Inflatable Rats Occupy West Jefferson St: Here's Why

JOLIET— If you were driving along West Jefferson Street Tuesday morning, you probably saw inflatable rats just not on the north side of Joliet's busiest street, but there was also a rat on the south side, near the entrance to the Marycrest Shopping Center.

Why so many inflatable rats in such a small area?

That's because Laborers Local 75 is protesting two different construction projects taking place on both sides of the street. One inflatable rat is positioned in the front of the recently demolished Bakers Square restaurant property. This is where a new Starbucks coffeehouse is being built.

The developers on that project chose to turn their back on Laborers Local 75, instead using Prairie Concrete, a non-union concrete company out of Huntley.

In addition, Laborers Local 75 is protesting the hiring of another non-union contracting company to repave the asphalt at the Marycrest Shopping Plaza. A sign posted on West Jefferson Street by Laborers Local 75 lets motorists know that Crystal Concrete out of Algonquin pays substandard wages and benefits.

"We're working both sides," of West Jefferson Street, said Taylor Olson, an organizer with Laborers Local 75.

In front of the future Starbucks, Olson explained, "we're trying to get Joliet to go in the right direction using local labor and paying standard wages and benefits that workers deserve."