Organizers from several unions in Kansas City had grown suspicious of labor practices at a major apartment complex project in Independence, Missouri, but continually ran into resistance from the general contractor on the site, A.G. Spanos, and it’s superintendent. The same family that owns A. G. Spanos owns the National Football League team, the Los Angeles Chargers. Organizers believe that it is possible that the general contractor on the site has been using underpaid and undocumented workers. Literature was distributed at the job site, called Azure Luxury Apartments, notifying workers that the project requires that they be paid at prevailing wage. Reportedly, Organizers and Business Agents have repeatedly, individually requested certified payroll reports, only to find the site superintendent and A.G. Spanos uncooperative. Out of town developers need to be held accountable for the work that occurs on development projects.

After struggling against the general contractor for some time, the organizers got together and decided to confront him as a group. The general contractor has reportedly responded to previous accusations around labor practices on the project with derision towards organizers. A group of almost a dozen organizers marched onto the project on January 7th and demanded that he produce payroll reports and accused the general contractor of using underpaid undocumented workers. When the Kansas City Labor Beacon accompanied these organizers onto the site, it found that signs that required to be posted describing worker’s rights under the Davis-Bacon act had been knocked to the ground and were lying in the mud.

At the time of the publishing of this issue of the paper, organizers still have not received the requested payroll reports, but are actively following all leads to get results and justice for any workers that may be wronged. Labor’s power is always strongest when it works together. Updates to come.

Organizers rally to confront contractor.