For the first time in nearly a decade, Kansas City, MO has debarred a contractor from performing work on city projects for repeated wage violations.
On August 5th, the City of Kansas City’s Civil Rights and Equal Opportunity Department (CREO) announced the two-year debarment of CJR Construction, LLC after repeated violations of the City’s prevailing wage requirements were confirmed on three separate development projects.
Kansas City created a panel, chaired by Councilman Kevin O’Neill, Public Works Director Michael Shaw, and Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Business Manager Ralph Oropeza. The panel voted unanimously to debar after multiple days of hearings.
These findings include:
- Failure to pay prevailing wage to 14 workers at the Three Light Luxury Apartments project.
- Underpayment of a worker at the One Nine Vine development.
- Misclassification of an apprentice at the Jazz Hill Homes project, coupled with inaccurately certified payroll documents.
According to the City, “each of these violations is a breach of Missouri law (RSMo Chapter 290) and the City’s own code (Section 3-622), which require contractors to pay fair, prevailing wages on projects receiving City support.”
“This is about protecting workers and protecting public investment,” said First District Councilmember Kevin O’Neill. “When a company takes City subsidies and cuts corners on the backs of workers, it hurts all of us. This debarment sends a clear message: If you don’t follow the rules, you will lose access to future City work.”
Kansas City’s prevailing wage ordinance was created to ensure that publicly supported development projects provide fair compensation to those doing the work. Developers and contractors who ignore those rules risk severe consequences, including contract termination, subsidy revocation, and disqualification from future work with the City.
CJR Construction’s debarment is effective immediately and will remain in place for two years.
The City of Kansas City has slowly started to more proactively pursue a more aggressive application of its own rules, bolstered by encouragement from local unions and Councilman Kevin O’Neill.
Tristin Amezcua-Hogan is the Editor of The Labor Beacon and a member of LIUNA Local 264. Tristin also serves as the Director of Communications for the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO and the Chair of the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance.
Tristin grew up as the son of a UA Local 669 member in Tecumseh, KS and the great-nephew of George C. Amis, longtime leader of the United Rubberworkers (now USW Local 307) in Kansas. Growing up in rural Kansas as the child of teen parents, Tristin quickly came to appreciate the life-changing benefit of a union job.
Tristin and his partner, Rebeca Amezcua-Hogan, are residents of the Westside, Kansas City, MO's historic Mexican neighborhood. They are proud members of Kansas City's New Reform Temple.
