Jennifer Rice/staff photographer
Several Locals came out April 25 to protest the Mount Prospect grand opening of the Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market. During construction, several non-signatory contractors were used, including Symphony of Destruction, which paid their Laborers substandard wages and benefits.

By Jennifer Rice
Managing editor
Thursday, May 1, 2014
Email Jennifer Rice at jen@foxvalleylabornews.com

MOUNT PROSPECT — Shoppers coming to shop April 23 at the grand opening of the Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market in Mount Prospect were met by numerous union members showing their disgust that non-signatory contractors were used on its remodeling project.

This market was the first of 22 to open in Illinois. Currently, another Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market is being constructed in Lake County. If the markets continue to use non-signatory contractors, more union members will not be working and more pickets may go up.

Laborers’ Local 118 President Leo Esparza said his local protested during the construction — especially the last three months of the market remodel.

His members’ efforts delayed the market’s grand opening by several months.

“This project was supposed to be a six-week turn-around project. But because they couldn’t get any concrete, or cranes, opening was delayed for six months and money was lost,” Esparza explained.

During construction, non-signatory contractor Symphony of Destruction paid their laborers substandard wages and benefits, which not only hurts workers, but also their communities.

Unions members, inflatable rats/pigs were brought from the Arlington Heights rally (held earlier in the morning) to the Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market protest.