MALMC Celebrates Transit for Veterans, Addresses Workplace Violence and Discusses “Right-to-Work”
A labor-management partnership created free transit for veterans, participants at the 32nd Mid-America Labor/Management Conference learned. The July 9-12 conference at Camden on the Lake drew more than 130 leaders from Missouri, Kansas and other states. Photos from the conference are available at https://www.flickr.com/photos/54856092@N02 . Photos of some KC-area participants are to the left under MALMC 2017.
Conference attendees also learned how to respond to workplace violence from Jim Warrick, retired police officer and certified police trainer; witnessed a message from U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill; discussed the potential impact of “right-to-work" in Missouri; learned about issues and possible solutions to health care benefits, on-site health clinics and public policy; explored the potential changes in labor law enforcement and the future of prevailing wage; learned how understanding brain science can enhance negotiations and labor-management relationships; were updated on utility industry workforce needs and attempts to update utility regulation; and participated in a mock arbitration that included unfair labor practice charges.
Conference attendees also honored three recently retired members of the event’s planning committee who had served for many years: Gene Bralley, Federation Mediation and Conciliation Service; Pat Bush, Wester Energy; and Dan Hubbell, National Labor Relations Board. The recent death of longtime planning committee member and volunteer Herman Wallace was also noted, with more recognition of Herman’s contributions planned for the 2018 conference.
Robbie Makinen, Kansas City Area Transportation Authority executive director, and Pat “Duke” Dujakovich, Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO president, launched the conference by explaining the two organizations’ partnership to provide free public transit for veterans. Makinen noted his own experience using public transit after losing his eyesight revealed its importance to many in the community. Both Makinen and Dujakovich agreed that Americans owe veterans a great debt and that providing transit would help many make it to work, medical appointments and other needed activities.
Missouri U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill thanked conference attendees for meeting in the state and for providing leadership. for “well-paying jobs..that shouldn’t be controversial, but today sometime it is.” She emphasized the opportunity for bi-partisan agreement to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure and urged attendees to advocate strongly for such a program. The Senator noted bi-partisan efforts to speed up the federal permitting process for large projects. She praised the collaborative efforts at the conference and noted that “industry and labor are better off when they support each other.” She urged “all hands on deck” on work to improve the economyl
Workplace violence from angry employees or their relatives, terrorists and criminals is a life and death issue. Retired police officer and security trainer Jim Warwick, Ed.D., Strategic Security Solutions Group, provided the attendees with an intense presentation on how to respond in violent situations. Warwick also explained how to spot potentially risky situations and noted that awareness of surroundings is critical in many situations. He highlighted the Run-Hide-Fight approach to dealing with an active shooter, choosing the strategy that best fits the circumstances. Running is the best first reaction, but when not possible, finding a safe hiding place and as a last resort confronting the shooter must also be considered.
Warwick noted that awareness of the physical and mental impact of fear can be vital to not allowing natural responses to inhibit proper action.
St. Louis Labor Council AFL-CIO President Pat White reported on the recent example of Laclede Gas workers being murdered. A member of the union that includes the victims, White pointed out that working exposed in public is always a risk. He praised the labor-management cooperation in response to the shootings to help workers be safer in the future.
The prospect of Missouri becoming a “right-to-work” state generated attention to that issue. Oklahoma President Jim Curry described the process in his state in 2001 when voters narrowly adopted the law after unsuccessful votes in earlier years. He pointed out that Oklahoma has lost manufacturing jobs since the law’s implementation.
Calogero Casa, Kansas Gas Service, said “right-to-work” does not change the way his company manages the workforce. Unions see conflict among workers when all benefit but not all belong, but most workers join the union even though not required, according to IBEW Local 304 Business Manager John Garrettson. The intersection of “right-to-work” laws and the National Labor Relations Act was explained by NLRB St. Louis Regional Director Leonard “Peter” Perez.
The vital role of health care in the economy and in labor-management relationships was highlighted by expert speakers. Marcie Nielsen, vice president of community engagement for the Kansas City University of Biosciences, past director of the state of Kansas’ health agency, past director of health policy for the AFL-CIO and past director of a national group for primary care, laid out the challenges workers and employers face with potential health care changes. She noted the significant job growth in health care after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, public ambivalence towards the ACA, its success at expanding access and its limits in controlling costs.
Insurance consultant Brad Gravagna, Willis Towers Watson, noted that employer/union health care plans should consider sustainability in design, participation, subsidy and efficiency in making plan decisions. Improving workplace health can be key to controlling costs not only of direct health care expenditures but lost time and productivity. Insurance broker Allen Meyer, Meier & Meier, discussed collateral benefits that can be offered at minimal employer cost but significant benefits to workers such as life, disability and others that can be far less expensive in group plans than when individuals buy them.
Pharmaceutical costs are now the prime driver of health care cost increases. Steve Ashley, Pharmacy Benefits Consultant with Pharmaceutical Strategies Group, explained the complexities of the pharma market and the critical role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). Ashley outlined specific items to include and to exclude from plan PBM contracts. Plans are missing many opportunities for cost savings and more appropriate utilization, he said.
One approach to improving the value of health care provided is on-site clinics. Cerner Corp. and Operating Engineers Local 101 have established such a clinic in Kansas City at the local union hall, with its own medical staff. As John Howard, Cerner Corp., and Pat Donohue, Taft-Hartley Services, explained the clinic offers a comprehensive approach to the health of members and their families, allows the medical staff sufficient time with patients and an ability to track results. The clinic has been popular so far and Cerner is willing to partner with other unions on similar sites.
OSHA’s whistleblower protection program should be better understood, said Kevin Crain, and the assistant regional director for OSHA outlined the program and how it works. Workers who contact OSHA to report safety violations are protected by law, but a retaliation complaint must come within 30 days of an employer reprisal, Crain pointed out.
A popular conference feature is the mock arbitration, enhanced this year by adding an unfair labor charge to the mix. Arbitrator Pat Dunn led a hearing featuring presentations from the company and the union, and issued a ruling. Evidence was also presented to Mary Taves, NLRB, who issued a decision on the unfair labor practice charge in the mock case.
Understanding how the brain works can help the negotiations process, Myra Hite told the conference. The Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service commissioner outlined key elements of neurological science that can be used to improve chances of agreement and creative compromise, as well as tactics that hinder effective negotiations.
Missouri is debating the future of its prevailing wage law. Richard Martin, JE Dunn Construction Co., and Kevin King, Roofers Local 20, presented the state of the legislative debate as well as the benefits and problems of prevailing wage. Preserving prevailing wage is critical to economic and workforce development in Missouri, both agreed. While some potential changes were discussed to address critics of the law, a concerted labor-management statewide effort is needed to work effectively with the legislature. Many participants in the workshop agreed to be involved with the effort.
A new administration means eventual changes in how the National Labor Relations Board addresses some issues. Mary Taves, NLRB subregion officer in charge, discussed potential changes as well as updating participants on trends in unfair labor practice cases that have come before the board.
National efforts are underway to begin addressing a looming workforce shortage in the utility industry, said consultant and retired IBEW officer Jim Hunter. Hunter outlined the challenge of attracting enough qualified workers to replace the current workforce which is near retirement. Young people are difficult to attract to the industry but are often unaware of the high pay, benefits and job security that are available, Hunter pointed out. Labor and management are working jointly with the education community on attracting and training a new workforce.
Efforts to change Missouri utility regulation in Missouri to better address rising infrastructure needs continues but has yet to pass, noted Irl Scissors, executive director of Missourians for a Balanced Energy Future and Larry Pleus, Spire Energy. They joined Jim Hunter to discuss the impact of federal and state regulatory policy on assuring a steady supply of affordable energy with a mix of sources including coal, nuclear, natural gas and renewables.
The conference was sponsored by Wester Energy, Bank of Labor, the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenters Regional Council, the Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, National Labor Relations Board, IBEW Local 304, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, Principal Financial Group and Kansas Gas Service. Key support was also provided by the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
Next year’s conference dates are set for July 8-11, with a return to Camden on the Lake. For details see the conference web site at www.malmc.org .