The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

Congrats to Rosana Privitera-Biondo of Mark One Electric Co., Inc. for being named as one of five Enterprising Women magazine's 2018 Enterprising Women of the Year.

To qualify for the honor, nominees had to demonstrate that they are skilled leaders of growth-oriented businesses, support women's entrepreneurship and are involved in business and charitable organizations.

The next meeting of the Construction Industry Committee will be 8 a.m. Thursday, March 8, Mark One Electric Co., Inc. KCMO Councilman Scott Wagner will speak. Right after the meeting, there will be a session with representatives of AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust.

We are saddened by the closing of the Plaza III restaurant. The LMC held a number of board and committee meetings there, as well as meetings with leaders such as then State Treasurer Bob Holden before he became Missouri governor.

Federal Mediation and Conciliations Service seeks a mediator in Albany, NY. Details can be found at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/492017500
Also, registration is now open for the FMCS National Labor-Management Conference Aug. 21-23 in Chicago.

Congrats to the General Motors Fairfax plant and UAW Local 31 for the $245 million investment to begin building a new Cadillac model along with the Malibu. We look forward to seeing the new model come off the assembly line.

The NICE iBuild Showcase May 3 is seeking volunteers to judge the Crayons-to-CAD middle school design competition and assist with the expected 3,000+ middle and high school students attending. The volunteer form is available at http://nice-kc.com/?page=ibuild-volunteers .

The LMC is sad to report of the passing of Josephine Privitera (mother of Rosana, Carl, Joe & Tony and grandmother of Carl III & Alex) has passed away yesterday morning. The Privitera family and their company, Mark One Electric Co., Inc., have been great supporters of the LMC and its mission.

Please keep the entire Privitera family in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time.

Arrangements are being handled by Passantino Bros. Funeral Home and will be posted on their website as soon as they are finalized. The service will be on Saturday, February 17 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church.

Passantino Bros. website: http://www.passantinobros.com/home/index.cfm?fh_id=13851

Construction Committee Meets with Justus, Focuses on KCI and Prevailing Wage

Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes

 8 a.m., Thursday,  Feb. 8, 2018, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

Attending:  Willis Bowers, Greg Chastain, Dave Coleman, John Fennesy, Alex Gonzalez, Jerry Helmick, Jolie Justus, Kevin King, Greg Lever, Bill Livingston, Joe Mabin, Jason Mendenhall, Colleen White, Bob Jacobi.

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

•KCMO Councilwoman Jolie Justus provided an update on the KCI project.  An MOU is slated to be voted on by the Council at its 3 p.m. meeting today.  She reported that project developer Edgemoor has addressed all of the issues requested by the Council that could be addressed, however Edgemoor has yet to sign an workforce agreement or gain full confidence of the minority contracting community, making some Council members reluctant to vote for the MOU.  The MOU is not the last stage of the process:  there is a required update in July, and Councilwoman Justus will ask for monthly updates.  A workforce agreement must be addressed before the final development agreement expected to be executed in September.  If Edgemoor is unable to perform before then, a new procurement process would be needed delaying the project by many months.  Clark Construction’s performance at the Seattle airport has also been reviewed and generated concerns; there are differences with the KCI project.  Committee members urged a focus on inclusion goals for workers on the project as well as for contractors.  The KCI project is a tremendous opportunity, the Councilwoman noted, but balancing the public’s desire to get started, the needs of the labor and contracting communities and of the airlines make a complicated project.  Other factors include the upcoming PIAC renewal vote in April (20 years, 20% for full street maintenance, the final funds needed for the O’Neill Bridge), threats from the state legislature and the “right-to-work” vote this year also impact the discussion.

•Both Missouri houses have held multiple committee hearings on prevailing wage bills.  Discussion focused on the contractors’ compromise bill, heard in the Senate committee but not yet the House.  While there is movement to preserve prevailing wage in both parties, other developments in the Senate could impact what bills advance. Committee members are urged to continue expressing support for prevailing wage and discuss the compromise elements.

•Congress is considering ways to address multi employer pension issues.  A bill to authorize hybrid plans is to be introduced by Reps. Roe and Norcross, and a bill to allow issuance of Treasury bonds to support failing plans has also been introduced.  UPDATE—The federal budget agreement being considered today/tomorrow by Congress includes a provision for a bipartisan committee that would work on a solution with a November deadline; if there is enough support for a proposal on the committee, it will be assured speedy consideration in both houses.

•NICE’s iBuild will be May 3, with reception May 2.  Student participation is expected to increase from 2,500 to nearly 4,000, so  more judges, booths and volunteers are needed. The NICE Awards Luncheon is set for Oct. 30.

•Alex Gonzalez has been elected new president of the Hispanic Contractors Association of Greater Kansas City.  Alex invited committee members to attend the group’s upcoming luncheon, to be scheduled soon.

•Upcoming Events

*Reasonable Suspicion of Substance Abuse Supervisory Training, MCA & NECA, Feb. 12,

 noon-2 p.m., MCAKC Knowledge Center, by Sandra Brown, LCSW, LMSW, SAP

*KC CREW luncheon KCI Impact on Real Estate Development, Feb. 16, 11:30 a.m.,

   Grand Street Cafe

*KC Crew TED Talk Event, Feb. 22, 5-7 p.m., Denton’s Law Firm

*Missouri candidate filing begins Feb. 27; deadline is March 27 (Kansas filing underway)

*No on “Right-to-Work” Kickoff, Feb. 28, 5:30 p.m., IBEW Local 124

*Frank Barnett Celebration of Life, March 3, 2-5 p.m., Sheet Metal Local 2

*Midwest Construction Safety Conference, March 15 2018, Adams Pointe

*Rally by Missouri Building Trades, March 28, 9:30 a.m., State Capitol, Jefferson City

 *Local elections (Missouri) April 3

 *LMC Anniversary & Awards, April 19, 2018, Argosy Casino

*Working Families Friends Texas Hold’m Tournament, April 20, 5:30 p.m., Pipefitters Hall 

 *iBuild Reception, 5:30 p.m., May 2, Bartle Hall

 *iBuild Showcase May 3, 2018, Bartle Hall

 *Missouri Legislature adjourns May 18

 *Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 8-11, 2018, Camden on the Lake

 *LMC Craig Whitaker Golf Tournament July 16, 2018, Oakwood Country Club

 *Primary Election Aug. 7

 *FMCS National Conference, Aug. 21-23, 2018, Chicago.

 *LMC Public Officials Reception, Oct. 11, 5:30 p.m., Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

 *NICE Awards Luncheon, Oct. 30, Muehlbach 

 *General Elections Nov. 6

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

•Next Meeting: 8 a.m., Thursday, March 8, 2018, Mark One Electric Co., Inc. 

•M/S/C to adjourn at 10:30 a.m.

A celebration of life will be held for Frank Barnett, retired business Manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 2, on Saturday, March 3, 2-5 p.m. at the Local 2 hall, 2902 Blue Ridge Blvd, KCMO 64129.

Shawn Burnum is the 2018 Chairman of the Board of The Builders' Association. He has been a member of the Association's Executive Board since 2016. He succeeds Dirk Schafer, retired President-Midwest Region, JE Dunn Construction Co., who remains an officer of the Association.

Shawn Burnum is Division Manager of PCI (Performance Contracting Inc.), a commercial specialty construction firm providing a variety of interior, insulation and specialty services. PCI is also the largest subsidiary of Performance Contracting Group (PCG). His photo can be found under 2018Builders'Chairman ShawnBurnum at left.

Other officers include Jeff Werthmann, Turner Construction Co., Assistant Chairman, and Chris Stanton, McCownGordon Construction.  Directors on The Builders' Association board include Jason Carson, Carson-Mitchell, Inc.; Alex Gonzalez, Gonzalez Construction LLC; Tim Harmon, Harmon Construction Inc.; Darin Heyen, Pearce Construction Co.; Brandy McCombs, International Builders & Consultants Inc. [IBC]; Angie McElhaney, MarksNelson LLC; Mary McNamara, Cornell Roofing & Sheet Metal Company; Jerry Schaefer, Flynn Group of Companies; and Eddy Whitley, Whitley Construction Company, Inc. (LMC members in bold)

LMC Treasurer Don Greenwell is President of The Builders' Association, which represents approximately 800 general contractor, subcontractor, supplier, and service provider member companies employing about 25,000 people generating aggregate volume estimated to exceed $2.5 billion annually. With 131 years of service to the commercial construction industry, The Builders' Association also operates training and plan room service centers in Kansas City, Jefferson City and Springfield, as well as its Training Center in North Kansas City. The Builders' Association's sister organization, the Kansas City Chapter, AGC, represents 118 firms and is part of the AGC of America, the largest and oldest national construction trade association in the United States.

The LMC mourns the passing of Frank Barnett, retired business manager of Sheet Metal Workers Local 2 and past LMC Board member. Frank was a great supporter of the LMC and its mission as well as an outstanding leader and good friend. His daughter, Stacy Smyly, is executive director of SMACNA-KC, continuing his legacy of industry leadership. Services will be Friday, Feb. 2 at Alden-Harrington Funeral Home in Bonner Springs, 6-7 p.m. visitation and 7 p.m. service. He will be missed.