The Village was notified on Wednesday, June 21 that members of Cement Masons Local 502-Area 5 were present at the Somonauk Park Pavilion construction site.
After speaking with union representatives, staff became aware of their concerns that the contractor was not paying the Illinois prevailing wage. This was plainly stated in both the Bid Request for Proposal and the Independent Contractor Agreement with the project's successful bidder.
The contractor has been contacted by staff, and the Independent Contractor Agreement stipulates that evidence of compliance with prevailing wage standards must be submitted to the Village.
The contractor has indicated that evidence of compliance with prevailing wage standards will be presented to the Village on Monday.
[UPDATE 06/28/2023]
The Village of Park Forest has released the following statement as an update on the dispute between the union and the contractor at Somonauk Park.
The statements provided by the vendor about wages paid to employees on the Somonauk Pavilion project match with what was submitted as certified payroll. However a discrepancy was found as the rates are accurate as of 2022 but are not the current 2023 Cook County rates. The contractor is aware of the discrepancy and has vowed to make their employees whole on the next payroll. The contractor will also provide the Village with updated certified payrolls showing that this issue has been rectified.