TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Democrats in the Kansas Legislature are pushing measures on wages, hiring and government procurement aimed at helping workers.

Senate Democratic Leader Anthony Hensley and House Democratic Leader Paul Davis outlined the proposals Monday at a news conference where they also criticized majority Republicans as unfriendly to wage earners.

Their agenda includes measures that would require contractors on public projects to pay the prevailing union wage for certain jobs in a community and requiring Kansans to be hired first. Also, they're arguing that the state should boost its $7.25-an-hour minimum wage.

But the Democratic leaders devoted much of their event to criticizing Republicans over several measures to limit the bargaining rights of public employee unions.

Republicans have said they want to protect workers who disagree with their unions.