The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

MODOT will hold sessions to help set priorities for the state's next transportation improvement plan this month. Kansas City's will be at 9 a.m. Oct. 30 at the MARC offices.

The next meeting of the LMC Construction Industry Committee will be at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 at Mark One Electric Co., Inc., 909 Troost. Also note that later that day will be the LMC's Public Officials Reception, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Construction industry contractors and workers, especially those who live in or do work for the city of Kansas City, Mo., are invited to a public forum helping inform a workforce disparity study. The forums will be Wednesday, Oct. 17: 3-4:30 p.m. for contractors and contractor associations; 5-6:30 p.m. for union representatives; and 7-8:30 p.m. for workers at the KCMO Public Health Department, 2400 Troost.

The 2018-19 Mid-Level Leadership class got off to an excellent start yesterday as LMC Co-Chair Brian Dietz shared his leadership story and lessons with the group of 11 leaders. Dietz discussed key leadership and communication concepts and resources that use the latest in research and the experience of great leaders such as Presidents Eisenhower and Truman. He also highlighted several community issues that labor-management leaders are and should be engaged in including education, prevailing wage, "right-to-work" and transportation. The program continues with sessions the next seven Wednesdays and returns in January for eight more.

Councilman Taylor Talks With Construction Committee

Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes

 8 a.m., Thursday,  Sept. 13, 2018, Mark One Electric Co., Inc.

Attending:  Sam Alpert, Willis Bowers, Greg Davey, Brian Dietz, Jarrett Dillard, John Fennesy, Chris Heegn, Jerry Helmick, Andy Johnson, Kevin King, Dave Kirkpatrick, Greg Lever, Bill Livingston, Joe Mabin, Alise Martiny, Jeff Stiffler, Vickie Tarpley, Scott Taylor, Colleen White, Bob Jacobi.

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

•KCMO Councilman Scott Taylor presented and discussed his activities on economic development and other issues.  He highlighted his family, including former State Rep. and Councilwoman Cathy Jolly and son Drake.  Councilman Taylor has initiated many efforts and innovations to promote development throughout the city, to support small business, and reduce crime during his tenure on the Council and as a Center School District board member.  He emphasized bringing all parties to the table to work together on key issues and taking the time to do policies right.  He noted his professional experience as an attorney helping businesses export their goods as well as his public service enabling him to ask tough questions.  The city’s proposed MBE/WBE ordinance revisions were discussed as were the policies of the city’s economic development agencies.  Affordable housing issues are emerging at City Hall, and proposals need scrutiny for their impact he said. He also asked support for the Breast Cancer Research fund event Oct. 25, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Two Light that has raised about $700,000 over the years.

•Vickie Tarpley discussed the National Building Trades National Medical Screening Program for construction workers who have worked on US Dept. of Energy sites, including the Honeywell (nee Bendix and Allied Signal) facilities and may have been exposed to dangerous materials at the worksites.  She urged craft union leaders and contractors to contact her so she can talk to and distribute information on the program to workers, including management workers, who may have worked at the sites.  She can be reached at vtarpley@zenith-american.com and 816-778-5166. (Post-meeting note: Today was Vickie’s birthday)

•NICE is holding its annual luncheon Oct. 30.  There are 12 senior days events scheduled for apprenticeship programs as well as the Crayons-to-CAD program in middle schools.  NICE also plans OSHA 10 training for high school students and others. iBuild 2019 is April 18 with April 17 move-in.

•Ordinances dealing with building facade safety issues are expected to come to area cities.  BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) is working to proactively address the issue.

•U.S. Dept. of Labor is holding a listening session today on proposed changes to overtime regulations.

•KCMO is doing a workforce disparity study.  Meetings are being scheduled with interested groups by Jason Parson and Lisa Garney.

•The LMC Public Officials Reception will be Oct. 11, with the next CIC meeting that morning as well.  Sponsorships are available.

•Upcoming events:

*Builders’ Industry Expo, Sept. 19, Bartle Hall

*LMC Mid-Level Leadership Program first session, Sept. 19, 4 p.m., Rockhurst University

*Western MO & Kansas Laborers DC Charitable Golf Tournament, Sept. 21, Drumm Farm

*Working Families Friend BBQ Cook-Off, Sept. 29, 1-4 p.m., Pipefitters Local 533

*KC CREW Golf Tournament, Oct. 4, Creekmoor Golf Course

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

*LMC Board of Directors meeting, Oct. 18, 8:30 a.m., Rockhurst University

*Breast Cancer Research Fund, Oct. 25, 5:30 p.m., Two Light

*NICE Awards Luncheon, Oct. 30, Muehlbach 

*General Elections Nov. 6

*iBuild 2019 April 18

*LMC 40th Anniversary & 20th Awards Dinner, April 18, 2019

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

•New Business

•Next Meeting: 8 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, Mark One Electric Co., Inc. 

•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.

Past LMC Co-Chair and honoree and Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO President Pat "Duke" Dujakovich published an excellent op-ed in today's Kansas City Star. You can find it here:

https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/readers-opinion/guest-commentary/article218372205.html

Thanks to Duke and the Star.

Thanks to Allison Kite and the Kansas City Star for the piece this morning on labor-management cooperation. And thanks to Star Influencers Rev. Thomas Curran and Richard Martin for mentions of the LMC. Brian Deitz provided excellent comments for the article as well. The article and the Influencer comments can be found here:

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/influencers/article217982690.html

https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/influencers/article217982680.html

Labor-Management Can Address Issues from Opioid Abuse to “Me Too” and Negotiate Better, FMCS Conference Demonstrates

Hundreds of labor and management leaders learned about efforts to address workplace issues, improve negotiating skills and build the future workforce at the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service National Labor-Management Conference Aug. 21-23 in Chicago.

For more detailed notes and/or copies of presentations on any of these topics, please let me know.

The conference addressed the “Me Too” movement and its impact on the workplace. Gabrielle Cateris, president of SAG-AFTRA, led a session with Ted Bunch, founder of A Call to Men. Bunch’s organization calls for “men and boys to be responsible and to make sure all women and girls are respected.” He discussed the challenges men face in our culture finding an identity as men without objectifying women. Even “good men and boys” tolerate talk and sometimes action that puts down women, he noted. “That has to stop” in order for the workplace to be free of sexual harassment and discrimination. “Women and men have responsibilities here” Cateris said. Parenting, schools and other organizations impact how people act in the workplace, so changes need to be made throughout society, both agreed.

Another session described how rank-and-file hotel workers in Chicago and janitorial workers in Los Angeles initiated movements for change that resulted in specific union contract provisions, local regulatory ordinances and widespread training of workers in how to address sexual assault by customers and co-workers, including self-defense. Panic buttons and a “Hands Off, Pants On” campaign are one response promoted by UNITE-HERE and are now included in some contracts and in other cases city ordinances. SEIU leaders in Los Angeles work with management to change the culture among workers that has tolerated assault and harassment for years. EEOC member Cathy Ventrell-Monsees explained how the agency is aggressively enforcing the law but sees prevention and culture change as the ultimate solution.

Negotiation experts Peter Coleman and Ron Shapiro provided detailed approaches, based on brain science and practical experience, to more productive and mutually beneficial negotiations. Coleman described his research as director of the Columbia University International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution and United Nations negotiating consultant. He found that power dynamics often overcame other techniques designed to achieve win-win results. The author of Making Conflict Work identified seven situations requiring different strategies.

Shapiro, an attorney who has represented many athletes, entertainers and others, noted that his understanding of negotiation has evolved over the years. The author of The Power of NICE: How to Negotiate So Everyone Wins—Especially You! has developed two tools to successful negotiations—preparation and probing. He emphasized that building relationships over time is critical for successful negotiations.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel also emphasized relationships in citing the partnerships between the city and unions that has significantly controlled health care costs. Emanuel said he is not pro-business, nor pro-labor per se, but as mayor is pro-growth and that labor-management partnerships are critical to generating economic growth and improving city services. Chicago Federation of Labor President Robert Reiter echoed Emanuel, noting that the relationships with the mayor includes a focus on where agreement can be found and a process to address disagreements. He also said the labor movement is larger than just union members and the federation strives to improve conditions for all Chicago-area workers.

The city and 20 unions representing city workers developed the Chicago Labor-Management Cooperation Committee, which since 2007 has focused on health care. By working together with “real discussion” to prioritize benefits, promote wellness, address chronic conditions, choose providers and benefit packages and objectively review appeals, health care costs for workers has been flat with some improved benefits and a smaller than average cost increase for the city during the past decade saving about $100 million.

Both Reiter and city management leaders stressed the importance of getting worker buy-in to changes in the health care plans and for behavioral changes. The partnership may look at other issues including pensions as well.

Another example of labor-management approaches to health care was presented by the United Auto Workers and Ford Motor Co. Their partnership brings attention and resources to the opioid epidemic in many parts of the U.S. After considerable research and discussion, they learned that the epidemic hits all demographic groups, that three-fourths of heroin users started with pain pills and that prescriptions with more than few days doses significantly increases the rate of addiction and that six or more treatment periods are often needed before long-term recovery due to the effects of opioids on brain chemistry.

In response the union and company have developed a presentation on the scale of the problem and ways to combat it. Workers and managers at selected plants are being trained in cross-functional teams to help spot workers with abuse issues and help direct them to treatment. Recognizing the community-wide nature of the problem, joint presentations and resources are also being made available to targeted communities.

Broader health care trends include increased coverage, provider consolidation, technological changes, greater consumerism (though when folks Google their ailments, they get the wrong diagnosis/treatment recommendations 80 percent of the time), focus on outcome quality and overall patient well-being, prescription drug cost hikes and boosts in co-pays and deductibles according to a panel of experts from the Segal Co., Blue Cross Blue Shield and a health care lobbyist for unions.

Congress isn’t expected to address any major areas of health care law this year though minor changes may be made through the appropriations process.

Potential congressional action was also on the agenda of a panel on multiemployer pension funds. A joint Senate-House committee is studying the issue, and expected to deliver a report later this year. But action on the report will be difficult in the current Congress.

Bruce Perlin, an attorney with the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., delivered a sobering actuarial report on the fund. Given estimates of the 187 current insolvent and nearly insolvent funds and their needs, the PBGC will be out of funds to help by 2022. Segal consultant John Redmond noted the importance of trustees’ setting a sound risk management plan whatever the plan’s current status.

One plan in the Minnesota retail grocery industry nearing dangerous status developed a strategy working with management and labor to restore the plan’s solvency while providing an alternative plan for workers going forward. Employers provided up-front extra contributions while workers accepted a changed benefit package.

In Tennessee a longtime joint labor-management effort is striving to address anew workforce development for construction at the Oak Ridge nuclear complex, which is undergoing a $6.5 billion series of projects. The effort, Cooperative Agreement of Labor & Management (CALM), began in the 1980s to address a previous large construction effort by the complex and the Tennessee Valley Authority. Workforce recruitment is particular challenge for contractors at the nuclear complex because all workers must pass a security clearance. CALM is a partnership of the Knoxville Building Trades, signatory contractors and the Oak Ridge complex.

CALM promotes craft careers with area schools and community colleges, but the large project inspired it to resurrect an enhanced pre-apprentice project aimed at recruiting a more diverse workforce with the help of grants from the national Building Trades and the FMCS. So far the program has graduated 40 workers for multiple crafts. A third class has been scheduled.

Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta emphasized applying the success of construction union apprentice programs to other industries. He told the conference that the Department of Labor is committed to enforcing labor law, helping match workers with skills employers need for sustainable careers and helping workers with opioid issues re-enter the workforce. Acosta praised labor-management cooperation. As a former prosecutor, Acosta said he would “uphold the law” and support prevention of workplace injuries.

Relationship-building and changing how folks participated in the bargaining process has helped Lockheed Martin and the UAW improve negotiating and the results at plants across the U.S. Working with FMCS, the firm and union blended elements of issue-based, affinity-based and traditional negotiating systems to meet their needs. Noting that “people not process” drive decisions, the negotiating partners began asking “why” then worked to “what” and both sides engaged their constituencies more meaningfully in the process.

Actors Equity President Kate Shindle explained how the union worked with off-Broadway theater owners to gain better wages and benefits for workers along with stronger promotions and worker stability for the theaters. The two sides are also now working to improve security, safety and harassment issues. Shindle noted the issues of contingent workers now gaining prominence have long been addressed in performing arts and building trades collective bargaining.

Richard Giacalone, recently appointed by the President as interim FMCS director, said that the agency will continue to offer training as well as mediation services to enhance labor-management relationships. The agency is currently hiring mediators in several areas of the country, including Kansas City. Those interested can get more information at www.fmcs.gov .

Giacalone added that FMCS plans to continue its biannual conference in 2020, returning to Chicago.

Congrats to LMC members recognized as among the top general contractors in the Midwest region by Midwest Real Estate News: Turner Construction, #1; JE Dunn Construction Co., #4; and McCownGordon Construction Co., #15.

Hope you had a great Labor Day! A reminder that the deadline for MId-Level Leadership Program applications is Sept. 15, with the first of 16 sessions on Sept. 19 at Rockhurst University. Contact the LMC, bob.jacobi@rockhurst.edu or (816) 501-4565, with questions or to get a brochure and application form.