Tell Politicians To Stop Government Mandates That Block Workers From Building Their Own Communities.

Kansas City is advancing policies that rely on rigid mandates to decide who is allowed to work on public and taxpayer-supported projects.

The vast majority of construction workers choose to be merit shop. They are our neighbors, family members, and community members building Kansas City and paying for these projects. City leaders should support the workforce we actually have, not exclude most workers by ignoring how they choose to work and train.

Send A Letter To Protect Local Workers And Stop Kansas City’s Job-Blocking Mandates.

Dear Mayor Lucas and Members of the Kansas City Council, I am writing to express concern about proposals that would require contractors on certain Kansas City projects to rely on a single apprenticeship training model. Construction workers enter the trades through many pathways, including registered apprenticeships, trade schools, community colleges, and employer-driven on-the-job training. Requiring one training method would sideline skilled workers who chose other lawful and effective ways to build their careers. These workers are not outsiders. They are our neighbors, family members, and community members who build Kansas City and help pay for public projects with their tax dollars. Kansas City already faces a shortage of skilled construction workers. Limiting access to the trades by mandating one training pathway will not grow the workforce. It will reduce opportunities, make projects more difficult to complete, and push local workers off local jobs. When workers are pushed off local projects, families lose paychecks. When fewer workers are allowed to participate, fewer projects move forward. When costs rise and development is moved elsewhere, Kansas City loses jobs, opportunities, and value for taxpayers. Kansas City should support multiple pathways into the construction industry and keep public projects open to the workers who have been building our communities. I urge you to reject apprenticeship mandates that restrict worker opportunity and limit access to construction careers. Sincerely,

Please prove you are human by selecting the plane.

The Majority Of Workers Are Merit Shop LET US WORK. LET US BUILD.

In Missouri, approximately 73% of construction workers choose to work merit shop. Nationally, nearly 90% of the construction workforce is merit shop.

These workers are not outsiders. They live here. They raise families here. They build the roads, schools, utilities, and businesses our communities rely on.

Kansas City policies should reflect that reality and protect workers.

Respect Worker Choice

The majority of construction workers actively choose merit shop
Workers should be free to choose how they train and work
One-size-fits-all mandates ignore how the industry actually operates

Let the Majority Work

Merit shop is the construction workforce and Kansas City should not adopt policies that exclude it.
Policies should reflect who is building our communities
Local workers should not be shut out of projects they help pay for

Support Growth

Multiple training pathways grow the workforce and create opportunity
Special-interest checklists limit job growth and reduce access
Kansas City needs more workers, not fewer
Kansas City should prioritize job growth and opportunity.

Keep Jobs Local

When local workers are excluded, jobs leave the community
Higher costs and delays hurt families and taxpayers
Letting the workforce work delivers better outcomes for everyone

Public projects and tax-incentivized development should benefit the local workforce, not shut it out. When policies narrow who qualifies to work and how they must be trained, they don’t raise standards. They reduce opportunity, delay projects, and deny hardworking people the chance to earn a living on projects they help pay for.