6 Inflatable Rats Occupy Route 52 In Shorewood Because This New Business Is Being Built

SHOREWOOD, IL — On another gorgeous spring day, six inflatable rats were lined up along U.S. 52 Thursday morning near the edge of Shorewood's village limits as men from Laborers Local 75 and several other Joliet area trade unions joined together in solidarity to protest the new veterinary clinic under construction near the Shorewood Village Towne Center.

Their giant banner captured their message: "APEX DESIGN BUILD: SHAME ON YOU."

Apex is the general contractor for the new veterinary clinic, and the Rosemont-based company "is not paying area standards, and they mostly contract out of town," said Mark Micetich, president of Laborers Local 75, which covers Will and Grundy Counties.

Tom White, executive director with Three Rivers Construction Alliance on Springfield Avenue in Joliet, told Joliet Patch that Laborers Local 75 had the labor dispute with Apex. White said the following Locals showed up in Shorewood along Route 52 to show their support: Electricians Local #176, Ironworkers Local #444, Painters Local #33, Plumbers Local #130 and Teamsters Local #179.

"Apex Design Build led the village of Shorewood and myself to believe there would be no problems on this project," White remarked. "I personally wasted a lot of time finding Local contractors to bid this project, which none were contacted. No local contractors have been used to date."

Micetich emphasized that Laborers Local 75 is protesting the veterinary clinic, which is a private business, and not the village of Shorewood officials.

"Shorewood is good," he said. "There's just a little bugaboo here."