative Oversight Committee for consideration before going to the floor.  A similar bill, SB 19, was heard in the Senate General Laws Committee.  Few other bills have been assigned to committees yet, though several prevailing wage bills have been assigned to the same committees as “right-to-work.”  A bill is highly likely to become law, though referendum language for a initiative campaign in 2018 has been submitted and approved for circulation.  Many locals are preparing for the change..

•Prospects for positive legislation in Kansas are brighter given the high turnover in the legislature.  Efforts are underway to promote improvements in home rule on prevailing wage and other issues..

•Two proposals are being considered for a possible $800 million KCMO bond issue vote in April.  The deadline is approaching for the council to put an issue on the ballot, which will also have a sales tax for urban core development projects.

•A proposal in the KCMO PIEA to shift from pilot prevailing wage requirements to pilot union percentage minimums on incentivized projects.  All committee members present who spoke on the issue opposed the union percentage approach, favoring a prevailing wage approach instead.  PIEA leaders will be invited to a future committee meeting for further discussions, and committee members were urged to discuss it with PIEA board members as well.

•The Building Trades-KCMO job fair has been scheduled for March 4 at the Mohart Center.

•NICE is holding Senior Days and Teacher days at apprenticeship centers, and is planning for iBuild May 4.  Booths can be reserved now and volunteers are also sought.

•The annual Heart & Stroke Walk will be May 20 in the Power & Light District.  JE Dunn will have a team and welcome participants, and also encourages those interested to form their own teams.  The event promotes walking as a healthy lifestyle and raises funds for cardiovascular disease and stroke research, education and advocacy.

Upcoming Events:

 *KC CREW Luncheon, Shopping Center Redevelopments, Jan. 24, Grand Street Cafe

 *LMC Board Meeting, 8:30 a.m., Jan. 25, Rockhurst University

 *Construction estimating academy, Feb. 2, 8 a.m., MCC Business & Technology Center

 *Mechanical Service Professional Training, begins Feb. 7

 *Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast, Chief Darryl Forte, Feb. 21, Battle Hall

  *Midwest Construction Safety Conference and Expo, March 2-3, Adams Pointe

  *Building Trades/KCMO Job Fair, Mohart Center, March 4

  *Missouri Legislature spring break March 20-24

  *LMC Anniversary Celebration and Awards Dinner, April 20, Argosy Casino

  *iBuild Showcase, May 4, 2017, Bartle Hall

  *Missouri legislative session ends, May 12, 6 p.m.

  *Heart & Stroke Walk, May 20, 8 a.m., Power & Light District, 

  *Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 9-12, Camden on the Lake

  *LMC Golf Tournament, July 17, Oakwood Country Club

  *NICE Annual  Awards Luncheon, Oct. 17, Muehlbach

  For details on the above events, please contact the sponsoring group or the LMC

•New Business: Possible Construction Summit on Health Care and/or Technology

•Next Meeting: 8 a.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.  This meeting will feature the presentation from Mike Burke and Paul Neidlein on the Convention Center Hotel

•M/S/C to adjourn at 9:20 a.m.

 

 Note:  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.

The Missouri Senate General Laws Committee will hear "right-to-work" bill, SB 19, at its first hearing of the new session Wednesday, Jan. 11, noon in SCR 1 at the State Capitol.

Below is contact information for the Senate committee:

Sen. Bob Onder, Lake Saint Louis, chair: bob.onder@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-1282, Room 227
Sen. Dan Brown, Rolla: Dan.brown@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-5713, Room 422
Sen. Bill Eigel, Weldon Spring: bill.eigel@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-1141, Room 226
Sen. Doug Libla, Poplar Bluff: doug.libla@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-4843, Room 219
Sen. Jamilah Nasheed, St. Louis: jamilah.nasheed@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-4415, Room 330
Sen. John Rizzo, Kansas City: john.rizzo@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-3074, Room 425
Sen. Jay Wasson, Nixa: jay.wasson@senate.mo.gov, 573-751-1503, Room 323