Each year the LMC Board of Directors establishes a Public Issues Agenda. The Board looks at key issues of interest to both labor and to management, and includes those issues with support from at least 75% of board members from both sides. The Board also sets a “watch” category of issues of importance where no consensus position has been reached. Legislative and administrative actions of all levels of government are included. The LMC is a nonpartisan organization and does not endorse candidates but does consider positions on ballot issues. As issues emerge during the year the Board can add, change or remove positions. The 2026 Public Issues Agenda, which was adopted unanimously by the Board at its Jan. 15 meeting:
Federal
•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.”
•Support full funding for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service
Watch: Multiemployer benefit fund reform implementation
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 opposes legislation that discriminates against transgendered persons.
•The LMC opposes legislation that prohibits employers from requiring workers to be vaccinated (except for religious and health exemptions).
•The LMC opposes changes in unemployment compensation contained in House bill, HB 1849 (the 2026 bill number; also any Senate companion bill) that reduce benefits based on the statewide unemployment rate.
•The LMC supports state of Missouri matching funding for the Health Sciences Development District.
•The LMC supports measures to improve access to affordable, quality child care and early childhood education
•The LMC supports reductions in sales taxes on items essential to workers and families
Watch: Unemployment Insurance, Workers Compensation, Utility Rates & Energy Capacity, Education, Kansas City School District, Prompt Pay and Retainage on Construction Projects, Initiative Petition Process Changes, Proposals to change Missouri’s tax system.
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.
•The LMC opposes legislation that discriminates against transgendered persons.
•The LMC opposes legislation that prohibits employers from requiring workers to be vaccinated (except for religious and health exemptions.
•The LMC supports measures to improve access to affordable, quality child care and early childhood education
•The LMC supports reductions in sales taxes on items essential to workers and families
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.
Watch: Possible Kansas City, Mo., Energy Codes.
