The president of Chemtool, a manufacturer of lubricants, says he's reaching a tipping point with union members picketing Friday, and is starting to think about taking the project elsewhere.
The latest round of protest against Chemtool comes from these local union workers, hitting the picket lines all day Friday for one simple reason.
"He promised that local people would go to work and it's not happening," Art Storms said.
Storms is with a local trade union and is referring to Chemtool's President Jim Athens. He feels the company's falling short on pledged commitments to the community.
"We sat down and talked several times and he's promised our contractors they were going to do the work and he basically reneged on it," Storms said.
Athens wouldn't speak on camera but says he never made promises to Sturm's union. He says he welcomed bids for work that he's still considering for later phases of construction.
Those working on site Friday were Chemtool employees. Athans said Friday's picketing led 40 other workers to leave, adding to a host of ongoing issues, making Athans quote "emotionally upset." He added that "This may be the straw that breaks the camel's back...I can't stomach this."
Other issues over the past month include resident outcry at village hall over a special taxing district for Chemtool. And unexpected electrical problems on site. One problem that's not going away anytime soon are the picketers.
"We'll be here on Monday until this gets resolved. We're not going to leave," Sturms said.
Athans' dismissing the fact that he's not hiring locally. He says the majority of his current construction workers are from the area except a McHenry County-based concrete company that turned in a better bid. As far as looking elsewhere, he's aware of other sites in Illinois and Indiana but wouldn't give any specifics.