The Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City

Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City Annual Meeting
Sept. 24, 2020 Via Zoom
Summary of Minutes

Attendees: Bret Bonge, Teri Casey, Greg Davey, Tim Dupin, Kevin Gard, Mike Kane, Alise Martiny, Jason Mendenhall, Laura Wagner, Bob Jacobi

•Welcome and thanks to Greg Davey and the Builders’ Association for hosting.

•Happy birthday wishes to Greg Davey.

•M/S/C to elect the following officers and board members:

Co-Chair, Management—Greg Davey, Builders’ Association (term expires 2022)
Vice Co-Chair, Management—Bret Bonge, Evergy (term expires 2022)
Secretary—Alise Martiny, Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council (term expires 2021)
Treasurer-Don Greenwell, Builders’ Association (term expires 2021)
Executive Committee—Teri Casey, City of Kansas City, Mo. (term expires 2023)
Board of Directors—
Mike Keeran, Teamsters Local 541 (term expires 2023)
Charles Onwushe, SEIU Local 1 (term expires 2023)
Clarence Brown, United Auto Workers Local 31 (term expires 2023)
Jimmy Walker, Kansas City, Mo. Fire Department (term expires 2023)
Jeff Hayes, Communication Workers of America (term expires 2022)

•LMC Updates
—Sporting Clay Shoot Sept. 17 was a success. Plans for next year includes search for ammunition sponsor.
—Public Officials Reception, Oct. 22 has a planning committee meeting Sept. 25. Changes have been made to increase safety though the situation will be continually monitored.
—Mid-Level Leadership Program, Early 2021 with several options planned depends on virus status.
—The LMC will soon sign a contract with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority to provide volunteers for prevailing wage monitoring on its construction projects. Lists of potential volunteer monitors are being sought from the craft unions and contractors. Alise Martiny thanked the LMC for its role in this program.
—The LMC opposes Amendment 3 on the Nov. 3 Missouri ballot. The issue would overturn the voters’ choice in 2018 on redistricting and gifts to legislators. We will begin communicating our position soon.

•M/S/C to adjourn at 8:18 a.m.

•Thanks to those attending.

Bob Jacobi
Executive Director

Note:  Co-Chairs and Vice Co-Chairs serve two years, with labor and management positions elected in alternate years.  Jason Mendenhall, Heavy Construction Laborers Local 663, is the current Co-Chair, Labor, and Gabe Jones, also with Local 663, is the Vice Co-Chair, Labor.

The LMC Construction Industry Committee will meet at 8 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 8 via Zoom. Jeff Barratt, Skilled KC Technical Institute, will speak.

The first Labor-Management Council of Greater Kansas City Sporting Clay Shoot was a hit Sept. 17 at Saddle & Sirloin. Weather conditions hit the target and shooters, ranging from expert to rookie, took aim at clays and networked amidst the wooded course. Photos from the event can be found at the right under First Sporting Clay Shoot 2020.

Supporters who made the LMC’s first shot at this type of event successful included:

Luncheon Sponsor

Delta Innovative Services, Inc.
Heavy Construction Laborers Local 663

Perfect Aim Sponsors

Heavy Construction Laborers Local 663
JE Dunn Construction Co.
MMC Contractors
Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons Local 518
Pipefitters Local 533

Teams

Painters District Council 3-#1
Painters District Council 3-#2

Individual Participants

Stewart Koesten (Joy Koesten guest)

Station Sponsors

BMO Harris Taft-Hartley Trust (2)
Novak Birks
Stephens Heffner Financial Partners

Volunteer

Bret Bonge

The LMC thanks the supporters and will soon start planning next year's event.

The LMC will hold its annual membership meeting to elect officers and open board of directors positions at 8 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 24 via Zoom.

Condolences to the family and colleagues of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Both as an attorney and a judge, Ruth Ginsberg had a significant impact on workplace law. She brought both a sharp legal mind and a human touch to the Supreme Court.

The LMC remembers 9/11, 2001, when Leo Zahner came into our Construction Industry Committee and said he had heard planes had hit the World Trade Center. Soon we learned more about the tragic events that day, and the heroic efforts of firefighters, police, EMS and construction workers who rushed to save lives. Hundreds of those workers lost their own lives and thousands more had long-term physical and mental injuries from their efforts. One of those killed at the twin towers had just a few years before won the Longest Drive at the LMC's first golf tournament. We remember and honor those who not only died and were injured that day but also in the responses there and militarily for years afterwards.

Congrats to the Builders' Association for a successful "Builders' Talk" for Suicide Prevention Week. It is a critical issue for the industry for both labor and management, and the Builders' have worked hard to help address it.

Construction Committee Discusses Future Industry Summit

Construction Industry Steering Team Summary of Minutes

 8 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020, Via Zoom

Attending:  Sam Alpert, Katie Castro, Angela Crawford, Greg Davey, Brian Dietz, Allen Dillingham, Alex Gonzalez, Jaime Guillen, Don Hunt, Kevin King, Greg Lever, Bill Livingston, Alise Martiny, Kevin O’Neill, Laura Wagner, Tom Wyrsch, Bob Jacobi.

•Thanks to Greg Davey and the Builders’ Association for Zoom hosting.

•Welcome to Angela Crawford, Builders’ Association, attending her first meeting.

•Discussion of proposal to hold a virtual Construction Industry Summit after the November election and before the end of 2020.  The primary focus of the summit will be how to work collaboratively among contractors, craft unions and customers to meet customer needs and grow market and market share for organized contractors.  Issues would include education for customers, economic incentives policies, workplace health and safety and costs, impact of contractor choice on the local economy, the rise of pre-fabrication, new technology, prevailing wage enforcement, relationships between general contractors and crafts to whom they are not signatory, workforce development and diversity, the value proposition of organized contractors, new realities during and post-COVID and potentially others.  A subcommittee will work on the details, including Alise Martiny, Tom Wyrsch, Kevin King, Greg Davey, Don Hunt, Alex Gonzalez and anyone else who wishes to volunteer.  A proposed plan will be put forth before or at the October committee meeting.

•The committee thanks Tom Wyrsch for his outstanding work at Jackson County.  Tom is retiring from Jackson County as of Sept. 30 after 15 years though he plans to continue working with the industry.  The county, which has about $2 million in projects and is looking at new jail, has reorganized its compliance operation.  Jaime Guillen will be the primary contact on prevailing wage issues.

•The Kansas City Zoo is bigger its largest project ever, a $75 million new aquarium.

•The LMC opposes Amendment 3 on the Missouri Nov. 3 ballot. Another ballot issue, Amendment 1, would add the lt. governor, secretary of state, state auditor and attorney general to those statewide offices with a two-term limit.  The governor and state treasurer are already limited to two terms.

•The city of Kansas City, Mo., will have the renewal of its earning tax up for election in 2021.  The LMC was involved in the previous two renewal campaigns. The city is also addressing budget cuts and the search for a new city manager.

•Congratulations to Kevin King on being elected secretary-treasurer of the Missouri State Building and Construction Trades Council, succeeding Scott Grandon.  State Rep. Doug Beck, also a candidate for the Missouri Senate, is the new president.

•The LMC’s first Sporting Clay Shoot will be next Thursday.  A few team spots remain available.

•The Laborers’ charity golf tournament will be Sept. 25 at Drumm Farm Golf Club.

•The GKC Building Trades will not hold its annual Christmas party this year due to COVID-19.

•The next LMC meeting Oct. 8 will include Jeff Barratt, Skilled KC Technical Institute, and could be of interest to apprenticeship coordinators as well.  The Nov. 12 meeting will have a presentation from Diode Ventures on its proposed data center project.

•M/S/C to adjourn at 9:10 a.m.

•Upcoming events:

*Unions Sportsman Alliance Conservation Dinner, TBA later in the fall

*USDOL Davis-Bacon Service Contract Act Seminar, Sept. 10, 2-3:30 p.m., virtual

*OSHA Stand-Down to Stop Construction Falls, Sept. 14-18

*USDOL Davis-Bacon Seminar Sept. 15, 2-3:30 p.m., virtual

*DBIA Mid-America Golf Tournament, Sept. 16, Shoal Creek

*USDOL Davis-Bacon Service Contract Act Seminar Sept. 16, 2-3:30 p.m., virtual

*LMC Sporting Clay Shoot, Sept. 17, Saddle & Sirloin

*Laborers Charity Golf Tournament, Sept. 25, 7 a.m. at Drumm Farm Golf Club

*Husch Blackwell Webinar on Fiduciary Developments, Sept. 30, noon

*CREWKC Quarterly Luncheon, Oct. 20, 11:30 a.m., Grand Street Cafe

*LMC Public Officials Reception Co-Presented with BOMA-KC, Oct. 22, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

*General Election, Nov. 3

*iBuild, April 22, 2021, Bartle Hall; reception April 21

*LMC 41st Anniversary Celebration and 21st Awards Dinner, May 13, 2021, Argosy Casino

*Mid-America Labor/Management Conference, July 11-14, 2021, Camden on the Lake

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

•New Business

•Next Meeting: 8 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020, Mark One Electric Co., Inc. or virtually.

•Adjourn

•Presenter Oct. 8 will be Jeff Barratt, Skilled KC Technical Institute; Nov. 12 will be Diode Ventures on its data center project

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 LMC mourns the passing of Louise Marian Putthoff, mother of Joan Putthoff and Connie Mann of Working Families Friend. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Working Families Friend, 1021 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, MO 64105, or Christ the King Food Pantry, 8520 Wornall, Kansas City, MO 64114. Memories and condolences can be shared at www.mcgilleystatelinechapel.com

The LMC wishes you a great and safe Labor Day weekend! While we miss the Labor Day events celebrating workers and each other, we can take the opportunity to remember the missions of our organizations and how our workforce makes those missions possible.

Thanks for your support!

The LMC Construction Industry Committee next meets (virtually) at 8 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10.

Due to the impact of COVID-19, the LMC is delaying the start of the next Mid-Level Leadership Program class until early 2021. Look for details later; those interested in applying can contact the LMC to get on the early notification list for when dates are final. And we recognize the graduates of the 2019-20 class:

Nancy Aguirre, Quality Improvement & Accreditation Coordinator, Kansas City, Mo. Health Department
Richard Allen, Senior Park Planner, Kansas City, Mo. Parks Department
Alan Ayres, Business Representative, Heavy Construction Laborers Local 663
Ryan Hackenmiller, Director Development Services, Van Trust Real Estate
Jason Hake, Tree Trimmer, Kansas City, Mo. Parks Department
Richard Hummons, Corrections Officer, Kansas City, Mo., Municipal Court
Chuck Kaiser, President, IUE/CWA Local 86116
Daniel Lowther, Corporal, Rockhurst University
Craig Mitchell, Court Bailiff, Kansas City, Mo. Municipal Court
Michael Mora, Craft Superintendent Cement Masons, JE Dunn Construction Co.
Cassie Morrison, Project Manager 2, JE Dunn Construction Co.
Shawn Norris, Labor Leader, Kansas City Water Department
Andrew Peterson, Senior Project Manager, JE Dunn Construction Co.
Phil Shoemaker, Safety & Health Director, Builders' Association
Heather Weidenhammer, Performance Manager, Kansas City, Mo. Municipal Court
Aleksander Zdjelar, Corporal, Rockhurst University