Former Best Buy building changes hands
Category: Business
Congresswoman favors infrastructure funds
by Murrel Bland
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., said she hopes the U.S. Senate will take up a bill that the U.S. House of Representatives has passed – $500 billion for infrastructure. This would provide funds for such things as roads and bridges. The House is controlled by Democrats and the Senate is controlled by Republicans.
Rep. Davids spoke to members of the Congressional Forum, via Zoom Friday, Aug. 21. The forum is a committee of the Kansas City, Kansas, Area Chamber of Commerce.
Mike Smallwood, the legislative chairman for the chamber, said he hopes Congress could provide more help for small businesses such as another round of the Paycheck Protection Program.
Rep. Davids said, although she is the lone Democrat in the Kansas Congressional delegation, she communicates with her fellow Republican legislators when it is in the best interest of the state of Kansas.
Rep. Davids said she favors federal legislation that would provide funds for state and local governments that have suffered a loss in revenue because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Rep. Davids voted with the majority Saturday, Aug. 22, to provide extra funds for the U.S. Postal Service so there would be no delay in processing mail ballots in the general election this fall. However, the bill will face opposition in the U.S. Senate; President Donald Trump said he would veto such legislation.
Louis DeJoy, the recently appointed postmaster general, said the U.S. Postal Service doesn’t need the money. DeJoy raised campaign funds for President Donald J. Trump and other Republican candidates.
In other matters, Dr. Jane Winkler Philbrook, a Unified Government commissioner, reported that a little more than $37 million in federal funds has been designated for various nonprofit organizations in Wyandotte County because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The money is provided through CARES — standing for the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The amounts and the agencies still have to be approved by the state of Kansas government. These organizations include various local social service agencies that serve the poor.
Murrel Bland is former editor of The Wyandotte West and The Piper Press. He is the executive director of Business West.
GM Fairfax plant hiring production team members
General Motors today announced its Fairfax assembly plant is seeking to hire approximately 70 production team members. The new hourly positions will help support production of the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4.
In making the announcement, Trevor Tomkins, a GM communications coordinator, said, “The jobs are available because customer demand is holding up for the vehicles and these new hires will allow GM to maintain quality production levels.”
Wages for the new part-time positions are $16.67 per hour and include holiday pay and health care options after 90 days for employment. No prior experience is necessary.
Other qualifications include the willingness and ability to work any shift. Tompkins said the typical work week consists of 16-32 hours. Production on Saturdays may be required as part of a typical schedule.
For more information or to apply, applicants can visit: https://generalmotors.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/Careers_GM/job/Fairfax-ASSY-STPG—Fairfax-ASSY-STPG/Production-Worker—Part—Time_JR-000000226
Although the current openings are temporary positions, when GM does hire full-time permanent employees, temporary employees are typically considered per the terms of the UAW/GM national labor agreement.
With regard to worker safety in times of the COVID-19, Tony Roberts, Fairfax’s director of human resources and labor relations said, “Nothing is more important to the GM Fairfax leadership team than the health and safety of the entire workforce. GM is using the best medical and scientific data available, guidance from the CDC and input from the UAW to develop screening, cleaning and social strategies for all our facilities.”
Fairfax’s safety protocols involve a multi-layered approach that includes frequent hand washing, temperature screening, additional cleaning of workstations and common areas, physical distancing, wearing a mask and safety glasses.
GM has produced vehicles in the Kansas City area since 1946 and opened the Fairfax Assembly and Stamping facility in 1987. The plant operates on two production shifts and three stamping shifts, and currently employs about 2,140 hourly and 235 salaried employees. Hourly employees are represented by UAW Local 31.