Port KC closes worker wage loophole

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

Axios Kansas City – March 25, 2026
Abbey Higginbotham & Travis Meier

Workers are putting down picket signs after Port KC closed a loophole in its project financing that allowed developers to pay lower wages than Missouri’s prevailing wage standards.

Why it matters: Construction is booming across the city, and after weeks of picketing over wages at Port KC-backed projects, union workers say the new rule is a step forward, even as they push for more.

What’s inside: The rule requires Port KC contracts to mandate Missouri’s minimum hourly pay for construction workers — known as the prevailing wage — on bond-financed sale-leaseback projects, closing a loophole that allowed developers to pay workers below the minimum.

  • The rates vary by profession and county, with elevator constructors in Jackson County earning more than $100 per hour.
  • Port KC’s rule applies to logistics, industrial, data and office projects exceeding $3 million, as well as to hotels, multifamily and mixed-use projects exceeding $15 million.
  • Port KC will audit worker pay and levy fines against developers for every day a worker is underpaid, multiplied by the number of underpaid work

(See full article)

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Wage Theft Ordinance Passes

Posted by National Alliance for Fair Contracting on

KC Labor Beacon
Nov. 24, 2021

Another success in our ongoing fight against wage theft! Recently, Kansas City, Mo city council passed its first ever Wage Theft ordinance to hold cheating contractors accountable. Members of organized labor joined Councilman Kevin O’Neill after  the first ever Wage Theft ordinance was passed\. The ordinance will criminalize those contractors who use labor brokers, 1099s, pay cash without certified payrolls and other forms of illegal payments to workers. The new Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Department will enforce prevailing wage, wage theft and city tax evaders by monitoring all worksites that are either contracted with the city or have city incentives tied to their project. In addition, changes were made to the Fairness in Construction Board which will include four new members. The board will include a member from organized labor, one from the Associated General Contractors and two from the community.