The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City sees a great 2020 for our area starting with the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win and celebration. We are excited to announce our 2020 Issues Agenda and events schedule, including a new event.

Founded 41-years ago in part to help labor and management work together on public issues of mutual interest, the LMC takes public issue positions when they are supported by at least 75% of Board of Directors members from both labor and from management. This year’s Agenda was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors:

LMC 2020 Public Issues Agenda

Federal
•Support construction of the Keystone pipeline project.
•Any future stimulus funds include significant vertical construction projects.
•Support continuation of Davis-Bacon in any new federal infrastructure program.
•Oppose federal “right-to-work.”
Watch: Multiemployer benefit fund reform

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.
•The LMC supports development of a statutory framework for public employee collective bargaining in Missouri to reduce uncertainty for workers and for public employers.
•The LMC supports matching funds for a UMKC performing arts campus.
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.
•The LMC supports reinstatement of a local option for prevailing wage in Kansas.
•The LMC supports maintaining and increasing Medicaid eligibility and adequate provider reimbursement.

Local
•The LMC opposes elimination of the Kansas City, Mo. city earnings tax until an alternative is in place.
•The LMC supports prevailing wage on projects with economic development incentives.
•The LMC supports modernization of the Kansas City International Airport.
Watch: Possible Kansas City, Mo., Public Safety Sales Tax increase

2020 LMC Events Schedule

The LMC will host its inaugural Sporting Clay Shoot this year as well as our traditional events and programs:

•Construction Industry Committee meetings the 2nd Thursday of each month (except July) at 8 a.m. at Mark One Electric Co., Inc., 1414 Genessee, Kansas City, MO 64102.

•LMC Quarterly Board of Directors Meeting, April 23, 9 a.m., Rockhurst University.

•41st Anniversary Celebration and 21st Annual Awards Dinner, April 30, Argosy Casino. The keynote presentation will be made by KC Rising. Leadership in Labor-Management Cooperation and Service to the LMC awards will be announced, and LMC officers will be elected.

•Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 12-15, Camden on the Lake. Scot Beckenbaugh, past interim director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, will keynote. Registration opens in March.

•22nd Craig Whitaker Memorial LMC Golf Tournament on Monday, July 27, Oakwood Country Club.

•1st LMC Sporting Clay Shoot, Sept. 17, Saddle & Sirloin Club

•Mid-Level Leadership Program 2020-21 Class, Begins in September Dates TBA

•LMC Quarterly Board Meeting, October TBA

•Annual Public Officials Reception, Oct. 22, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Look for more details soon. Be sure to check our blog and Linkedin page regularly for updates. Registration forms are available now for the 41st Anniversary Celebration, Golf Tournament and Sporting Clay Shoot. Please contact me for those and with any questions or suggestions on our public issues agenda, our events or any other LMC activities.

Collective bargaining negotiations took center stage at the Feb. 12, 2020 session of the Mid-Level Leadership Program session at Rockhurst University. Jim Albano, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service commissioner, led the session. See a photo in Mid-Level Leadership 2019 at left. Thanks Jim!

The LMC mourns the loss of three friends the past week:

Rowena Conklin was a well-respected Missouri lobbyist for many years, particularly on education issues. She was a friend to the LMC and its mission, generous with advice and information useful to our issues.

Jack Runyan was a former GKC Chamber leader and Missouri secretary of agriculture, involved in international trade. He helped the LMC with events and advice as well as contacts.

Roger Helt was a longtime Blue Cross Blue Shield executive, who frequently provided the LMC with information and resources on health care issues.

The LMC sends condolences to the families of Rowena, Jack and Roger and our appreciation for their generous support of our mission.

Tonight's Mid-Level Leadership Program session is cancelled due to Chiefs' parade and weather forecast. The final 2019-20 session will now be March 18; tonight's topic on Ethics will be addressed Feb. 26. Also, please check out photos from the Jan. 29 session on Labor Law with five of KC's top labor attorneys in the photo album, left, under Mid-Level Leadership Jan. 29, 2020.

Congrats to the Kansas City Chiefs for winning the team's first SuperBowl in 50 years! Like the Royals world championship four+ years ago, a great unifier for our community. We also congratulate the many workers of LMC member SEIU Local 1 who work at the stadium on game day and throughout the year.